Quality Assurance Policy v01.26

Date: January 2026
Review Date: October 2026
Coordinator: Kirsten Roy
Nominated Governor: Claire Farmer
Version: v01.26

1. Policy Statement and Purpose

The Haven is committed to continuous improvement, accountability, and reflective practice across all areas of its provision. Quality Assurance (QA) ensures that learners receive safe, high-quality, inclusive education, that safeguarding arrangements are effective, and that The Haven meets statutory, regulatory, and commissioning requirements.

Quality Assurance at The Haven is:

• developmental rather than punitive,

• proportionate to risk and context, and

• informed by evidence, learner voice, and professional reflection.**

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2. Scope

This policy applies to all aspects of The Haven’s work, including:

• teaching and learning;

• safeguarding and online safety;

• behaviour, attendance, and engagement;

• SEND and reasonable adjustments;

• staff conduct, supervision, and development;

• governance and partnerships with Local Authorities and commissioners.

Quality assurance includes both internal monitoring and external verification.

3. Principles

• Child-centred: QA prioritises safeguarding, wellbeing, and meaningful progress.

• Transparent: Evidence and findings are documented and shared appropriately with governors and commissioners.

• Inclusive: Learner and parent/carer voice informs evaluation and improvement.

• Proportionate: QA is regular and robust without being excessive or surveillance-driven.

• Reflective: QA supports professional growth and continuous improvement.**

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4. Internal Quality Assurance Processes

4.1 Quality Assuring Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning are quality assured through a combination of methods, recognising the nature of online and hybrid provision:

• Scheduled session observations (live or via recording), conducted at least termly for all teaching staff

• Learning walk-style reviews of online platforms (e.g. Canvas spaces, lesson structures, accessibility features)

• Review of lesson plans, resources, and learner work for coherence, accessibility, and progression

• Reflective supervision and coaching conversations focused on practice, not performance alone**

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Quality assurance focuses on:

• learner safety and engagement;

• clarity of instruction and pacing;

• neuro-affirmative and trauma-informed practice;

• appropriate use of digital tools and safeguarding controls.**

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4.2 Use of Lesson Recordings and Transcripts

Where sessions are recorded:

• Recordings and/or transcripts may be used for quality assurance, safeguarding review, reflective supervision, and training

• Access is restricted to authorised senior staff and the DSL

• Recordings are reviewed proportionately, not routinely watched in full unless required

Lesson recordings may be reviewed:

• as part of planned QA cycles;

• in response to learner or parent feedback;

• following a safeguarding concern, complaint, or quality issue;

• to support reflective coaching or training.

All use of recordings complies with The Haven’s Online Safety and Data Protection policies.

4.3 Increasing QA Where Concerns Are Identified

If a concern is raised about a member of staff (via learner feedback, parent concern, safeguarding alert, or QA finding):

• The concern is logged and reviewed by senior leadership and/or the DSL**

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• QA activity may be increased proportionately, which may include:

  • more frequent session observations;

  • targeted review of lesson recordings or transcripts;

  • additional supervision or coaching;

  • platform activity monitoring.

This enhanced QA is:

• time-limited;

• clearly communicated to the staff member;

• focused on support, improvement, and safeguarding;

• aligned with the Low-Level Concerns Policy where appropriate.**

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4.4 Safeguarding Quality Assurance

Safeguarding QA includes:

• Termly audits of safeguarding records, chronologies, low-level concerns, online safety incidents, and CME monitoring

• Review of response times, escalation decisions, and information-sharing

• Annual safeguarding report shared with governors and commissioning bodies where required**

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4.5 Staff Quality Assurance

• Annual appraisal and supervision cycle for all staff

• Ongoing reflective supervision for staff working with complex or vulnerable learners

• Monitoring of training completion against statutory requirements (e.g. KCSIE updates, Prevent, online safety)

• Termly review of low-level concerns to identify themes or patterns**

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4.6 Governance Quality Assurance

• Governors receive termly dashboards covering safeguarding, attendance, engagement, learner progress, complaints, and QA themes

• Annual review of compliance with statutory guidance and commissioning expectations

• Oversight of improvement plans and follow-up actions**

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5. Learner and Parent/Carer Voice

5.1 Learner Feedback

The Haven actively seeks learner voice through:

• regular learner surveys;

• structured feedback tools within learning platforms;

• facilitated check-ins with trusted staff;

• moderated student forums or shared digital spaces (where appropriate and safeguarded).

Learner feedback is:

• reviewed termly;

• triangulated with QA evidence and safeguarding data;

• used to inform curriculum development, staff training, and system improvements.**

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5.2 Parent/Carer Feedback

Parent/carer voice is captured through:

• surveys;

• scheduled reviews;

• informal feedback shared with staff or senior leadership.

Themes arising from parent feedback inform:

• QA focus areas;

• policy review;

• staff development priorities.**

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6. External Quality Assurance

External QA includes:

• engagement with Local Authority monitoring and commissioning reviews;

• moderation or verification linked to examination or assessment provision;

• preparation for and cooperation with Ofsted inspection under the Online School Accreditation framework;

• independent safeguarding or quality audits commissioned periodically for benchmarking and improvement.**

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7. Roles and Responsibilities

• Principal / DSL: Overall responsibility for quality assurance, safeguarding oversight, and statutory compliance

• Staff: Engage with QA processes, supervision, and reflective practice

• Governors: Provide strategic oversight, challenge, and support improvement planning

• Learners and Parents/Carers: Contribute feedback to inform review and development**

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8. Monitoring, Review and Improvement

• QA operates on a termly review cycle, with annual strategic evaluation

• Improvement actions are documented, tracked, and reviewed

• Findings are reported transparently to governors and, where relevant, commissioning bodies

• This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if statutory or regulatory guidance changes