The Alnwick Garden Trust

The Alnwick Garden Trust Monitoring visit report

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Name of lead inspector: Ian Frear, Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Type of provider: Independent learning provider

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Address:

The Alnwick Garden Gardeners Cottage Greenwell Lane Alnwick Northumberland NE66 1HB Monitoring visit: The Alnwick Garden Trust, 30 March 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

The Alnwick Garden Trust is an independent learning provider based in Alnwick, Northumberland. In August 2021, it began delivering courses to adult learners with funding from the North of Tyne Combined Authority. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were fewer than five learners on non-accredited employability programmes related to business start-up.

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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

Leaders have swiftly responded to the safeguarding weaknesses identified at the previous monitoring visit. They have effective oversight of the continuing training needs of staff and have records in place to monitor safeguarding and ‘Prevent’ updating. Board members now have a clear oversight of safeguarding arrangements through standing agenda items in meetings.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff are recruited safely and that tutors who have yet to receive enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks are not permitted to work with learners until they are deemed safe to do so. However, not all staff have undertaken safeguarding training, although leaders have planned dates for staff to complete their mandatory training in the coming weeks.

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Reasonable progress

Tutors deliver well-contextualised training so that learners better understand the local and regional risks that they may face. For example, tutors have taught learners that extremists may target business and personal social media accounts to search for vulnerable people whom they could seek to radicalise. Learners make clear links between their learning and the potential risks that their families and friends may face, such as being vulnerable to online radicalisation. Monitoring visit: The Alnwick Garden Trust, 30 March 2022 Learners are safe and report that they feel safe. They know whom to refer concerns to about their own and others’ safety, including how to contact the designated safeguarding lead. Learners understand the importance of being aware of suspect packages around the gardens and how to escalate their concerns to staff about members of the public who cause concern.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established effective links with the regional ‘Prevent’ coordinator and other safeguarding agencies. They have committed to implementing a newly written ‘Prevent’ duty policy and action plan which carefully explains what staff should do if learners or staff show signs of being radicalised. Leaders recognise, however, that further refinement is needed to their ‘Prevent’ duty plan to make it clearer. Monitoring visit: The Alnwick Garden Trust, 30 March 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

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Reasonable progress

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

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Reasonable 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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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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