[CFS PLAYBOOK] OUTCOMES

[CFS POLICY] OUTCOMES

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

Compass Forest School build skills that help primary-aged children with SEMH needs to better manage school, enabling a successful return to mainstream or onward pathway. To achieve this, Crew:

• Coach children to develop 36 interconnected skills across six core areas, recognising that progress is individual, non-linear and shaped by lived experience.

• Track progress using a competency-based scale to inform and adapt coaching, not to label or limit children.

• Identify individual focus behaviours each half term to direct intentional adult coaching of skills, during free play, promoting balanced development that sustains wellbeing.

1.1 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The below table sets out a number of terms and definitions used within this document and connected documents:

Outcome; A desired result.

Child/ren; A person under the age of 18.

Tribe ; The Compass Forest School community which includes all those directly connected - staff members, schools, parents, families and children

Parents ; Adults in a parenting role; e.g birth parents, step-parents, foster carers, adoptive parents, LA corporate parents

Crew ;  All those working for or on behalf of the school, full or part time, temporary or permanent, in either a paid or voluntary capacity

1.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND STATUTORY GUIDANCE

Compass Forest School Playbooks are informed by statutory guidance, legislation and government standards that ensure the safe and effective delivery of Alternative Provision. Each Playbook interprets and applies these documents in ways specific to its area of practice.

Alternative Provision And National Standards

• Non‑School Alternative Provision Voluntary National Standards (2025/26) – The benchmark for quality, safety and outcomes in non-school settings.

• Arranging Alternative Provision (DfE) – Statutory guidance for LAs and schools on commissioning and reintegration.

• Education Acts 1996 & 2002 (Parts 3, 6, 7) – Legal duties for suitable education and pupil registration.

• School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 – Mandatory requirements for daily attendance reporting and digital registers.

Safeguarding And Child Welfare

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2026) – Primary statutory guidance for safeguarding, including Operation Encompass and Filtering/Monitoring duties.

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) – Multi-agency guidance for identifying, responding to and preventing harm.

• Children Act 1989, 2004, 2006 – Core legal frameworks for care and protection of children.

• SEND Code of Practice (2015) – Guidance for supporting children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and SEMH needs.

• Prevent Duty (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015) – Duty to protect children from radicalisation and extremism.

• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Act 2003, Section 5B – Duty to report FGM in girls under 18.

Behaviour, Restraint And Seclusion

• The Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) Regulations 2025 – Statutory Duty (Effective April 2026): Mandatory same-day written reporting to parents for any restrictive intervention.

• Education and Inspections Act 2006 (Section 93A) – The legal power to use reasonable force, strictly governed by the 2026 statutory duty.

• Education and Inspections Act 2006, Sections 88–94 – Legal requirements for behaviour, engagement, prevention of bullying and discipline policies.

Health, Safety And Medical Management

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – General duty of care for staff, pupils and visitors.

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – Requirement for robust risk assessments, preventive measures, appropriate information, instruction and training.

• Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions (DfE Statutory Guidance) – Requirements for Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) and the safe administration/storage of medication.

• Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 – Provision of first-aid equipment, trained personnel and procedures.

• Work at Height Regulations 2005 – Safe practice for climbing, ropes and platform work.

• RIDDOR 2013 – Mandatory incident reporting and record-keeping of serious injuries and dangerous occurrences.

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 – Safe handling, storage and use of hazardous substances (fuels, cleansers, etc.)

Environmental Stewardship

• Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Section 34) – Duty of Care: Legal responsibility for safe waste management and fire safety (ash/embers/waste).

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – Legal duty to protect habitats, nesting birds, and protected species during sessions.

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – Fire risk management and outdoor campfire precautions.

• DfE Health and Safety Guidance (2022) – Managing fire risks, emergency procedures and staff responsibilities.

Compliance And Governance

• School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 – Safer recruitment and Single Central Record (SCR) duties.

• Childcare Act 2006 – Legal framework for Ofsted registration and compliance with the Compulsory and Voluntary Childcare Register including written procedures for handling complaints and maintaining records of complaints.

• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 – Governs employment eligibility and the filtering of people with convictions.

Compass Forest School works in line with the safeguarding arrangements agreed and published by the local safeguarding partners. Statutory guidance identifies three safeguarding partners with responsibility for making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within a local area.

These partners work together to identify and respond to the needs of children at risk of harm:

• The local authority (LA)

• An integrated care board for an area within the LA

• The chief officer of police for a police area in the LA area

Keeping Children Safe in Education makes clear that schools placing children into Alternative Provision retain responsibility for safeguarding those children.

Client schools must ensure that the provision is suitable, meets the child’s needs and provides appropriate safeguarding arrangements, with regular oversight, communication and review.

Compass Forest School supports this responsibility through transparent communication and timely sharing of safeguarding information with Client schools.

1.3 DATA PROTECTION

Compass Forest School processes personal data in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and related legislation. Personal information is collected, stored, used and shared lawfully, securely and proportionately, in accordance with statutory guidance and Data Protection Playbook.

Crew are responsible for ensuring that personal data is handled accurately, confidentially and on a need-to-know basis. Safeguarding and public interest considerations may override confidentiality where this is lawful, necessary and proportionate.

1.4 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

Any use or disclosure of information held by Compass Forest School must have a clear and lawful basis. Unauthorised or unlawful disclosure of personal data may constitute a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 2018.

All Crew must understand their responsibilities in relation to confidentiality, lawful information sharing and subject access rights under UK GDPR. Information will be shared without consent where there is a lawful basis to do so.

The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR are not barriers to sharing information where there is a concern that a child may be at risk of significant harm. Where there is uncertainty about whether information should be shared, advice must be sought from a senior leader or Designated Safeguarding Lead before disclosure.

1.5 STATEMENT OF EQUALITY

Compass Forest School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. Discrimination, harassment and victimisation are not tolerated. Many children attending Compass Forest School experience additional vulnerabilities or barriers to participation, safety or wellbeing.

These may include special educational needs or disabilities, experiences of discrimination, family or environmental adversity, risk of exploitation or abuse, being looked after or previously looked after, or instability in education or care arrangements.

Crew proactively identify and reduce inequality by making reasonable adjustments, adapting practice and ensuring that decisions are fair, proportionate and responsive to individual need. All children and Crew are treated with dignity and respect and are supported to feel safe, valued and heard.

[CFS PROCESSES] oUTCOMES

2.0 PROCESSES STATEMENT

Compass Forest School view clear, measurable and meaningful outcomes as central to successful Alternative Provision. Outcomes provide the framework through which progress is understood, support is prioritised and readiness for reintegration or onward transition is judged. They ensure that intervention remains purposeful, evidence-informed and focused on long-term success rather than short-term compliance.

Crew recognise that children often make progress in small, significant and non-linear steps, particularly where previous experiences of education, trauma, unmet need or disrupted attendance have created barriers to development. Crew therefore values incremental growth, sustained change and transferable skills that support children to thrive beyond the provision.

Outcomes are measured through the Compass Holistic Development Outcomes. A framework, supported by professional observation and analysis, progress monitoring and collaborative review. This enables Crew to identify starting points, set priorities, measure change over time and respond quickly where progress slows or needs change.

Compass Forest School identifies eleven core Processes that support Crew in meeting policy aims and statutory responsibilities surrounding Outcomes. These are: Defined Roles And Responsibilities, Outcomes Training for Crew, Compass Holistic Development Outcomes, Competency Scale and Measurement, Baseline and Starting Points, Intervention Objectives and EHCP Alignment, Target Setting and Priority Skills, Progress Monitoring and Review, Responding to Plateau Or Regression, Reintegration Readiness Thresholds And Transition and Sustainability Planning.

Each process is underpinned by clear procedures that provide practical guidance and ensure a consistent, proportionate and effective approach to Outcomes.

2.1 DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clear roles and responsibilities help Crew act quickly, confidently and consistently when everyone understands what they must do and who to pass concerns to. Issues are then identified earlier, decisions are made properly, actions are recorded accurately and effective oversight is maintained at every level of the company.

Defined responsibilities sit with the owner, relevant senior leaders, the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and all Crew. While some roles carry additional authority and accountability, responsibility is shared. No concern is ever “someone else’s job”. No child or adult should be left at risk because someone assumed another person would act.

Everyone has a duty to speak up, pass on concerns and challenge unsafe practice, poor judgement or wrongdoing in a professional and respectful way. This shared responsibility is critical to identifying risks early and preventing harm wherever reasonably practicable. Within an Alternative Provision context, Compass Forest School places strong emphasis on prevention.

Crew support children to develop the skills, confidence and understanding needed to stay safe and thrive. This is reinforced through clear Playbooks, training, consistent day-to-day practice and oversight by the Designated Safeguard Lead and Deputy. Arrangements are reviewed regularly and updated in line with statutory guidance to ensure practice remains current, effective and proportionate.

2.2 OUTCOMES TRAINING FOR CREW

Crew are trained in the Compass Holistic Development Outcomes framework, including the six domains, associated skills and competency scale. This enables Crew to recognise progress accurately, understand small-step development and use evidence confidently within day-to-day practice.

Training also covers target setting, interpreting progress trends, understanding plateau or regression, and using outcomes information to adapt provision, prioritise support and contribute to reintegration planning. Where relevant, Crew are supported to understand how outcomes align with intervention objectives, EHCP outcomes and wider educational goals.

Outcomes training is reinforced through coaching, moderation, reflective supervision and regular quality assurance activity. Updates are provided in response to framework developments, emerging practice, stakeholder feedback and lessons learned from outcomes data over time.

2.3 COMPASS HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK

Crew measures progress through the Compass Holistic Development Outcomes framework. This is a structured model of child development comprising six domains and thirty-six skills that children work towards over time.

The six domains are: Social, Physical, Intellectual, Communication, Emotional, Spiritual. The framework reflects the broad range of competencies required for successful participation in education, healthy relationships, emotional wellbeing and long-term life outcomes.

Outcomes are not limited to academic attainment. Equal value is placed on relational, behavioural, emotional and functional development that enables children to access learning and succeed in future settings.

2.4 COMPETENCY SCALE AND MEASUREMENT

Each skill within the framework is measured using a competency scale from 0 to 10. This scale enables progress to be tracked in small and meaningful increments over time. Movement occur in decimal points and recognises that progress is often gradual.

Small-step gains are valued as significant indicators of development, particularly for children with complex needs or disrupted educational experiences. The framework also allows for fluctuation where children experience periods of consolidation, challenge or temporary regression. Outcomes data is therefore interpreted alongside professional judgement and contextual understanding.

2.5 BASELINE AND STARTING POINTS

All children complete an initial six-week baseline period on entry to Compass Forest School. This establishes an informed starting point across the outcomes framework and supports accurate target setting. Baseline findings are drawn from direct observation, engagement in sessions, information shared through referral and enrolment and relevant insight from families, schools or professionals.

Where appropriate, baseline outcomes also inform threshold measures linked to reintegration readiness and personalised intervention planning.

2.6 INTERVENTION OBJECTIVES AND EHCP ALIGNMENT

Each child has clear intervention objectives that guide support and focus provision on the areas of development most likely to improve long-term outcomes. Where a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), outcomes planning takes account of relevant statutory outcomes and agreed provision. Objectives are documented, shared with the client school and reviewed regularly. They are informed by baseline findings, current progress, identified barriers and the child’s wider educational pathway.

2.7 TARGET SETTING AND PRIORITY SKILLS

Outcomes data is used to identify priorities for the next phase of intervention. Following analysis of cumulative evidence, the skill area with the lowest average competency level may be selected as a target for focused development, alongside any wider priorities identified through professional judgement

Targets are reviewed at least half-termly and may be adjusted where progress accelerates, needs change or a different priority emerges.

2.8 PROGRESS MONITORING AND REVIEW

Progress is monitored through weekly observation, evidence gathering and ongoing analysis. Outcomes data is updated through Compass Forest School systems to create a live picture of development over time.  Formal Update of Progress reports are produced half-termly and summarise movement across relevant domains, engagement, behaviour and recommended next steps.

Each report is followed by a review meeting with the client school and, where appropriate, families or relevant professionals. Review meetings ensure that progress is understood, celebrated and translated into effective planning.

2.9 RESPONDING TO PLATEAU OR REGRESSION

Crew understand that progress is rarely linear. Some children may experience plateaus, fluctuations or regression due to changes in circumstances, wellbeing, attendance, trauma responses or emerging needs. Where progress slows or declines, Crew respond with curiosity and analysis rather than blame.

Support strategies, environmental factors, targets, relationships and barriers to engagement are reviewed promptly. Additional planning, adapted approaches or wider professional involvement may be considered where appropriate to re-establish progress and protect wellbeing.

2.10 REINTEGRATION READINESS THRESHOLDS

Crew use threshold measures within the outcomes framework to help predict and assess readiness for reintegration. Thresholds are considered alongside wider evidence such as attendance, regulation, relationships, behaviour, engagement and the views of the child, family and professionals. No single score determines readiness in isolation.

Decisions are based on a balanced professional view of whether progress is secure, sustainable and transferable to the next setting.

2.11 TRANSITION AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING

Where reintegration thresholds are consistently evidenced, a structured transition plan is implemented in partnership with the client school and relevant parties. This may include phased attendance, graduated exposure, agreed support strategies, communication arrangements and post-transition monitoring.

Where needed, timescales may be adapted to protect success and ensure change is sustainable rather than rushed. Crew aim not only to achieve reintegration, but to help it last.

2.12 RECORD KEEPING

High-quality record keeping underpins safeguarding, accountability and continuous improvement across Compass Forest School. Crew maintain accurate, timely and secure records of concerns, incidents, accidents, decisions and actions to ensure risks are identified, managed and reviewed effectively.

Records are factual, clearly dated, and attributable, written in professional, objective language. They distinguish facts, professional judgement, and actions taken, avoiding assumptions, emotive language, or unsubstantiated conclusions. All relevant matters are recorded without delay on Compass Forest School’s secure 'LearnTrek' system.

Records may support the identification of patterns, trends or emerging risks to inform learning, oversight and proactive planning. Crew are expected to seek guidance from the relevant Designated Lead if unsure whether to record an issue. Records are stored and managed in line with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable legislation.

Access is restricted to those with a legitimate professional role and information is shared strictly on a need-to-know basis. Records are retained in accordance to statutory requirements and recognised best practice. They are reviewed regularly to support transparency, learning, accountability and the continuous improvement. Crew are accountable for maintaining records that reflect the highest professional standards.

2.13 WHISTLEBLOWING

Compass Forest School creates a culture where concerns can be raised openly, honestly and in good faith, without fear of reprisal or victimisation. Crew have a professional duty to report concerns about the conduct, behaviour or practice of colleagues or the organisation where children, Crew or others may be at risk.

Safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL. If the concern relates to the DSL, it must be raised via the independent whistleblowing service, SafeCall (0800 915 1571). Crew must never investigate concerns themselves or delay reporting. Failing to report, regardless of personal relationships or perceived seriousness, may be regarded as condoning unsafe practice.

Where appropriate, concerns should be documented factually before or during reporting. All reports are treated seriously, confidentially and investigated promptly. Whistleblowing is a vital safeguarding mechanism and forms part of Compass Forest School’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and child-centred practice.

2.14 MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS

This Playbook is reviewed at least annually by the Owner and Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure it remains effective, compliant and aligned with best practice and statutory guidance. Reviews also consider feedback from Crew, families and Client schools. Playbooks are updated immediately in response to changes in legislation or guidance. Monitoring ensures the Playbook continues to support safe, personalised, and effective provision for all learners.

2.15 LINKS TO OTHER PLAYBOOKS OF RELEVANCE

Compass Forest Schools Assessment Playbook links to the following Playbooks :

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Managing Allegations

Safer Recruitment

Health And Safety