What is an out of school setting (OOSS)?

As a parent or carer, you will want to know that your child is safe while they are not in your care.

An OOSS can mean many things, from places like community and youth centres, sports clubs, and places of worship to individuals offering tuition in their home or providing coaching at a playing field or local park.

Out of School Settings are not inspected or assessed - so there is no one checking the quality and safety of their provision. As a minimum organisations or clubs working with children and young people should have safeguarding policies in place to reduce the risk of harm.


Types of extra-curricular training, tuition and community clubs and activities

Out of School Settings are organisations (both commercial and charitable) or individuals that provide tuition, training, instruction or activities to children in England without their parents’ or carers’ supervision, but are not: Schools


As a provider of extra-curricular training, tuition, or community clubs and activities, the person or organisation may care for children outside normal school hours or part-time during school hours (for example, to help meet the needs of those in home education)

Where can out of school activities take place?

  • A person’s home
  • Community and youth centres
  • Sports clubs
  • Places of worship


What out of school settings (OSS) can include:

Tuition companies, individual tutors or learning centres (used to support mainstream or home education)

  • In term time
  • Holiday courses in key stage 1 to 4 curriculum
  • English and mathematics skills
  • Exam preparation (for example, SATs, GCSE, A-level, and 11-plus or other school-entry exams)


Extracurricular clubs or settings

  • Dance classes
  • Gymnastic training
  • Sports tuition
  • Instrumental music tuition
  • Martial arts training
  • Drama classes


Uniformed youth organisations

  • Scouts
  • Guides

Open-access youth providers

  • Centre-based and detached youth work

Supplementary schools (sometimes called complementary schools)

  • Those which operate after school hours or at the weekend

Private language schools (including)

  • For children coming from abroad

Religious settings offering education in their own faith, culture, or religious texts or preparation for rites, of passage

  • Jewish yeshivas and chedarim
  • Muslim madrassahs
  • Hindu settings
  • Sikh settings
  • Christian Sunday schools


Click here for further guidance on keeping your child safe in out of school settings

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