Alternative Provision units are places that provide education for children who can't go to a mainstream school. This might be because of their behaviour or for other reasons. I've seen some fantastic examples of this type of school, but there are worries that sometimes they are wrongly used as "dumping grounds" for difficult children.
It's vital that the right children are sent to AP, and that AP schools always have the highest standards. They can be the difference between a young person getting their life back on track and making a positive contribution to society, or - if things go wrong - leading to poor life choices and even criminality. I spoke about this with Education minister Claire Coutinho MP in Department for Education questions in the Commons.
