Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is committed to ensuring high-quality education for all children and young people with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and those who are vulnerable. This protocol sets out the process for annual quality assurance of:

• all specialist provisions attended by children with EHC plans (in and out of area)
• all Alternative Provisions (AP) commissioned by the council as Pathway Development Centre (PDC) placements
• all Alternative Provision is listed on the council's AP Framework.

The Quality Assurance protocol applies to:

• maintained special schools
• independent and non-maintained special schools (in and out of area)
• Alternative Provision (AP) settings on Stockton-on-Tees' AP framework

Separate Quality Assurance protocols exist for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Units and Additionally Resourced Provisions.

Quality assurance visits take place annually and will be done by a qualified teacher trained in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and provision evaluation.

Visits follow a standardised quality assurance framework, covering:

• safeguarding and wellbeing
• curriculum and quality of teaching and learning
• progress and outcomes for learners with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and Children in Care
• inclusion and engagement
• partnership with families
• health and safety

Preparing for adulthood is embedded throughout the process.

To ensure consistency, fairness, and accuracy across settings, quality assurance reports are moderated termly by a panel including:

• Virtual School Headteacher
• Alternative Provision Lead
• Senior Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Officers

The roles outlined below provide strategic oversight and governance to ensure quality assurance, compliance with standards, and continuous improvement across all relevant services.

• Virtual School. This provides oversight for children in care and moderation of quality assurance outcomes
• Alternative Provision (AP) Service Lead. This ensures Alternative Provision settings meet standards and supports improvement
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategic Lead. They hold the overall accountability for implementation and review

Summary findings of the quality assurance report will be shared with:

• setting leaders (principals and headteachers)
• children's commissioning team (if contractual concerns)
• wider council services (for partnership support)
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Caseworkers (to support annual reviews)
• parents and carers upon request (where appropriate)

The summary findings will be used to inform training, support, and intervention for settings.

Significant concerns may also be shared with OFSTED.

Settings receive a full quality assurance report and can respond or contribute to improvement planning.

The protocol will be reviewed annually to ensure alignment with national guidance, local priorities and feedback from parents, carers and providers.