Northumberland Business Service Limited

Northumberland Business Service Limited Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Jacquie Brown, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

6 Esther Court Ashington NE63 8AP Monitoring visit: Northumberland Business Service Limited, 9 February 2022

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Context and focus of visit

From March 2019, Ofsted undertook to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of adult learning provision which began to be funded from August 2017. This monitoring visit was undertaken as part of those arrangements and as outlined in the ‘Further education and skills inspection handbook’, especially the sections entitled ‘Monitoring visits’ and ‘Monitoring visits to providers that are newly directly publicly funded’. The focus of these visits is on the themes set out below.

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Context and focus of visit

Northumberland Business Service Limited is a not-for-profit social enterprise company that was established in 2000. In August 2020, it received a contract from North of Tyne Combined Authority to provide adult learning programmes. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 33 learners enrolled on business skills development courses.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this visit is on the safeguarding theme below.

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Reasonable progress

The designated safeguarding lead and deputies have completed relevant training to be effective in their role. Leaders and managers have implemented appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures that identify clearly to whom staff and learners should report safeguarding concerns and how staff should record and refer concerns. Leaders and managers have implemented appropriate safe recruitment practices to ensure that staff are safe to work with learners.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors have completed useful training on safeguarding and the ‘Prevent’ duty. They meet frequently with managers to discuss these topics and receive helpful updates on safeguarding issues, which they use in their teaching sessions.

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Reasonable progress

Learners feel safe and know whom to contact at the provider should they have any concerns. Tutors provide helpful information to learners at the start of the courses and reinforce this in teaching sessions. Trainers introduce topics into sessions that are relevant to the businesses in which learners work, such as data protection, mental health, well-being and online safety.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have developed useful links with external partners to help inform them and their learners about the risks of extremism and radicalisation. For example, they work with the regional ‘Prevent’ duty coordinator, who provides Monitoring visit: Northumberland Business Service Limited, 9 February 2022 regular updates about issues related to extremism and radicalisation that they share with tutors and learners. However, leaders and managers do not ensure that learners have a good understanding of local risks and the potential impact in the community in which they live.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders and managers have established appropriate security measures on staff computers to make sure that staff and learners stay safe. They have firewalls and filters in place that identify if anyone searches for an inappropriate word or topic. Monitoring visit: Northumberland Business Service Limited, 9 February 2022 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 children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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Reasonable progress

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

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