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Online Alternative Provision for Section 19 and Virtual School

South Gloucestershire Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

12 Aug 2026 at 13:57

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

05 Aug 2026 at 10:18

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

South Gloucestershire Council procured online alternative provision for Section 19 and Virtual School services. The requirement is personalised online education for children and young people unable to attend school because of medical needs, alongside additional educational support for children in care and children with a social worker through the Virtual School. This is an education and training service with a related health and social work element. Delivery is across the United Kingdom. The council is the public-sector buyer, based in Bristol. The requirement concerns statutory and critical educational support, with continuity of provision identified as essential. The procurement was suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Tute Education on 12 August 2026. The award covers one lot and is worth £428,000 including gross value, in GBP. The contract period runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027. It was a below-threshold direct award without competition, under the light-touch regime. The award is active and the lot is complete. The stated basis is maintaining uninterrupted provision as an interim arrangement while the council undertakes a full competitive procurement process. Tute Education is the selected supplier. A contract signature milestone was scheduled for 12 August 2026. The award relates to education and training services, with health and social work services also classified.

This requirement indicates demand for providers able to deliver personalised online education to pupils who cannot attend school because of medical needs, and to support children in care or with a social worker through a Virtual School. A credible competitor would need an established online learning service, suitably qualified education staff, and the capacity to provide consistent individual support across a council-wide population. Experience of alternative provision, statutory education duties, safeguarding, and working with vulnerable children would be directly relevant. Providers should also be able to maintain service continuity and coordinate effectively with schools, social care and virtual-school teams. The opportunity was identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises, indicating that smaller specialist providers may be well placed.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Online Alternative Provision for Section 19 and Virtual School

Notice Description

This contract has been awarded for a period of 12 months to ensure the continued provision of personalised online education for children and young people who are unable to attend school due to medical needs, and for children in care or children with a social worker who require additional educational support through the Virtual School. The Council considers it essential that there is no interruption to these statutory and critical educational support services. This award has therefore been made as an interim arrangement to maintain service continuity while the Council undertakes a full competitive procurement process. A full tender exercise will commence during the contract period with the intention of awarding a longer-term contract from September 2027. This direct award should not be interpreted as the Council's intention to continue the arrangement beyond the current 12-month term without competition. The limited duration of this contract reflects the Council's commitment to securing continuity of provision whilst ensuring that future requirements are procured through an open and transparent competitive process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06dbff
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076799-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£428,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Aug 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
South Gloucestershire 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
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS37 5AF
Postcode Area
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Frampton Cotterell
Westminster Constituency
Thornbury and Yate

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Tute Education

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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