New figures reveal that Sports Coaching Group will deliver almost 340 Alternative Provision (AP) education sessions before the end of the school year.
The company started delivering the sessions in March 2026 and will have hit this number by the end of July.
Company managers are predicting this will increase in the new school year, with Department for Education figures showing that more than 100,000 pupils in England access some form of Alternative Provision each year, highlighting the growing need for specialist support outside mainstream classrooms.
AP refers to education arranged for children and young people who cannot access mainstream education full-time due to a range of factors, including behavioural challenges, anxiety, exclusion, special educational needs, or difficulties engaging in a conventional classroom environment.
AP offers a more personalised and flexible approach, helping pupils rebuild confidence, improve attendance and re-engage with learning.
Increasing numbers of children with additional needs are placing greater demands on schools and support services.
This is why Sports Coaching Group with its team of specialist staff has started delivering sessions across Cheshire East and Staffordshire.
Delivered at Sandbach SportsZone, Cheshire, Biddulph Youth and Community Zone, Staffordshire, and in schools across the region, the sessions have included personalised tuition, enrichment through sport, one-to-one support during mock examinations and PE Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for school staff.
The organisation’s approach combines physical activity, mentoring, wellbeing and education to create meaningful pathways for young people.
Programmes range from personalised mentoring and youth engagement to accredited qualifications, PSHE programmes and active learning initiatives such as Active Maths and Active Reading.
The provision is also fully-quality assured by Cheshire East Council.
Joe Price, Alternative Provision Manager at Sports Coaching Group, said: “The growth of our Alternative Provision service since the start of the year has been remarkable. What began as a relatively small offer has quickly expanded to support a growing number of schools and young people across Cheshire East and Staffordshire.
“We know that not every child learns in the same way. Alternative Provision provides pupils with a different route to success, helping them to reconnect with education, develop confidence and build the skills they need for the future.
“By using sport, mentoring and personalised support as a vehicle for engagement, we are seeing young people make real progress both academically and personally.”
As schools continue to look for innovative ways to support pupils with diverse needs, Alternative Provision is increasingly becoming a vital part of the educational landscape, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to succeed.