Pre-tender

Alternative Education Provision

Details

Buyer: London Borough of Croydon
Value: £4,400,000
Topic: Education and training services
Published: 1 July 2026
Source: uk:find_a_tender

Tender description

The London Borough of Croydon intends to establish a multi-supplier Approved Provider Panel for Alternative Education Provision (AEP) and Tuition Services for children and young people who are unable to access, or are at risk of being unable to access, suitable mainstream education. This includes learners who are excluded or at risk of exclusion, awaiting school placements, have SEND/EHCP needs, are looked-after children, have medical needs, or require provision under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996. Providers will deliver flexible educational programmes, tuition, mentoring and reintegration support through face-to-face and/or online delivery. The Panel is expected to comprise the following lots: LOT 1 -YEAR 11 (KS4)- Registered Providers Sub Lot 1 a - New arrivals - ESOL Sub Lot 1 b - New arrivals - complex needs (challenging behaviour) ESOL Sub Lot 1 c - Non ESOL - Year 11 LOT 2 - TUITION SERVICES (F2F/ONLINE/OTHER) Sub Lot 2a - Supplementary (Virtual School) (Outside of School) Sub Lot 2b - Section 19 (Medical Tuition/Other Tuition) (Re-integration) Sub Lot 3c - SEND Support (Out of school - awaiting special school). Services will be commissioned on an as-required basis by Croydon Council, schools, academies, PRUs and associated education services. Providers will be required to meet defined quality, safeguarding, reporting and performance standards, including delivery by appropriately qualified and vetted staff. No guarantee of volumes is offered.

Timeline

Completed: Pre-tender published1 July 2026
Current notice

About the buyer

London Borough of Croydon is a local authority procuring for the borough. Suppliers register on the council's e-procurement portal, In-Tend, to view current, forthcoming and awarded tenders. Every procurement follows the council's Tenders and Contract Regulations 2024, its internal rulebook for value-for-money contracts. Contracts above a set value threshold require suppliers to register on the government's Central Digital Platform with a verified identifier. A No PO No Pay policy requires a purchase order before any supplier begins work. Since July 2023 a statutory Improvement and Assurance Panel has held powers to direct council decisions where value for money falls short.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of London Borough of Croydon's contract awards have been in business services, IT services and health and social work.

Relevant CPV codes

80000000 · Education and training services
85000000 · Health and social work services

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@london-borough-of-croydon.gov