Enrichment Quality Mark
Curriculum breadth, extracurricular opportunity, community partnerships, and meaningful participation — the full picture of what a school offers beyond core academic study.
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School Quality Marks
Alternative Provision Quality Mark
Independent, externally assessed accreditation for non-school alternative provision — built on the DfE voluntary national standards and set deliberately above them.
Alternative Provision
This mark
Inclusion
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Attendance
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Enrichment
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SEND
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Behaviour
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Governance
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6Areas assessed
36Standards
3Levels of award
3 yrAccreditation
The assessment areas
What this mark assesses
The Alternative Provision Quality Mark assesses 6 areas of school practice. Each is scored, and together they build a full picture of where your school is and where it can go next.
AREA 1
Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment
AREA 2
Health, Safety & Premises
AREA 3
Admissions, Placement & Transition
AREA 4
Attendance & Engagement
AREA 5
Quality of Education
AREA 6
Leadership, Governance & Self-Evaluation
Independent, externally assessed accreditation for non-school alternative provision — built on the DfE voluntary national standards and set deliberately above them.
Six assessment areas
This quality mark assesses six areas of practice. Each is scored, and together they build a full picture of where your provision is and where it can go next.
Why this quality mark exists
In August 2025 the DfE published voluntary national standards for non-school alternative provision — 21 standards across four themes. They are sensible. They are also entirely self-declared. There is no assessment, no evidence test and no external judgement. A provider can say it meets them. Nobody checks.
The Alternative Provision Quality Mark closes that gap. It is an externally assessed accreditation for non-school alternative provision, set deliberately above the voluntary standards. Providers self-assess against 36 standards, submit evidence, and are reviewed on site by a trained reviewer who is independent of the setting. Every grade is confirmed by a moderation panel that sits apart from the review team.
Every one of the DfE’s 21 standards is covered. Where the framework goes further it does so deliberately: on self-evaluation, which the DfE addresses in a single standard; on leadership, governance and oversight, which the voluntary standards barely reach; on the independent school registration boundary, which the DfE standards do not test at all; and on engagement, because good alternative provision does more than mark a register.
The government has said it intends to legislate to make the standards mandatory when parliamentary time allows, and Ofsted inspectors are already directed to visit non-school providers during school inspections. Providers who can evidence their practice now will be ready.
What this is not. This is not a DfE or Ofsted accreditation, and holding it does not exempt a provider from registration duties or from local authority quality assurance. It is an independent judgement made against a published framework.
How the scoring works
Every standard is rated red, amber or green against the level descriptors. Green means the practice meets the descriptor at that level. Your provision completes an honest self-evaluation; your reviewer rates the same standards on the visit, and their ratings set the award.
The three levels
- Established — no reds, and at least 30 of the 36 standards green. Up to six ambers are allowed, with no more than two in any one area.
- Advanced — Established is met first, then at least 27 of 36 standards green against the Advanced descriptors, with no more than two ambers in any area.
- Leading — Advanced is met first, then at least 30 of 36 green against the Leading descriptors, with evidence of impact beyond your own setting.
Safeguarding is judged the way Ofsted judges it. Every standard in Area 1 must be green for any award to be made. There is no allowance for ambers or reds in that area, at any level.
The assessment framework
Below is the detailed framework for the first areas, showing what Established, Advanced and Leading look like for each standard. The full set of six areas with detailed criteria is provided once you register.
Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment
| Standard | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safer recruitment & the single central record | All staff and proprietors have enhanced DBS with barred list checks where appropriate. A single central record is maintained and current. Identity, right to work, qualifications, and prohibition checks are completed before appointment. | The SCR is audited termly and gaps are closed before anyone starts. Agency and supply arrangements evidence individual-level checks, not blanket assurances. Recruitment panels include someone trained in safer recruitment. | Safer recruitment practice is audited externally or by a peer, and the provider can evidence a decision where a candidate was not appointed on safeguarding grounds. Practice is shared with other providers in the local network. |
| Safeguarding policies & procedures | Child protection, behaviour, and staff behaviour policies are in place, in plain English, reviewed annually, and publicly accessible. They cover child-on-child abuse, online safeguarding, low-level concerns, allegations, and whistleblowing. | Policies reflect what the setting actually does, not a template. Staff can describe the escalation route without reading it. Policies are reviewed with input from staff and, where appropriate, children and families. | Policy review is informed by the provider’s own incident data and evaluated for impact. The provider can show a specific change made to policy as a result of learning from a concern. |
| Responding to concerns | There is a documented process for responding to a concern, including immediate sharing with the safeguarding lead. Written records are kept of every concern, including those where no action was taken. Anonymous routes exist. | The agreement with each commissioner about who takes forward referrals is documented at placement start and reviewed. Records show timely action and routine updating of commissioners. | The provider can evidence concerns identified and escalated early, with a demonstrable outcome for the child. Record quality would withstand external scrutiny without preparation. |
| Staff awareness & training | All permanent staff receive child protection training annually and at induction. There is a proportionate, risk-based approach for temporary staff, volunteers, and contractors. | Training is tested, not just delivered — the provider checks that staff can apply it. Training content reflects the specific risks of this setting and its cohort. | Staff contribute to training design based on live practice. The provider can show how training has changed staff behaviour in identifiable cases. |
| Named safeguarding lead | A named child safeguarding lead is in post with documented training renewed at least every two years. The role and its responsibilities are understood across the staff team. | A trained deputy is in place. The lead works directly with commissioning DSLs and the LADO, and holds risk assessments completed before each placement begins. | The safeguarding lead is a recognised contributor to the local safeguarding network and supports other providers. Supervision arrangements for the lead are in place. |
| Site security & supervision | Access to provider-operated sites is restricted to children, checked staff, and supervised visitors. Where provision is in shared, public, outdoor, or home settings, risk assessments are in place. | Risk assessments are specific to the individual child and location, not generic. Supervision arrangements are checked in practice, not assumed. | The provider’s approach to risk assessment in non-standard environments is used as a model by commissioners or other providers. |
Health, Safety & Premises
| Standard | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health & safety policy and implementation | A health and safety policy is in place covering delegation, risk assessment, individual health needs, medicines, control measures, and incident reporting. Staff receive information, instruction, and training. | Risk assessments are live documents, reviewed when circumstances change. Staff with greater exposure to risk receive specific training. The policy is implemented consistently, not filed. | The provider proactively identifies hazards before they cause harm and can evidence preventative action. Health and safety practice is audited independently. |
| First aid | A qualified first aider, suitable first aid container, and clear information on location of equipment are in place at each site. Where provision is off-site, a designated responsible person is agreed with the host. | First aid provision is matched to a documented needs assessment covering the specific cohort and activities. Cover is maintained during absence. | First aid capability exceeds the assessed need and is regularly rehearsed. Arrangements for community and home-based provision are exemplary. |
| Recording & reporting incidents | A system records and reports health, safety, and first aid incidents. Minor incidents are reported to commissioners and parents; significant incidents are reported to HSE as required. | Incident data is analysed for patterns and acted on. Where an incident occurs off-site, the child’s risk assessment is updated. | The provider can evidence a reduction in incidents attributable to its own analysis and action. Reporting culture is open rather than defensive. |
| Specialist equipment | Specialist equipment has undergone relevant inspection and safety checks consistent with industry standards, carried out by competent staff. | Inspection schedules are documented, current, and driven by the provider’s own risk assessments rather than minimum compliance. | Equipment management is exemplary for the sector and the provider advises others on safe practice in its specialism. |
| Staff qualification for specialist activity | Staff instructing or supervising children hold appropriate qualifications, training, and experience for any specialist equipment or activity, including supervising children in its use. | Competence is verified rather than assumed, and refreshed. Vocational and practical staff hold current industry credentials. | The provider invests in staff qualification beyond the minimum and can evidence the impact on the quality and safety of what children experience. |
| Fire safety | A fire safety policy and current fire risk assessment are in place. Detection and alarm systems are maintained. Staff and children are familiar with evacuation procedures. | Evacuation drills are planned, recorded, and evaluated. Individual risk assessments cover children with additional needs. Assessments are reviewed whenever the setting changes. | Fire safety arrangements are tested under realistic conditions and reviewed by a competent external assessor. Learning is shared. |
How the scoring works
Red, amber, green — against the level descriptors
Green
Meets the descriptor at this level — secure, consistent and evidenced across the provision.
Amber
Developing — in place in parts, but not yet secure across the whole provision.
Red
Not yet in place, or a significant gap to address.
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