The Michael Tippett College

The Michael Tippett College Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Saher Nijabat, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent specialist college

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Address: Belthorn Crescent Weir Road Balham London SW12 0NS Monitoring visit: The Michael Tippett College, 10 November 2021

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Context and focus of visit

This safeguarding monitoring visit follows the arrangements outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’. This was an unannounced monitoring visit, following concerns that had been reported to Ofsted. The purpose of the visit was to assess how effective the safeguarding arrangements at the provider are.

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Context and focus of visit

The Michael Tippett College is in the London Borough of Lambeth. The college is a separately constituted limited company to The Michael Tippett School. The acting Head of College has had the responsibility for leadership of the college since October 2021.

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Context and focus of visit

The students at the college are young adults aged 19 to 25. They have a range of profound multiple learning difficulties or severe learning difficulties, and some students have autism spectrum disorder. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 40 students. Of these, 38 students were on a three-year preparation for work and life programme. The remaining two students were on a one-year ‘bridge to work’ programme designed to get them into employment.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders and trustees do not have effective safeguarding arrangements in place across the college. Leaders do not follow safe recruitment processes properly in order to ensure that staff are suitable to work with vulnerable learners. Too often, staff do not complete the background checks thoroughly or follow up on employer references. They do not systematically ensure that central records are accurate and complete.

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Insufficient progress

Senior leaders, including some of the trustees, are not suitably trained to fulfil their duties in relation to safeguarding and ‘Prevent’. For example, some of the designated safeguarding leads do not have a current safeguarding lead qualification. They do not use their online tracking system well to record safeguarding incidents in sufficient detail. Consequently, senior leaders and trustees do not manage safeguarding concerns effectively.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders do not regularly review and update safeguarding policies and procedures. The safeguarding policy contains inaccurate information on designated safeguarding leads contacts, and does not provide any guidance for staff on managing concerns of learners with the most complex needs. Consequently, the safeguarding policy is not fit for purpose. Monitoring visit: The Michael Tippett College, 10 November 2021 Trustees do not routinely review and receive detailed reports on safeguarding. As a result, they do not have adequate oversight of safeguarding across the college. Trustees do not hold leaders to account. They do not provide adequate and timely support to leaders to improve their safeguarding practices. There are no clear action plans in place to correct the identified shortfalls in safeguarding.

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Insufficient progress

Leaders ensure that there are suitable support staff in lessons. Staff are respectful towards learners, and learners’ behaviour is calm and positive. Leaders have suitable measures in place to make the college premises safe from intruders. However, leaders have not considered all the risks to learners and staff in sufficient detail. For example, they do not have a Prevent risk assessment in place. Monitoring visit: The Michael Tippett College, 10 November 2021 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council

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Insufficient progress

children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Insufficient progress

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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