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Independent Specialist Education and Inclusion Framework

Leicester City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 13:24

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

25 Sep 2025 at 11:38

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicester City Council is planning an Independent Specialist Education and Inclusion Framework for high-needs education and inclusion services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The proposed framework is intended to help local authorities secure placements and education provision from independent providers where a suitable school place is unavailable. It is expected to cover five areas: school-based specialist provision, specialist post-16 provision, online-only provision, alternative provision, and tuition and inclusion services. Leicester City Council is the named buyer, with Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council also identified as participating public authorities. Services may be delivered across Leicester and Leicestershire, including face-to-face tuition in a learner’s home, online sessions and tuition in local community centres. The relevant service category is special education services.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the buyer has stated an intention to procure, and there is no invitation to tender yet. The proposed approach is a competitive flexible procedure for a light-touch services procurement using a framework agreement. The five-lot structure remains subject to further development, refinement and approval. The stated total estimated value is £1,000,000 excluding VAT, or £1,200,000 including VAT. Lot 1, school-based specialist provision, is marked as planned and has an indicative contract period from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2038. The buyer expects the next notice to be published on 1 June 2027. Earlier market engagement included a supplier networking event scheduled for 31 October 2025; expressions of interest were due by 31 October 2025, with booking forms due by 30 October 2025 at 14:00.

The planned work is likely to suit independent specialist education providers, alternative provision organisations, tuition companies and inclusion specialists able to support learners aged 5 to 25 with Education, Health and Care Plans. Providers should be prepared to deliver age-appropriate national curriculum teaching through face-to-face sessions in learners’ homes, online tuition or community-based provision. The tuition element is expected to involve an initial six-week booking of up to 15 hours per week, with possible extensions, so suppliers will need flexible staffing and the capacity to respond to individual placement needs. Tutors are expected to hold Qualified Teacher Status. The buyer has indicated that the framework will be suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises, making it relevant to smaller specialist providers as well as established organisations.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Independent Specialist Education and Inclusion Framework

Notice Description

All Local Authorities (LA) have a requirement to ensure that all Children and Young People (CYP) have access to Education Provision. Leicester City Council is committed to finding placements for CYP with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) within Leicester City. The provision is maintained by the Local Authority or Local Academies. At times, the Local Authority does need to source provision from Independent Providers. This transparency notice is to inform about the LA's strategy towards commissioning High Needs placements from Independent Providers from 2026 onwards. This includes processes for Commissioning and Procurement, Funding, and Sufficiency. The proposed SCE0043 Independent Specialist Education and Inclusion Framework will comprise of five lots: Lot 1, School-Based Specialist Provision (INMSS); Lot 2, Specialist Post-16 Provision; Lot 3, Online-Only Provision; Lot 4, Alternative Provision (AP); and Lot 5, Tuition and Inclusion Services. This proposed lot structure remains subject to further development, refinement and approval.

Planning Information

All Local Authorities (LA) have a requirement to ensure that all Children and Young People (CYP) have access to Education Provision. Leicester City Council is committed to finding placements for CYP with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) within Leicester City. The provision is maintained by the Local Authority or Local Academies. At times, the Local Authority does need to source provision from Independent Providers. This transparency notice is to inform about the LA’s strategy towards commissioning High Needs placements from Independent Providers from 2026 onwards. This includes processes for Commissioning and Procurement, Funding, and Sufficiency. Leicester City Council is looking to secure tuition for children with an EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan) between the ages of 5 – 25 for whom a school place is being sought, or an appropriate place is not yet available. Tutors should hold QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and tuition sessions may take place: - Face to face in the student’s home - Online - In a local community centre Bookings will be for an initial 6 weeks of up to 15 hours per week but may be extended. Sessions should follow the age-appropriate national curriculum syllabus We will be running a supplier networking event on Friday, 31st of October 2025. Please register your interest to receive a booking form by expressing an interest via the Proactis portal. Whilst the expression of interest window is open until Friday, 31st of October 2025. The deadline to return the booking form is Thursday, 30th October 2025 14:00.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05a1db
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071214-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80340000 - Special education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jul 20264 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Jun 202710 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2038 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicester City Council
Additional Buyers

Leicestershire County Council

Rutland County Council

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE1 1FZ
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF21 Leicester
Delivery Location
TLF21 Leicester, TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Local Authority
Leicester
Electoral Ward
Castle
Westminster Constituency
Leicester South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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