New NRCSE Quality Mark

Our new accreditation scheme encourages and builds on existing regulation.

The NRCSE Quality Mark builds on local authorities’ own safeguarding requirements under Section 11 of the Children’s Act 2004 and addresses eight standards in educational provision:

1. Creating and effective learning environment,
2. Teaching and learning,
3. Recording and celebrating achievement,
4. Resources,
5. Planning including monitoring and evaluation,
6. Staff and volunteer management,
7. Safeguarding, and
8. Financial management.

The NRCSE provides self-evaluation resources, online guidance and downloadable templates to every supplementary school upon joining the NRCSE. Contact details for agencies providing support in the school’s local authority area are also provided. The NSPCC has recently updated their toolkit of safeguarding standards and guidance in line with Section 11 guidelines so that is a good place to start if your local safeguarding children board isn’t responding quickly. Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places duties on a range of organisations and individuals to ensure their functions, and any services that they contract out to others, are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. You can contact your local safeguarding children board to obtain details of the support provided in your area to meet these standards.

In order to apply for an NRCSE Quality Mark a supplementary school must:

• keep children safe and meet local Section 11 requirements,
• provide up-to-date information on the services it provides, and
• have received a visit from an appropriate person*.

Following a Recognition Meeting, where a portfolio of evidence is presented to experts, the school will receive a detailed report highlighting good practice and containing recommendations for development. This information is publicly available on the NRCSE Online Directory of Supplementary Schools unless the supplementary school has provided a written request not to be publicly listed.

Start working towards an NRCSE Quality Mark today!