Select List of Alternative Education Provision for the Woodlands

Durham County Council

Published: Jun 18, 2026

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the education and training and social protection sectors, with a focus on Vocational Training and Curriculum. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 52.0 million. Proposals must be submitted before July 18, 2026.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the education and training sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.

Description

The Government strongly believes that every child deserves an education that enables them to fulfil their potential, whatever their background, needs or location in the country. Alternative Provision (AP) plays a critical role in making this happen. It provides support to children at challenging moments in their lives and each placement has the potential to transform a child's life chances - 'Creating opportunity for all' Our vision for alternative provision March 2018
1. Many young people accessing alternative provision make up some of the most vulnerable children in our society and are affected by a number of wider issues, which impact on their ability and willingness to engage in learning.

2. The purpose of alternative provision is to re-engage excluded pupils in their education. The ultimate goal of this work is to help these young people achieve all that they are capable of in their studies and prepare them for future life.
3. Durham County Council coordinates a Directory of Alternative Provision Providers. This Directory of Alternative Providers offers the Woodlands a range of providers from which they can select to make a placement. The Woodlands will determine where to place a pupil based on an individual pupil's needs.
Delivery of Provision
Placements follow a Monday-Wednesday academic focus and Thursday-Friday vocational focus. Provision hours: 9:30 am - 2:30 pm; unless agreed otherwise.
Providers deliver:
 A coherently planned curriculum linked to the National Curriculum and The Woodlands shared Curriculum for block bookings
 Nationally accredited qualifications
 PRHSE through structured lessons
 Careers advice (2 opportunities per key stage)
Focus areas include:
 Building self-esteem, confidence, and communication
 Encouraging responsibility and social skills
 Supporting SEND pupils
 Preparing pupils for employment, training, or further education
Providers must be Ofsted-registered to offer a full-time 5-day education placement.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on June 18, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 057395-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Durham County Council

Durham County Council has issued 221 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 12 currently open and 169 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Governance & Public Administration, Information & Communication Technology, and Transport & Logistics. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and UK Contracts Finder. Most recent publication: June 18, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £52,000,000 - £52,000,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 057395-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is July 18, 2026. You have 23 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Durham County Council in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Services contract in the Education & Training sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.