Discover how the DfE’s 2025 AP Standards has influenced Bright Heart’s approach

We discuss how Bright Heart’s person-centred AP model goes beyond the DfE’s 2025 Non-School AP Standards with award-winning safeguarding, quality SEN-tutoring and education.

Raising the Bar in Alternative Provision: How Bright Heart Exceeds the DfE’s 2025 Non-School AP Standards

In August 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) published the Non-school Alternative Provision: Voluntary National Standards. These now form the clearest national benchmark for unregistered alternative provision (AP).

The standards are organised around four pillars:

Local authorities (LAs) are already embedding these into quality assurance processes and approved provider lists. The direction of travel is clear: AP must be safe, consistent, relational and evidence-based.

At Bright Heart, this has always been our model. We work as an approved provider to many LAs, and as an accredited Tuition Partner under the National Tutoring Programme (NTP). Our one-to-one, nurturing approach not only aligns with the DfE’s new expectations, but in many areas, it goes further. For us, the standards are not a compliance hurdle. They confirm the values and systems we have refined over many years.

Below, we discuss how Bright Heart meets and often exceeds each pillar, making us a trusted partner for commissioners.

1. Safeguarding & Welfare: Safety Rooted in Relationship

The standards call for safer recruitment, enhanced DBS checks, a single central record (SCR), formal policies and procedures, trained safeguarding leads, parental consultation, clear escalation routes, and robust record-keeping.

At Bright Heart, safeguarding is more than compliance. It’s a culture of trust, safety, and consistency that students and families can feel.

Safer recruitment and vetting

Every tutor is met in person before joining our team. This helps us assess both suitability and interpersonal fit.
All tutors and staff hold enhanced DBS checks, renewed every 12 months. This goes beyond statutory requirements.
We maintain a full Single Central Record (SCR) in line with DfE safer recruitment guidance.
Identity, right-to-work, qualifications, references and employment history are all verified thoroughly, including for self-employed or contract tutors.

Comprehensive safeguarding policies and procedures

We have clear safeguarding policies covering child protection, staff conduct, low-level concerns, anti-bullying, online safety and whistleblowing.
Policies are reviewed annually and made available to parents, schools and commissioners.
We operate a transparent referral and escalation process to Local Authority Designated Officers (LADOs) or safeguarding leads wherever concerns arise.

Safeguarding governance and oversight

We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and two Deputy DSLs. They receive training at least every 2 years, with annual refreshers.
All tutors and staff complete mandatory safeguarding induction followed by annual external refresher training.
We keep digital, auditable records of concerns, actions and follow-up to ensure full transparency.
A first-day calling system triggers same-day welfare checks if a pupil misses their first scheduled session.
For home-based tuition, a parent, carer or agreed responsible adult must be present.

Safeguarding guided by SEND, trauma and anxiety awareness

Tutor induction and CPD include training on:

This helps tutors:

As a result, students feel safer and more able to engage with learning.

“Bright Heart are consistently committed to safeguarding which is clear through their due diligence process.” – M. James, London Borough of Greenwich

This is safeguarding that pupils feel – the essential foundation for learning to happen.

2. Health & Safety: Consistency Across Diverse Settings

Non-school AP can take place in homes, community venues or outdoor spaces. The standards require a robust health and safety framework, including risk assessments, first-aid, fire safety, lone-working protocols and incident reporting.

Bright Heart’s approach ensures these are all met.

Robust risk assessment and oversight

For every placement we conduct site, activity and individual risk assessments. These are reviewed at least annually or whenever circumstances change.
Our team includes a qualified Health & Safety lead (IOSH Managing Safely).
Education Consultants have risk assessment training from the British Safety Council.

Safe working practices

Incident reporting, first aid and continuous improvement

A written Health & Safety policy governs all placements. First-aid equipment and trained staff or arrangements are in place when needed.
All incidents, accidents or near-misses are logged centrally.
Senior leadership reviews incident logs regularly and report under statutory requirements (e.g. RIDDOR) where needed.
Risk controls are updated after any incident or when new information arises.

Example: Risk-aware, high-needs provision (Southwark)

A 13-year-old pupil with epilepsy and complex sensory needs receives a mix of home-based and community-based tuition. Our provision includes:

Seizure-response planning.
Sensory-aware risk assessments.
Appropriate staff supervision ratios.
Careful planning for safe access to the community.
Regular post-session reflections to adjust risk controls.

This demonstrates a proactive, child-centred approach to health and safety. The focus is not on avoiding risk but on managing it so that safety, wellbeing and meaningful education can co-exist.

3. Admissions, Support & Guidance: Clear, Safe and Collaborative Starts

The voluntary standards highlight parental consultation, structured admissions, effective induction, information-sharing and attendance monitoring. These elements have long sat at the core of Bright Heart’s model.

Thorough pre-placement consultation - a Bright Heart hallmark

Before any tuition begins, we take time to understand the child’s needs and context.

This includes:

Direct consultation with parents and carers by an Education Consultant with QTS. This is a key part of our service and consistently praised in LA feedback.
Review of EHCPs, safeguarding history, medical needs and previous provision so that support starts with a full picture.
Careful tutor matching based on subject expertise, SEND experience, personality, communication style and emotional fit.

Gentle, relationship-led induction

Bright Heart does not rush children into AP. Instead, we offer:

A full briefing for the tutor by an Education Consultant covering safeguarding, learning history, EHCP outcomes, behavioural considerations, communication preferences and expectations.
A low-pressure introductory meeting between tutor and family, usually delivered through our refundable trial session. This helps to build trust, reduce anxiety and ensure the pupil feels safe with the tutor.
Agreement of routines, communication systems and safe-working expectations, shared with parents/carers and, where appropriate, the commissioning LA or school SENCO.
Clear, shared objectives aligned with EHCP outcomes and the goals of the LA or school.

This approach is fully consistent with the standards’ requirement for induction processes that support pupil welfare, clarity and readiness and reflects our person-centred ethos.

Attendance and communication: consistent, transparent and immediate

Example: Maybury Primary School

This had a carefully structured admission process with parent consultation, EHCP review, a gentle induction session and agreed communication systems such as Attention Autism, Visual Schedules, Makaton, and Now/Next. This enabled rapid engagement for P, a pupil with ASC and significant communication needs.

The Headteacher wrote:

“Outstanding work … remarkable flexibility … very positive feedback from parents.”

This is the kind of family-centred, clear admissions process the standards call for. This is an area where Bright Heart has long exceeded expectations.

4. Quality of Education: Person-centred and Impact-Focused

The new standards expect AP to deliver high-quality teaching that is adapted to individual needs and supported by robust planning, review and reintegration pathways. Bright Heart’s educational model was built to meet this challenge.

Qualified educators and ongoing professional development

All Education Consultants hold QTS and oversee planning, reviews, safeguarding and reintegration.
Tutors are selected for SEN experience and undergo our rigorous recruitment and induction.
Continuing professional development includes full access to the TES training portal. There is also annual attendance at national SEND-focused training events (for example, the Nasen PDA workshop, 2025), safeguarding refreshers and updates on trauma- and SEND-informed practice.

Structured, SEND-responsive curricula and planning

Each pupil has an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) covering academic, emotional/behavioral, SEND and reintegration goals.
Detailed session plans record learning objectives, sensory and regulation support, engagement strategies and intended outcomes.
Our curriculum framework supports flexible provision, from structured, personalised programmes to focused catch-up, re-engagement or stabilisation work. Provision is aligned with commissioning needs and the pupil’s stage.

Person-centred, trauma-informed pedagogy

Many pupils arrive after long periods out of education or difficult experiences in school. Some are distressed about learning.

Bright Heart’s approach focuses first on nurture and trust:

Regular multi-agency review and reintegration planning

Reviews with schools, families and LAs monitor progress, engagement, wellbeing and transitional readiness.
Reintegration or next-step planning is part of the ILP from the start. This may be returning to school, moving to specialist provision, or continuing with tuition.
Emotional wellbeing, regulation, academic progress, attendance and social readiness are given equal weight.

Self-evaluation, feedback and commissioning accountability

We continually reflect on our practice, using feedback from families, schools and commissioners. In our most-recent LA partner survey, commissioning officers highlighted our safeguarding, communication and re-engagement as key strengths. This feedback feeds into our ongoing internal quality assurance and improvement cycle.

5. Case Studies: Evidence That Nurture and Quality Can Co-Exist

Below are two anonymised case studies that illustrate how Bright Heart delivers safe, personalised and effective AP in highly challenging contexts.

Case Study 1: Building Confidence and Skills Through Nurturing 1:1 AP (G, age 12)

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Background and referral

G is a 12-year-old boy with ADHD, ASC, SEMH, Developmental Language Disorder and fine and gross motor difficulties. After repeated breakdowns in mainstream settings, he was out of school while a suitable placement was sought.

He presented with:

- Delayed expressive & receptive language and echolalia.
- Fine motor difficulties affecting handwriting and number/letter formation.
- Emerging early literacy and numeracy.
- Strong interests (Thomas the Tank Engine; Fireman Sam; Paw Patrol; gaming; animals; nature).

Initial assessment and start

A London LA commissioned Bright Heart to stabilise G’s learning and support SEMH needs with 10-13 hours of AP per week. Tutor Lisa used early sessions to build rapport and trust using:

- Feelings boards and emotion vocabulary building.
- Low-pressure reading and writing tasks.
- Lego based numeracy.
- Careful observation of stamina, triggers, transitions and behaviour.

SMART targets were set:

- Letter and number formation.
- Addition/subtraction to 20.
- Regulation, instruction following, emotional safety.

G responded very positively, engaging eagerly and showing emerging capability.

Person-centred, multi-sensory provision

Over time, G’s programme included:

- Visual timetables and strong structure.
- Interest-led literacy and numeracy (linked to his passions).
- Multi-sensory practical tasks (LEGO, arts, cooking, outdoor activities).
- Emotional-regulation work including social stories and emotion coaching.
- Coordinated ILPs across two tutors for consistency.

Progress and impact

- Letter formation moved from 14/26 to 24/26 correct in isolation
- Number knowledge (0-10) solid, addition/subtraction to 20 largely independent.
- Reading stamina, comprehension and phonics improved.
- Maths, science and writing made clear gains.
- Emotional regulation, behaviour, motivation and consistency improved dramatically.
- G began routine 3-hour sessions, tolerated new tutors, accepted boundaries, and engaged consistently.

Parent feedback

“The tuition company is a wonderful place and is tailor made and perfect for our son… very child-centred… we consider them part of our family. They deserve a world award for education.”– Parent of G (March 2025)

Summary

G’s journey shows how a person-centred, flexible, SEND-aware AP approach can re-engage a child who has disengaged. It rebuilds trust, skills, stability and re-opened the door to learning.

Case Study 2: Re-engaging a Complex Learner Through Structure, Relationship and Real-World Learning (D, age 15)

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Background and referral

D, aged 14-15, had Prader-Willi syndrome, ASC and ADHD, with profound difficulties in communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation and behaviour. After a placement breakdown and a series of crisis incidents (some involving police), the LA commissioned Bright Heart to offer stabilising AP focused on functional literacy and regulation.

Initial presentation

D had:

- Existing reading and handwriting skills.
- Severe emotional and behavioural instability.
- High sensitivity to transitions and change.
- Minimal tolerance for demands or pressure.

Engagement was unpredictable. Periods of focus and progress alternated with refusal, anxiety, and crisis.

Structured, interest-led and trauma-aware tuition

Tutor Trevor offered a flexible, individualised plan:

1. Clear structure, visual schedules and low-language instructions.
2. Interest-led learning through art, crafts, practical projects and functional tasks (e.g., letter-writing, community errands).
3. Movement and regulation support such as outdoor walks, yoga, sensory breaks.
4. Close coordination with support workers, parents and the LA.
5. Adjusted expectations on high-risk days.

Outcomes over time

- Literacy skills improved steadily (Reading Eggs Level 1 → Level 3 over academic year).
- Handwriting, phonics and writing output became more consistent.
- Functional maths worksheets showed growing independence.
- Emotional regulation improved: through sensory breaks, movement, structure and predictability, D learned to anticipate transitions and cope with change.
- Engagement in community tasks grew: small errands, letter-writing, supervised outings with support staff became possible.

Successful reintegration

By autumn 2025, D had developed sufficient stability to re-enter school. During transition week, D adapted well, and the LA confirmed they no longer required Bright Heart’s support.

“A very positive meeting with D’s network – his transition week at school has gone really well and we are therefore no longer needed! Very satisfying to see D head off on the next stage of his journey, and we received warm thanks from his mum and [the LA] for the support we have given, on what has been at times been a very complex provision! A very proud moment for us.” – Senior Education Consultant, Bright Heart

Summary

D’s case illustrates how high-quality AP can support a deeply complex learner through crisis. Safety, structure, flexibility and persistent relational support worked together to build a bridge back to school and belonging.

6. Sector Leadership: Contributing to the National Conversation

In October 2025, Bright Heart co-founder Ryan Stevenson spoke on a national panel on AP at the Tutors’ Association’s Annual Conference, alongside leaders from specialist schools, SEN services and SEND advocacy groups.

He emphasised a model of AP that combines empathy and consistency, meeting the dual needs of safety and progress. His reflections closely matched the DfE’s vision for high-quality, human-centred AP grounded in transparency, responsibility and reintegration.

Bright Heart remains committed not only to compliance, but also to shaping best practice, sharing learning and working with commissioners who value quality and relationships.

7. External Validation: Recognition of Excellence

Bright Heart was named Runner-up – Alternative Provision Provider of the Year 2025 at the National Tutoring Awards.

The award criteria focused on:

Tailored, impactful provision for students with specific needs.
Measurable academic or personal progress.
Strong safeguarding and inclusivity.
Effective collaboration with schools, LAs and agencies.
Innovative approaches to complex challenges.

This national recognition reflects the strengths that commissioners regularly highlight in feedback and QA reviews.

8. Looking Ahead: Raising Standards Together

The DfE’s voluntary standards provide a clear national benchmark for safe, high-quality AP. Bright Heart’s commitment is simple: to meet and consistently exceed these expectations so every child receives the nurturing, relationship-led support they deserve.

This reflects our mission to transform the lives of young people with SEN through compassionate, person-centred education.

As Co-founder Simon McQueen notes:

“High-quality AP isn’t just about meeting standards – it’s about restoring safety, dignity and hope for every young person we support.”

We look forward to continuing to work closely with LAs and schools to deliver AP that is not only compliant – but exceptional, safe, relational and truly transformative.

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