Committed to Quality

Quality is at the core of everything we do at Outcomes First Group. It drives every service we deliver and guides our commitment to our pupils and the communities we serve. We value the dedication of our local authority colleagues, and we work to ensure our services consistently meet the highest standards.

Our Practice and Standards teams actively champion quality across the Group. Through continuous performance monitoring and improvement initiatives, these teams ensure our schools uphold the exceptional standards we strive for. With regular inspections by Ofsted and ESTYN, we are proud to report that 98% of our schools are rated good or outstanding (or equivalent), placing us among the best in our sector – a testament to our dedication to excellence.

However, high ratings are only one part of our quality story. True success is measured by the outcomes of our pupils and the impact we have on their lives. Through our pledge to children and young people and our commitment to our teams, quality is not just a goal but a promise. At Outcomes First Group, we are proud to keep that promise every day.

Our Safeguarding and Quality Committee 

Our Safeguarding and Quality Committee is made up of:

• Dame Christine Lenehan (Chair)
• Professor Barry Carpenter
• Ritu Kumar
• Mike Blakey (Outcomes First Group)

Our Safeguarding and Quality Commitment

Our Safeguarding and Quality Committee meets quarterly to ensure the highest standards across our schools and provide assurance to our Board that robust systems are in place to protect and support our pupils.

The Committee plays a leading role in driving quality by:

• Continuously looking for ways to improve practices across the organisation.
• Carefully reviewing quality assurance activities and outcomes to ensure our schools meet rigorous standards.
• Working closely with our Executive Team to guide and refine our approach to quality and outcomes.
• Leveraging external expertise to contribute additional perspectives and specialised knowledge.

Our Practice and Standards team is made up of professionals with diverse backgrounds in social work, local authorities, residential care, and education, ensuring that our schools are built on deep expertise and a commitment to excellence.

Through this collaborative and thorough approach, we strive to uphold a culture of safeguarding, quality, and continuous improvement across Outcomes First Group.

Partnership for Excellence

In collaboration with our services, inspectorates, and local authorities, our Group Practice and Standards teams ensure that our education consistently exceeds legislative and national standards, especially in safeguarding and supporting our pupils.

Clinical Governance

Our clinical governance is led by the Chief Clinical Officer, who chairs the Clinical Governance Board and collaborates with our external advisory board, clinical directorate, and regional Heads of Clinical Operations (North and South). The clinical team includes:

• Head of Trauma-Informed Practice
• Head of Psychological Practice
• Head of Occupational Therapy
• Head of Speech and Language Therapy

Together, these leaders and their teams support a unified approach to quality care and a holistic, trauma-informed practice across the organisation.

Research and Development

We’re proud to partner with leading universities nationwide, offering placements for doctoral and professional students in fields such as teaching, psychology, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. Through ongoing research and development projects, we actively contribute to the evidence base for best practices, often involving lived-experience experts and conducting our own research trials and pilot projects. Our Group Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Barry Carpenter, oversees all research efforts.