SEND Quality Mark
SEND leadership, identification and assessment, quality of provision, teaching and learning, family partnerships, and outcomes for children with special educational needs and…
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School Quality Marks
Safeguarding Quality Mark
Whether safeguarding is genuinely embedded in how your school operates — not just in your policy folder, but in your culture, your systems, your staff training, and the way you engage with families.
Safeguarding
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 Safeguarding 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
Leadership & Culture
AREA 2
Policy & Systems
AREA 3
Training & Awareness
AREA 4
Pupil Voice & Reporting
AREA 5
Family Engagement
AREA 6
Accountability & Review
Whether safeguarding is genuinely embedded in how your school operates — not just in your policy folder, but in your culture, your systems, your staff training, and the way you engage with families.
Six assessment areas
This quality mark assesses six 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.
About this quality mark
Safeguarding Quality Mark is available at Established, Advanced and Leading level. Each level reflects a genuinely different standard of embedded practice — not just more paperwork, but a meaningfully higher threshold. Reviews are conducted by independent practitioners with direct experience in this area, and every report is quality-checked before it reaches you.
The Safeguarding Quality Mark is a serious, independent look at whether your school is doing what it takes to keep children safe. It goes beyond compliance to look at whether safeguarding is genuinely embedded in the life of the school.
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 school completes an honest self-evaluation; your reviewer rates the same standards on the visit, and their ratings set the award.
The three levels
Safeguarding is judged the way Ofsted judges it — as met or not met, with no tolerance. Every standard must be green for the award to be made; there is no allowance for ambers or reds. Advanced and Leading recognise the depth of safeguarding culture above that met baseline.
The assessment framework
Below is the detailed framework for the first areas, showing what Established, Advanced and Leading look like for each criterion. The full set of six areas with detailed criteria is provided once you register.
Leadership & Culture
| Criterion | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated lead | There is a trained, experienced DSL who is accessible to staff and known by pupils and families. | The DSL has sufficient time and authority. Their role is clearly understood across the school. | The DSL is a genuine school leader on safeguarding. They drive improvement and engage with the wider professional network. |
| Senior leadership | Senior leaders understand safeguarding and take it seriously as a leadership responsibility. | Senior leaders actively champion safeguarding culture. They model openness and prioritise time for it. | Safeguarding is embedded in how the school is led. It is a visible part of every leadership decision and planning cycle. |
| Governor oversight | The governing body has a named safeguarding governor. Governors receive reports. | Governors scrutinise safeguarding practice. They ask hard questions and understand what the data is telling them. | Governors are deeply engaged with safeguarding. It is a standing board agenda item with meaningful accountability. |
| Culture of safety | Staff feel confident that concerns will be taken seriously if they raise them. | The school has an open culture where it is safe to report concerns, make mistakes, and seek help. | The school is exemplary in creating a culture where everyone — staff, pupils, and families — feels genuinely safe. |
| Safer recruitment | The school follows statutory safer recruitment processes. | Safer recruitment is embedded and goes beyond the minimum. There is a culture of vigilance around who enters the building. | The school leads on safer recruitment practice and shares its approach with others. |
| Site safety | The school has adequate physical and digital safety arrangements. | Safety arrangements are actively reviewed and improved. Digital safety is taken as seriously as physical safety. | The school can demonstrate that its safety systems are effective and continuously reviewed in the light of new risks. |
Policy & Systems
| Criterion | Established | Advanced | Leading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safeguarding policy | The safeguarding and child protection policy is current, accurate, and accessible. | Policy is reviewed annually, reflects current guidance, and is understood by all staff. | Policy is co-produced, actively used, and shared as a model by others. It goes beyond statutory requirements. |
| Referral processes | Staff know how to make a referral and to whom. | Referral processes are clear, followed consistently, and regularly rehearsed. | The school can show that its referral processes are effective and have led to positive outcomes for children. |
| Record-keeping | Safeguarding records are maintained accurately and securely. | Record-keeping is thorough, consistent, and used to identify patterns and inform decisions. | Records are exemplary — detailed, timely, and actively used to improve outcomes for individual children. |
| Information sharing | The school shares information with external agencies appropriately. | Information sharing is proactive where needed and always in the child’s best interest. | The school is an active, valued partner in its local safeguarding network. |
| Online safety | There are systems in place to protect pupils from online harms. | Online safety is actively taught and managed. Systems are reviewed regularly. | The school is a leader in online safety. It develops and shares practice with other schools and families. |
| Low-level concerns | There is a process for managing low-level concerns about adults. | The low-level concerns policy is understood and used. Staff feel comfortable reporting. | The school can show that its low-level concerns process has prevented harm and created a culture of openness. |
How the scoring works
Red, amber, green — against the level descriptors
Green
Meets the descriptor at this level — secure, consistent and evidenced across the school.
Amber
Developing — in place in parts, but not yet secure across the whole school.
Red
Not yet in place, or a significant gap to address.
We're here for youNot sure whether this is what you need? Talk it through with us first.
Register for the Safeguarding Quality Mark
Schools, trusts and groups can register their interest today. We will get back to you to talk through the process.
Talk to us about the Safeguarding Quality Mark
Tell us about your school and Shaun, our Founder and CEO, will get back to you. No pressure, no obligation, just a friendly chat about whether the Safeguarding Quality Mark is right for you.
- A response within two working days, guaranteed
- You speak to our Founder and CEO, nobody else
- Initial conversations are always free
Say hello
Just a few details and Shaun will be in touch.
Other quality marks
Inclusion Quality Mark
Whole-school inclusion — from leadership and SEND support to family engagement and fairness for every pupil, regardless of background, disability, or identity.
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A whole-school approach to attendance — from leadership strategy and data analysis to early intervention, tackling persistent absence, and genuine family partnership.
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