Our provision is, in most cases, delivered virtually. This allows for maximum flexibility and accessibility while maintaining a strong commitment to educational quality.

Virtual Participation

Learners can access our virtual provision in a way that works best for their needs, provided this does not conflict with our safeguarding policies. This may include joining sessions from any safe and appropriate environment within their home, such as a bedroom, garden, or other accessible space. We are committed to inclusivity and understand that due to their disabilities a young person may participate from their bed, wheelchair, or other supportive setting that meets their physical and sensory needs.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our learners, all participants under the age of 16 must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult over the age of 18.

In-Person Participation (Exceptional Circumstances)

While our provision is primarily virtual, we recognise that in rare and exceptional circumstances, in-person sessions may be appropriate and beneficial. In-person provision may be offered only where all of the following criteria are met:

1. Positive Peer Interaction: The presence of other young people—which will include the facilitator’s own children—is likely to positively contribute to the learner’s education, development, and engagement, with all participants being able to work well together without conflicting needs.
2. Virtual Provision Not Effective: Virtual learning has been attempted and found to be ineffective or unsuitable for meeting the learner’s specific needs.
3. Facilitator Capacity: The facilitator has the time, capacity, and appropriate facilities to safely deliver an in-person session.
4. Location: The young person and responsible adult will need to travel to a mutually convenient educational environment around Bulwell/ Cinder hill/ Basford or city centre areas of Nottingham. 

All in-person sessions will be risk-assessed and reviewed in line with our safeguarding and health and safety protocols. We do not offer in person provision within the participants own home. 

Definition of Attendance
Many young people join our provision due to school-related trauma, anxiety, or emotional barriers. We therefore define attendance broadly to include:

• Attending for at least 5 minutes of a session
• Arriving late or leaving early
• Observing while a parent/carer participates

"Patchy attendance" is expected and accepted during the first term as part of building trust and engagement.

Recording Attendance
We do not use standard school attendance codes, as these can be triggering for our learners. For school-commissioned placements, weekly attendance updates can be provided on request. Otherwise, we do not routinely record or share attendance.

Attendance Expectations
We aim for a minimum of 75% attendance per term (e.g., 9 out of 12 sessions). If attendance falls below this—except in cases of unavoidable or exceptional circumstances—we will end the provision at the end of the term. If attendance is regular but consistently below 1 hour we will lower our offering to 30 minute sessions. 

Invoices for alternative provision services are issued in advance on a termly basis and must be paid within 30 days of the invoice date.

 The only exception to this policy applies where the alternative provision is commissioned by a school as an interim provision. In such cases, invoices may be issued monthly in advance and must still be settled within 30 days.

In cases of late payment, interest will be charged at a rate equivalent to the Bank of England base rate plus 8%, applied from the due date until the date payment is received.

Where a purchase order number, vendor number, or any other specific invoicing information is required to submit an invoice, it is the responsibility of the funder to provide this information at least 30 days prior to the start of the forthcoming term. This information must be sent automatically without the need for Pawsitive Squad CIC to request it.

Failure to provide the required invoicing details within this timeframe will result in the invoice due date being set as the start date of the provision term. Any payment received after the term start date, in these circumstances, will incur interest charged at the Bank of England base rate plus 8%. By commissioning our service, you agree to pay interest and late fees outlined in this policy.

We review our fees annually and, where appropriate, adjust them to reflect changes in operational costs and service delivery. Any fee changes will take effect from the start of the financial year (April) and will be applied to the next invoice issued, typically the summer term invoice.

For families paying via a personal budget where a full-year fee has been previously quoted, any fee adjustments will be implemented from the start of the next academic year.