[CFS PLAYBOOK] SEND

[CFS POLICY] SEND

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

Compass Forest School applies the six Forest School principles to coach primary-aged children with SEMH needs in developing skills to understand and manage their own needs. To achieve this, Crew:

• Facilitate repeated free play experiences in rich natural environments that inspire, engage and challenge children in equal measure.

• Personalise interest-led learning to build on each child's strengths and close competence skill gaps such as self regulation or resilience.

• Build trusting relationships over time, supporting emotional safety, enjoyment and readiness for future placements.

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] SEND

2.0 PROCESSES STATEMENT

Compass Forest School believe that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are entitled to ambitious, inclusive and effective support that enables them to meet their own needs. Many children present with overlapping needs, particularly within Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), alongside communication, sensory, developmental or learning differences.

Support is therefore tailored to the whole child rather than a single label or diagnosis. Crew approach support in a child-centred, strengths-based way, rooted in the graduated model of assess, plan, do, review. SEND support is not treated as a separate add-on to provision. It is embedded throughout learning, behaviour support, safeguarding, relationships and outcomes planning.

Within a Forest School context, children often demonstrate needs, strengths and progress more authentically through play, relationships, challenge and real-world experiences. Crew use observation, collaboration and adaptive practice to reduce barriers, promote belonging and help every child access, engage in and benefit from provision.

Compass Forest School identifies eight core Processes that support Crew in meeting policy aims and statutory responsibilities surrounding SEND. These are: Defined Roles And Responsibilities, SEND Training for Crew, Early Identification and Holistic Understanding, Graduated Approach, Collaboration with Families and Professionals, Inclusive Learning Environments, Personalised Support and Reasonable Adjustments, SEMH and Emotional Regulation Support, EHCP and Statutory Provision, And Transitions and Reintegration

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

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 SEND TRAINING FOR CREW

Compass Forest School dedicates multiple hours to Crew receiving training appropriate to their role so that SEND needs are recognised and supported effectively. Training begins at induction and is refreshed through day to day operations, ongoing professional development courses and in-house refreshers.

Crew are trained in inclusive practice, the graduated approach, reasonable adjustments, adaptive communication and understanding how needs may present within behaviour, engagement or wellbeing. Training includes SEMH, trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation, neurodiversity awareness, sensory needs and barriers to learning within outdoor environments.

SEND practice is strengthened through coaching, reflective supervision, collaboration with specialists and learning from individual cases, feedback and emerging evidence.

2.3 EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING

Crew recognises that needs may be identified before placement, emerge over time or present differently across settings. Children are understood as individuals. Support is informed by need, presentation and function rather than assumptions based solely on diagnosis. Crew therefore maintain professional curiosity and use ongoing observation to understand each child’s strengths, barriers and patterns of need.

Assessment considers the dynamic relationship between emotional wellbeing, regulation, communication, behaviour, confidence, sensory needs, relationships, attendance and readiness to learn.

2.4 GRADUATED APPROACH

SEND support is delivered through a continuous cycle of assess, plan, do, review. Needs are identified through assessment and observation. Proportionate plans are then implemented to reduce barriers and strengthen participation. The impact of support is reviewed regularly, with approaches adapted where required.

This graduated process helps ensure support remains responsive, evidence-informed and aligned to the child’s changing needs over time.

2.5 COLLABORATION WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS

Effective SEND support relies on strong partnership working. Crew work closely and collaboratively with families, client schools and relevant professionals to build a shared understanding of the child and coordinate support.

Information from parents or carers, teachers, SENCOs, therapists, social workers and other practitioners may contribute to planning where appropriate. Families are valued as experts in their child. Respectful communication and shared problem-solving are central to effective practice.

2.6 INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Crew create environments in which children feel safe, welcomed and able to participate. Natural spaces offer movement, sensory regulation, exploration, calm and practical learning opportunities that can be highly supportive for many children with SEND. Crew organise environments carefully to balance stimulation, structure, predictability and opportunity.

Inclusion is proactive. Barriers are anticipated and reduced wherever reasonably practicable so that children can access meaningful experiences alongside peers.

2.7 PERSONALISED SUPPORT AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

Crew adapt practice and environment to meet individual needs, strengths and starting points. Reasonable adjustments may include adapted communication, visual supports, sensory strategies, additional processing time, flexible routines, modified expectations, differentiated challenge, enhanced staffing ratios or alternative ways to participate.

Adjustments are proportionate, practical and regularly reviewed for effectiveness. The aim is not to lower ambition, but to create equitable access and genuine opportunity for success.

2.8 SEMH AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION SUPPORT

Many children attending Compass Forest School present with SEMH needs. Support therefore prioritises emotional safety, regulation, connection and trust. Crew understand that distress, avoidance or dysregulation is information on unmet need, anxiety, trauma responses or difficulty managing demands.

Responses focus on co-regulation, clear boundaries, relationship-based support and gradual skill development. Children are helped to the skills to meet their own needs such as resilience, confidence, emotional literacy and strategies for managing frustration,  over time.

2.9 EHCP AND STATUTORY PROVISION

Where a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), Crew takes account of relevant outcomes, identified needs and agreed provision within planning and delivery. Crew contribute evidence, progress information and professional insight where requested or appropriate to support annual reviews, placement discussions or wider planning.

Support remains practical and child-centred, ensuring statutory plans are translated into meaningful day-to-day experiences.

2.10 TRANSITIONS AND REINTEGRATION

Children with SEND may require additional planning, preparation or flexibility during transitions. Crew support transitions into provision, between stages of support and towards reintegration or onward pathways through collaborative planning and proportionate adjustment.

Readiness for transition is considered holistically and may include regulation, confidence, relationships, routine tolerance, engagement and environmental fit. The aim is sustainable success rather than rushed movement.

2.11 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.

2.12 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.

2.13 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.

2.14 LINKS TO OTHER PLAYBOOKS OF RELEVANCE

Compass Forest Schools SEND Playbook links to the following Playbooks :

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Managing Allegations

Safer Recruitment

Health And Safety