[CFS PLAYBOOK] HEALTH & SAFETY

[CFS POLICY] HEALTH AND SAFETY 

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

Compass Forest School creates a safe and secure environment, so far as is reasonably practicable, for all children, Crew, visitors, and parents. To achieve this, Crew:

• Ensure safe access and egress for everyone on site.

• Provide and maintain safe play equipment, learning resources, and working areas.

• Develop systems of work that minimise risk and provide PPE where required.

• Safely use, handle, store, and transport equipment, substances, and other materials.

• Promote effective communication and consultation on health and safety matters.

• Report, investigate, and learn from accidents, incidents, and dangerous occurrences.

• Provide clear information, instruction, and supervision to all Crew.

• Complete tasks competently, receiving appropriate training as necessary.

• Prevent incidents and work-related ill health wherever reasonably practicable.

• Appoint competent persons to support statutory duties and continuously improve performance.

1.1 DEFINITION OF TERMS

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

Accident;  An unplanned event that results in injury, ill health, or damage to property, equipment, or the environment.

Incident; An event that could or does result in harm, including accidents, near misses, dangerous occurrences or unsafe acts.

Hazard; Anything that has the potential to cause harm, including substances, activities, equipment, environments or behaviours.

Risk; The likelihood that a hazard will cause harm and the severity of that harm.

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] HEALTH AND SAFETY

2.0 PROCESSES STATEMENT

Compass Forest School operates a structured Health and Safety Management System grounded in the widely recognised Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) model. This framework provides a clear and systematic approach to planning, implementing, monitoring and improving health and safety practice, supporting continuous improvement across the provision.

In line with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Regulation 5), Compass maintains robust arrangements to manage health and safety effectively. This system is overseen by the Health and Safety Officer and is embedded within daily operations, ensuring responsibilities are clear and practice is consistent.

Strategic oversight of health and safety sits with the Owner who provides challenge, assurance and direction through regular review, reporting and governance arrangements. The system is informed by external inspection outcomes, relevant Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance, legislative requirements and Crew feedback.

Learning from incidents, near misses and reviews is used proactively to strengthen practice and respond to emerging risks. Compass Forest School defines six core processes that support the Crew in meeting policy aims and statutory responsibilities surrounding Health and Safety. These are: Roles and Responsibilities, Plan, Do, Check, Act and Record Keeping.

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

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 PLAN

The ‘Plan’ phase focuses on proactively identifying hazards and assessing the risks they pose to children, Crew, visitors and the natural environment. Hazards may arise from physical conditions, activities, equipment, substances, weather, terrain or situational factors linked to outdoor and alternative provision contexts.

Risk assessments are undertaken to evaluate the likelihood and severity of harm, taking account of the age, needs, vulnerabilities and supervision requirements of the children attending. Assessments form the basis for proportionate risk mitigation and are reviewed regularly and dynamically as conditions change.

Compass Forest School establishes clear health and safety objectives that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). Control measures are selected using the hierarchy of controls, prioritising elimination and reduction of risk before reliance on procedural controls or personal protective equipment (PPE).

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and activity-specific risk assessments are developed to support safe practice, effective supervision and appropriate resource allocation, ensuring safety is embedded into planning rather than managed reactively.

2.3 DO

In the ‘Do’ phase, Compass Forest School implements health and safety plans by putting agreed procedures and control measures into daily practice. This includes providing appropriate training, establishing safe systems of work and maintaining preparedness for emergencies relevant to outdoor and woodland environments.

Health and safety arrangements apply equally to contractors, visitors and partner professionals while on site. Expectations are clearly communicated and supervision, access control and risk management arrangements are proportionate to role and activity. Clear communication underpins this phase.

Crew are engaged through consultation, briefings and regular meetings to ensure expectations are understood and applied consistently. Health and safety responsibilities form part of induction, supervision and ongoing professional practice. Systems for reporting hazards, accidents, incidents and near misses are clearly defined and accessible.

Records are maintained accurately and without delay to support oversight, learning and accountability. Standard operating procedures and risk assessments are readily available to all Crew and applied proportionately in practice.

2.4 CHECK

The ‘Check’ phase evaluates the effectiveness of health and safety arrangements. The Health and Safety Officer monitors compliance and performance through audits, inspections, incident data, near-miss reporting and review of safety records.

Monitoring considers whether risk assessments, control measures and standard operating procedures are being implemented consistently and effectively, and whether legal and regulatory requirements are being met. Particular attention is given to trends, recurring issues or emerging risks linked to environment, activities or individual needs.

Findings are documented and reviewed to identify strengths, gaps and areas requiring improvement. Learning from incidents and near misses is actively used to inform safer practice and prevent recurrence.

2.5 ACT

In the ‘Act’ phase, Compass Forest School responds promptly and proportionately to findings from monitoring and review. Corrective actions are taken to address non-compliance, unsafe conditions or procedural gaps. Root cause analysis is used to understand underlying issues rather than attributing blame.

Action plans are developed, assigned and tracked to completion, with responsibilities clearly defined. Actions may include revising procedures, enhancing training, adjusting supervision arrangements, modifying equipment or updating risk assessments. The impact of actions is monitored to ensure improvements are effective and sustained.

This continuous improvement cycle ensures health and safety arrangements remain responsive, reflective and aligned with best practice, safeguarding duties and the evolving needs of children and Crew.

2.6. 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.

2.7 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.

2.8 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.

2.9 LINKS TO OTHER PLAYBOOKS OF RELEVANCE

Compass Forest Schools Health And Safety Playbook links to the following Playbooks :

Behaviour

Crew Code Of Conduct

Complaints

First Aid

Administration of Medication