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Education Other Than At School (EOTAS)

Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) is is the name given to education provision is the title given to education for children with medical needs.
Find out more in this section about EOTAS health needs.

Education Other Than At School (EOTAS)

'EOTAS' stands for 'Education Other Than At School', and is the name given to education provision which is not at school.

There are three main reasons for a young person to be EOTAS:

Alternative education is identified for children and young people who have been excluded
Alternative education is provided by the local authority for pupils who are unable to attend school for health and medical reasons
The pupil has an EHCP and it is agreed by their family and the local authority that a school setting isn't able to effectively make provision for them

The role of the inclusion team

The inclusion team will work with children and young people and their family and school/setting to identify education if they have been excluded.

Referrals for medical or mental health needs

The EOTAS Health Needs team provides for learners who are of statutory school age but who are unable to attend school full time due to health and medical needs. Tuition is provided on a one to one basis or in small groups depending on the needs of each individual pupil. Pupils can still attend school part-time and receive EOTAS tuition, or have their full time education provided by our team of teachers.

Medical needs: Referrals are usually made by Education Welfare Officers or school pastoral managers/heads of year with confirmation in writing from a medical professional (usually a consultant rather than a GP) that the learner is unable to attend school because of their medical condition.

Mental health needs: Referrals are usually made by Education Welfare Officers or school pastoral managers/heads of year with confirmation in writing from a mental health professional that the learner is unable to attend school because of their mental health condition.

For advice or guidance if a pupil has medical or health needs, please telephone 01670 624 182.

If your child is unable to attend school

If your child is currently unable to attend school, the Local Authority must provide a suitable education for a child who is out-of-school ill, excluded ‘or otherwise’. If a child or young person is struggling to attend school at all or full-time, potentially because of a medical reason e.g., anxiety, then they might be classed as medically unfit to attend school.

A family or school may request EOTAS through Northumberland’s EOTAS service (overseen by the Head of the Virtual School).

When a referral/request is received, supporting evidence from a medical professional, usually a paediatrician or GP, must be provided. Local Authorities should make every effort to minimise the disruption to a child’s education. For example, where specific medical evidence, such as that provided by a medical consultant, is not quickly available, Local Authorities should consider liaising with other medical professionals, such as the child’s GP, and consider looking at other evidence to ensure minimal delay in arranging appropriate provision for the child.

Once confirmed, and it is understood the child or young person will not be in school for a total of 15 days, the local authority has a legal duty under Section 19 Education Act 1996 to make arrangements for the provision of suitable education at school or otherwise than at school for those children of compulsory school age who, by reason of illness may not for any period receive suitable education unless such arrangements are made for them.

If your child has an EHC Plan

If your child has an EHC Plan and no school or setting of any type can make provision to meet their needs, at annual review (early annual review may be requested), a family may request EOTAS, citing fact that section F provision in the child’s EHCP cannot be made in a school or educational setting.

A panel, made up of Local Authority and school staff, will discuss the request, ensuring that there is no setting able to make educational provision. Where a setting agrees to make provision, EOTAS will not be agreed.

Section F of an EHCP will detail explicitly the provision which will be made. This may include a wide range of activities to ensure effective education and that needs (in section B) are met.

Section I of the EHCP will be blank as the CYP won’t be on roll at any setting. How payment for provision is made will be agreed (including direct payment or payment to organisations directly).

Section J will detail explicitly any direct payments which will be made.