Avant Partnership Limited

Avant Partnership Limited Monitoring visit report

p.1

Name of lead inspector: Rachel Angus, Her Majesty's Inspector

p.1

Type of provider: Independent learning provider

p.1

Address:

Pearl Assurance House George Street Grimsby DN31 1HB Monitoring visit: Avant Partnership Limited, 31 August 2022

p.1

Context and focus of visit

This monitoring visit focused on safeguarding arrangements and was undertaken with reference to the ‘Further education and skills handbook’.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers at Avant Partnership Limited (Avant) have limited oversight of the safeguarding arrangements at their only subcontractor, Orchard Training and Education Limited (Orchard). Leaders hold formal meetings twice a year with managers at Orchard, but they do not identify actions relating to safeguarding accurately or follow up well enough the actions that they do identify. Consequently, managers at Orchard are slow to take steps that are necessary to keep learners and apprentices safe.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers at Avant have not ensured that staff at Orchard have received training on protecting learners and apprentices from sexual abuse and harassment. As a result, staff have not included this topic in the safeguarding training that they provide for learners and apprentices. Female learners and apprentices in the construction curriculum area at Orchard are in the minority, and a small number of them report that they have experienced harassment while studying there.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Staff do not ensure that learners and apprentices at Orchard adhere to the highest standards of health and safety practice. Too many learners do not wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Learners do not routinely wear safety glasses in the workshop despite several recorded occurrences of accidents involving mortar in the eye. Leaders and managers do not maintain a high level of cleanliness and order in the workshops or in the toilet facilities that they provide.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers ensure that staff have been subject to appropriate pre- employment checks and that appropriate records of these checks are held by managers at Avant and at Orchard. They have in place appropriate safeguarding policies. However, although managers at Orchard have produced an up-to-date ‘Prevent’ duty risk assessment, an accompanying action plan is not in place.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Leaders and managers from Avant carry out surveys with learners and apprentices at Orchard, and the learners and apprentices who respond say that they feel safe. Learners and apprentices at Orchard say that they know how to report safeguarding concerns. In the few instances where they report an issue, staff provide appropriate support and make a note of the actions that they take. Staff at Orchard discuss Monitoring visit: Avant Partnership Limited, 31 August 2022 safeguarding incidents with managers from Avant, but leaders at Avant do not have a comprehensive oversight of all incidents reported.

p.2

Insufficient progress

Managers at Orchard provide helpful information to learners and apprentices at the beginning of their programme to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe. Learners and apprentices complete a workbook at induction, which provides information about topics, such as abuse, bullying, the risks of radicalisation and dangers of holding extremist views. Monitoring visit: Avant Partnership Limited, 31 August 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for students 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

p.3

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 .

p.4

Insufficient progress

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.4

Insufficient progress

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.4

Insufficient progress

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

p.4