Procurement description
Thurrock Council is seeking to engage with education providers to inform the future commissioning of tuition services for children who do not have a school place or have Special Educational Needs or disabilities (SEND), or where it has been identified that external tuition may better suit their learning needs, including those receiving medical tuition.
This market engagement exercise is part of our strategic planning to ensure high-quality, cost-effective, and responsive tuition provision that meets the diverse needs of our local population.
The number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Thurrock has grown significantly in recent years, with 2500+ children with a current active plan. This has led to rising demand for tuition services, particularly for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and Autism. Current provision is heavily reliant on a small number of providers, with significant cost variation and limited capacity for in-person delivery. The current annual expenditure on tuition is £1.7m.
We are exploring options to:
• Expand the provider base
• Improve value for money
• Enhance outcomes for pupils
• Support earlier reintegration into mainstream education where appropriate
The framework is intended primarily for use by the Council’s Special Educational Needs service, the Virtual School Team for Looked After Children, and the Access and Inclusion Team.
Lots that will be available within the tender will be:
• One-to-One – In-person
• Group – In-person
• One-to-One virtual/online
• Group – virtual/online
And may further be broken down by group size and whether the groups are Thurrock pupils only or mixed with other area’s pupils.
We invite providers to share their views and capabilities to help shape a future commissioning framework that is inclusive, flexible, and sustainable. Note – this is a soft market test and is not a call for tender. Details provided will remain anonymous and confidential and will not be used as part of any future tender submission.
The indicative planned tender timeline is set out below:
- Tender launch – between January and March 2026
- Contract award (based on a February launch) – April/May 2026
- Mobilisation – April/May 2026 – August 2026
- Contract live – September 2026