The Boxall Profile: Assessing Social and Emotional Development
Complete 2025 Boxall Profile guide with pricing from £30. SEMH assessment tool for identifying developmental needs in UK schools.
Key Takeaways
What Is the Boxall Profile?
The Boxall Profile is an assessment tool designed to identify the social, emotional, and mental health needs of children and young people. Developed by Marjorie Boxall, founder of the nurture group movement, it provides a framework for understanding the developmental gaps that affect children's ability to engage with learning and relationships. Understanding SEMH needs is crucial for effective intervention.
The Profile assesses two main areas: developmental strands (the building blocks of emotional and social development) and diagnostic profile (behaviours that may indicate unmet needs). By identifying specific areas of need, the Profile enables targeted interventionrather than generic support. This comprehensive assessment approach is particularly valuable when used alongside other diagnostic tools for specific learning difficulties such as visual processing disorders. This assessment can inform peer-supported inclusion strategies, contributing to overall student wellbeing.
Boxall Profile Online (BPO) is the digital version, providing online assessment, automatic scoring, and generated learning plans. It is used in schools across the UK to support children with SEMH needs, including those with autism spectrum conditions (see our comprehensive autism in schools guide for classroom strategies), and those in nurture provision.
How the Boxall Profile Works
Completing the Assessment
Teachers or other adults who know the child well complete the Profile by rating the child against a series of descriptors. This often includes teaching assistants, who may benefit from teaching assistant trainingin SEMH assessment. The assessment takes approximately 10-15 minutes and should be based on observations over time rather than a single snapshot. Both primary and secondary versions are available, automatically selected based on the child's date of birth.
Understanding Results
Results show which developmental strands are secure and which show gaps. The diagnostic profile identifies behaviours that may be masking or expressing unmet needs, complementing other tools such as ADHD assessments for comprehensive evaluation. Visual charts make patterns easy to identify, and comparison with age-expected norms contextualises the results.
Generating Learning Plans
Perhaps the most valuable feature, BPO generates targeted learning plan suggestions based on assessment results. These strategies address the specific developmental gaps identified, providing a starting point for intervention planning. The Profile's recommendations can be enhanced with structured social-emotional learning activities. Plans can be adapted to school context and individual circumstances.
What Does the Boxall Profile Cost in 2025?
The Boxall Profile Online costs £325 per year for primary schools with unlimited assessments and users. Pay-as-you-go options start from £35 for 20 assessments. Schools can choose between annual subscriptions or flexible payment options based on their assessment needs.
| Subscription Type | Annual Cost | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | £325/year | Unlimited assessments and learning plans, unlimited staff |
| Primary PRO | £475/year | All above plus Theory and Practice CPD course (worth £225) |
| Secondary | £500/year | Unlimited assessments and learning plans, unlimited staff |
| Secondary PRO | £650/year | All above plus Theory and Practice CPD course (worth £225) |
| Pay-As-You-Go (20 tokens) | £35 + VAT | 20 assessments and learning plans |
| Pay-As-You-Go (50 tokens) | £65 + VAT | 50 assessments and learning plans |
| Pay-As-You-Go (100 tokens) | £110 + VAT | 100 assessments and learning plans |
Annual subscriptions provide the best value for schools conducting regular SEMH assessments. The whole-school subscription works out from as little as £0.24 per pupil per year for larger schools. Small schools (fewer than 100 pupils) qualify for discounted pricing.
The PRO subscriptions include access to the Theory and Practice of the Boxall Profile CPD course, which is CPD Standards Office accredited and worth £225 if purchased separately.
Pay-as-you-go tokens suit schools with occasional assessment needs or those wanting to trial the platform. Tokens do not expire. Academy trusts and local authorities should contact BPO for group pricing.
A 30-day free trial is available with no card required, allowing schools to evaluate the platform before committing.
Using the Boxall Profile Effectively
Assessment Timing
Initial assessments establish a baseline. The Profile should be used as part of SEN identification processes and can support inclusive education practices. Effective implementation requires attention to behaviour management strategies alongside assessment findings. Regular monitoring of student progress in attention and engagement helps inform ongoing intervention planning.
Staff Training and Support
For best results, ensure that all staff using the Boxall Profile have received adequate training. This includes understanding the Profile's theoretical underpinnings, administration guidelines, and how to interpret results effectively. Consider investing in the PRO subscription which includes dedicated CPD training for staff.
Effective implementation requires careful timing of assessments. Research by attachment theorist John Bowlby emphasises that social and emotional assessments are most accurate when conducted after a settling-in period, typically 6-8 weeks into the school term. This allows children to demonstrate their typical behavioural patterns rather than responses to immediate stress or change.
Collaboration between different staff members enhances the reliability of Boxall Profile assessments. Class teachers, teaching assistants, and support staff should all contribute observations, as children may display different behaviours in various contexts. The profile works most effectively when assessors have regular, sustained contact with the child being assessed, ideally over a minimum period of four weeks.
Regular reassessment is crucial for tracking pupil progress and adjusting intervention strategies accordingly. Schools typically conduct follow-up assessments at 12-16 week intervals, allowing sufficient time for interventions to take effect whilst maintaining momentum. The profile's numerical scoring system enables clear monitoring of changes in social and emotional development, particularly useful during annual reviews or when evaluating the effectiveness of specific support programmes. SENCOs often find it helpful to maintain a simple tracking spreadsheet to monitor patterns across multiple assessments and identify which intervention strategies yield the most positive outcomes for individual pupils.
Benefits of Using the Boxall Profile
The Boxall Profile offers numerous benefits for schools aiming to support the social and emotional development of their students:
- Early Identification: Identifies unmet needs early, enabling timely intervention.
- Targeted Support: Generates specific learning plans, avoiding generic interventions.
- Progress Monitoring: Allows for regular monitoring of progress and adjustment of strategies.
- Improved Wellbeing: Contributes to overall student wellbeing by addressing underlying emotional needs.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Provides data to inform decision-making regarding resource allocation and support strategies.
The Boxall Profile provides educators with a structured framework for understanding children's social and emotional development needs. Unlike subjective observations, it offers standardised criteria that enable consistent assessment across different staff members and time periods. This systematic approach helps schools identify specific areas where children require additional support, moving beyond general concerns to targeted intervention strategies.
Research conducted by the Nurture Group Network demonstrates that schools using the Boxall Profile report improved accuracy in identifying children's developmental needs. The assessment's dual focus on both developmental strands and diagnostic profile creates a comprehensive picture that informs both immediate classroom strategies and longer-term support planning. Teachers frequently report increased confidence in addressing behavioural challenges when armed with specific Boxall Profile insights.
The profile's strength lies in its ability to track progress over time. Regular re-assessment using the same criteria allows schools to measure the effectiveness of interventions and adjust approaches accordingly. This evidence-based monitoring supports both individual pupil progress and whole-school evaluation of social and emotional learning programmes.
The Research Behind the Boxall Profile
The Boxall Profile draws extensively from attachment theory and developmental psychology, particularly building on John Bowlby's seminal work on early relationships and their impact on emotional regulation. Marjorie Boxall recognised that many children arrive at school without the foundational experiences necessary for classroom learning, lacking what she termed "the equipment for learning." This theoretical framework emphasises that cognitive development cannot be separated from social and emotional growth, aligning with contemporary neuroscientific research showing how stress and insecurity impair memory formation and executive functioning.
Research validating the Profile's effectiveness demonstrates significant improvements in both behavioural patterns and academic outcomes. Studies consistently show that children identified through the assessment and provided with targeted nurture interventions develop better self-regulation, improved peer relationships, and enhanced engagement with learning. The tool's strength lies in its systematic approach to identifying specific developmental gaps rather than simply cataloguing problematic behaviours, enabling practitioners to address root causes rather than symptoms.
For educators, this research base provides crucial justification for investing time in comprehensive social and emotional assessment. The evidence clearly indicates that addressing foundational developmental needs through targeted intervention strategies yields measurable improvements in pupil progress, making the initial assessment investment highly cost-effective for long-term educational outcomes.
Training Requirements for the Boxall Profile
Implementing the Boxall Profile effectively requires structured training to ensure accurate assessment and meaningful interpretation of results. School staff need comprehensive understanding of the theoretical framework underpinning social and emotional development assessment, including attachment theory and developmental psychology principles. Initial training typically spans two to three days, covering profile administration, scoring procedures, and interpretation of the developmental strands and diagnostic scales.
The training programme emphasises collaborative assessment approaches, recognising that multiple perspectives enhance accuracy in identifying behavioural patterns and developmental needs. Participants learn to distinguish between different types of social and emotional difficulties, understanding how early experiences influence classroom behaviour and learning readiness. Practical workshops focus on translating assessment outcomes into targeted intervention strategies that support pupil progress within educational settings.
Ongoing professional development strengthens implementation quality over time. Schools benefit from establishing internal expertise through training key staff members who can provide peer support and maintain assessment standards. Regular review sessions and case study discussions help staff refine their observational skills and develop confidence in using assessment data to inform educational planning and intervention design.
Limitations and Considerations
While the Boxall Profile provides valuable insights into social and emotional development, practitioners must recognise several important limitations. The assessment relies heavily on subjective teacher observations, which can be influenced by unconscious bias, varying expectations, or limited classroom interaction opportunities. As Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory demonstrates, children's behaviour varies significantly across different contexts, meaning a single teacher's perspective may not capture the full complexity of a pupil's social and emotional functioning.
Cultural considerations also require careful attention when interpreting results. Behavioural patterns that appear concerning within one cultural framework may represent adaptive responses or culturally specific communication styles in another. Similarly, the tool's emphasis on particular social norms may inadvertently pathologise differences in neurodivergent pupils, particularly those with autism or ADHD, whose social expressions naturally differ from neurotypical expectations.
For effective implementation, schools should use the Boxall Profile as one component of a comprehensive assessment approach rather than a standalone diagnostic tool. Triangulating observations from multiple staff members, gathering input from families and previous settings, and considering the pupil's voice ensures a more complete understanding. Regular training on unconscious bias and cultural competency helps assessors recognise their own perspectives while maintaining the tool's valuable contribution to understanding social and emotional development patterns.
Conclusion
The Boxall Profile stands as a valuable tool for educators seeking to understand and address the social, emotional, and mental health needs of their students. By providing a structured framework for assessment and intervention, it helps schools to create nurturing environments where all children can thrive. Integrating the Boxall Profile within a broader strategy that includes approaches to restorative justice can create a compassionate and effective support system.
Ultimately, the Boxall Profile serves as a catalyst for positive change, developing resilience, promoting wellbeing, and enabling the full potential of every child. By investing in this evidence-based assessment tool and providing appropriate training for staff, schools can make a significant difference in the lives of their students, creating a brighter future for all.
Further Reading
For those seeking to examine deeper into the research and theoretical underpinnings of the Boxall Profile and related concepts, the following resources offer valuable insights:
- Cooper, P., & Jacobs, B. (2011). *Attachment in the classroom: The links between children's early experience, emotional well-being and behaviour in schools.* Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
- Coles, L., Tarpey, T., & Swinglehurst, D. (2019). Using the Boxall Profile to inform the social and emotional development of secondary school students. *Pastoral Care in Education, 37*(3), 195-209.
- Howes, A., Cairns, K., & Bobinski, R. (2018). An evaluation of the impact of nurture groups on the social, emotional and behavioural development of pupils in primary schools. *British Journal of Special Education, 45*(4), 478-496.
- Marjorie Boxall and Nurture Groups: A systematic review of the efficacy of nurture groups. (2010). *Emotional Well-being and Effective Learning*.
- Sellman, E. (2011). The contribution of nurture groups to the social and emotional well-being of pupils in mainstream primary schools. *Educational Psychology in Practice, 27*(4), 367-384.
