Are you considering an EOTAS package for your child?
Are you looking for a trauma-informed specialist teacher?
If so, please read on!
When a child cannot attend school due to their special educational needs, families may be able to access an EOTAS or EOTIS (Education Otherwise Than At/In School) package funded by the local authority or through a personal budget.
At SENsational Tutors, we provide specialist EOTAS tutoring and EOTAS coordinators that can form part of an EOTAS education package. Please click here to find out about costs and how we can help.
EOTAS stands for ‘Education Otherwise Than At School’. It is also known as EOTIS, ‘Education Otherwise Than In School’.
As the names suggest, it refers to a situation where a young person is not able to attend school in the usual way – either mainstream or a special school. The child therefore needs to be educated in an alternative way. Education may take place at home, in a library or community centre or anywhere else where the young person feels safe.
EOTAS is usually arranged under section 19 Education Act 1996, which requires the LA to provide ‘suitable education’ for children who cannot attend school because of illness, exclusion or otherwise.
‘Suitable education’ means
It can also be arranged under Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014 whereby a local authority must arrange education outside of school if it would be inappropriate for the child’s special educational needs to be met in a school setting.
EOTAS is usually written into an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
It is often appropriate when:
For many children, one-to-one specialist tutoring, within an EOTAS/EOTIS package, becomes the core educational provision and an absolute lifeline.
See below for some key facts about EOTAS:
An EOTAS Package works by a parent/guardian securing funding for the payment of private tutoring and other activities outside of mainstream schooling, either for the local authority to commission and pay for the support directly, or for the parent to be given a personal budget and the family to select the support they feel is best suited for their child. This is used in a situation where it is not feasible for a child to be educated in a typical way.
EOTAS Packages can:
Below is an example of an EOTAS package providing 12 hours of tuition from home. Most days include tuition for 2.5 hours per day. The package is tailored towards the tutor’s requirements and also covers core subjects:
Tutoring support:
As a multi-award-winning company, our specialist qualified and trauma-informed teachers specialise in working with children with SEN, especially those with PDA, anxiety, autism and SEMH. The tutors prioritise developing trust and relationships, and aim to re-ignite your child’s love of learning with fun, child and interest-led activities. They often disguise the learning in games and activities so that it doesn’t resemble school. If appropriate, the tutor may also focus on life skills and taking your child out into the community – taking a young person out on public transport, to visit museums or perhaps to a sporting activity.
As our tutors are qualified teachers, once the relationship has been established, the tutors can create and deliver bespoke learning programmes to ensure your child is fully supported in all areas of their development.
Please search for a tutor via the Find a Tutor page
EOTAS Coordinator support:
An EOTAS Coordinator does just that – helps to coordinator the whole EOTAS package! They will help to liaise between parents, local authorities and the other professionals involved in your child’s package. EOTAS Coordinators are the glue that ties everything together, and can be a vital part of a successful package.
Please read more about our EOTAS coordinators here.
If you are interested in a SENsational Tutor or SENsational EOTAS Coordinator for your child, please book a call with us to receive a personalised quote/costings which you can send to your local authority.
EOTAS/EOTIS packages are usually funded:
– 1. Directly via the local authority, with the parent submitting a proposed EOTAS/EOTIS timetable and costings to the local authority, and the local authority remains tightly in control, or;
Or:
– 2. Via a personal budget, which means the families are more in control. Under Section 49 of the Children and Families Act 2014, families can request a personal budget when the EHCP is being prepared or reviewed. When agreed, the funding can be used to deliver the provision written into the EHCP, including specialist tutoring. This means parents may be able to choose their own EOTAS tutor rather than relying solely on local authority or council-arranged provision. Please see the benefits of a personal budget below.
All our EOTAS tutors and EOTAS coordinators are self-employed and therefore set their own total amounts, although they usually charge £80 to £90 per hour. See our ‘costs’ page here for more information.
If you are interested in a SENsational Tutor or SENsational EOTAS Coordinator for your child, please book a call with us to receive a personalised quote/costings which you can send to your local authority.
Under Section 49 of the Children and Families Act 2014, families can request a personal budget when the EHCP is being prepared or reviewed. When agreed, the funding can be used to deliver the provision written into the EHCP, including specialist tutoring.
This means parents may be able to choose their own EOTAS tutor rather than relying solely on local authority or council-arranged provision.
Almost all parents we speak to tell us they prefer having a personal budget. Here’s why:
1. Control, instead of this being in the hands of the local authority
Families remain actively involved in decision-making rather than feeling removed from the process.
2. Choice of support for your child
Parents can select tutors who understand their child’s needs, personality and learning style.
3. Better engagement
As parents are able to select the best providers, many children re-engage with learning quicker than with a service that may be cheaper and selected by the local authority.
4. Flexibility
It’s easier to adapt quickly to changes in the child’s wellbeing or readiness because the parents hold the budget.
5. Quicker support
In most cases, your child can receive the specialist support that they deserve sooner as the decisions are in your hands. As a parent, you have the chance to push the provision through.
6. Empowerment
Ultimately, a personal budget helps families feel in control of their child’s education journey. This is especially important for many families who have felt let down by previous school placements or local authority decisions. A personal budget can provide reassurance, structure, and clarity.
Please click here to book a free consultation to discuss personal budgets, your requirements and to receive a personalised quote/costings which you can send to your local authority.
Please see more information about specialist tutoring to local authorities here.
If you are going through the first EHCP process, known also as the EHC needs assessment process, you can request EOTAS at the draft EHCP stage. If you already have an EHCP in place, you may submit a request for EOTAS at the Annual Review.
If you do not have an Annual Review taking place for some time, you may submit a request for an emergency review or a reassessment of your child’s needs for an EHCP (depending on the particular circumstances).
Ask the local authority to consider EOTAS under Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014. You should :
Cognition and learning including tutoring
Include:
Therapeutic
Include:
Social development
Include:
Physical
Transport
Include:
Other
Include:
Note: case law has established that the provision stated in Section F must be specific and quantified. The provision in Section F must be described in enough detail so that parents, among others, can clearly tell what must be delivered, how often (for example in terms hours and frequency) and how it must be delivered, to provide some examples.
Vague statements and words such as “opportunities”, “benefit”, “as required” and “access” are well known to be unacceptable phrases and lead to statements of provision that are too vague to be enforceable.
If preferred, at the same time as when the EHCP is being prepared or reviewed, you can request a personal budget under Section 49 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Please see the benefits of a personal budget here.
Download our EOTAS and personal budget template here
If a personal budget is agreed, the proposed Personal Budget should be included in Section J of the draft EHCP making it clear what the budget should cover. The budget has to be sufficient to arrange the specified provision. If the LA refuse a personal budget, the LA must provide reasons for that decision, and parents/carers/ young people can ask for reconsideration.
Internally, the local authority will confirm:
The provision should then be written into the EHCP and your child will be able to access EOTAS provision, although in some cases this may still take some time to set-up.
Fighting to get EOTAS/EOTIS is not an easy journey. The stress and anxiety that families go through to get the support in place for their child should not be underestimated. As much as possible, we will support you through this journey by sharing suggestions and recommendations from helping many families with successful EOTAS packages in place. The families and children that we support are thankfully in a much better, safer and caring place, often following the trauma that they may have experienced in school. Please reach out to us if you think we can help.
EOTAS has been a breath of fresh air for Curtis, releasing many of the stresses he encountered at school, replacing them with a bespoke learning plan in the best possible learning environment.
Max is flourishing under EOTAS. It has been a highly successful transition for him, and it is expected that he will continue on a package throughout his high school years.
Compared to mainstream schools, EOTAS offers a significantly better temporary solution for Sandy. This environment provides a structured routine, enabling her to better understand her world.
The improvements in Aaron’s well-being, effort and attainment have been evident on many levels. He is in a better place emotionally, socially, environmentally and academically.