Luminate Education Group

Luminate Education Group Monitoring visit report

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

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Type of provider: General further education college

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Address:

Park Lane Leeds LS3 1AA Monitoring visit: Luminate Education Group, 11 and 12 May 2023

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Context and focus of visit

At the previous inspection, in April 2022, inspectors found safeguarding to be effective. This monitoring visit was carried out following alleged safeguarding concerns communicated to Ofsted since the inspection that relate to directly enrolled learners aged 14 to 16 years on vocational programmes and learners aged 16 to 19 at the Printworks campus.

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Significant progress

Leaders take safeguarding very seriously. They have invested in a wide range of resources to enhance how they monitor, record and report on safeguarding across the college. Leaders have employed a new safeguarding training and development coordinator to ensure that staff receive well-contextualised training on subjects to help keep learners safe. Staff, including those in supportive roles such as catering and site maintenance, receive effective training to raise their awareness of how to respond to and report specific safeguarding concerns.

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Significant progress

Rigorous and effective arrangements are in place to ensure that learners aged 14 to 16 are safe. Leaders moved this provision from the Mabgate campus to the Park Lane campus in September 2022. The provision at Park Lane provides students with a safe and secure environment in which to learn. The part of the building used for students aged 14 to 16 years has two entrances, one for staff and one for students. Both have magnetic locks and can only be accessed by teaching staff and students who are studying in that part of the building.

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Significant progress

Learners feel safe in and around the Printworks campus. They are supported well by staff to overcome fears and anxiety when transitioning from smaller education settings and schools to the campus. Their mental health and well-being are monitored carefully by tutors and pastoral teams. Staff provide dedicated safe spaces, such as the ‘oasis zones’, for learners to use should they experience increased anxiety.

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Significant progress

Leaders at all levels have clear oversight of the safeguarding arrangements across the college. Governors receive frequent and detailed reports, and they use these to assure themselves that appropriate arrangements are in place to keep learners safe. Managers and curriculum leaders receive effective support at departmental level Monitoring visit: Luminate Education Group, 11 and 12 May 2023 from the designated safeguarding officers at each campus. They keep detailed, electronic notes on those learners who may be at risk and provide high-quality support for them.

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Significant progress

Leaders make good use of anonymous feedback from learners about how safe they feel at college. Learners complete surveys at the start of their course, during the course, and at the end of the year. Leaders and managers analyse the results of surveys and follow up on the findings directly with small groups of learners should they receive information that they are concerned may be of a safeguarding nature.

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Significant progress

Leaders ensure that staff receive helpful safeguarding training on topics that are relevant to learners, such as county lines, drug gangs, knife crime and sexual consent. Staff make good use of their understanding of safeguarding topics to provide training for learners at the start of their programmes, which helps learners to understand how to keep safe. Learners have a good understanding of the expectations that staff have of them towards their learning and their conduct while at college.

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Significant progress

Leaders have well-embedded safe recruitment practices in place. They undertake rigorous checks on prospective staff to ensure that they are suitable to work at the college and with learners. In instances where staff have concerns about the suitability of other staff, such as when applicants fail to disclose previous convictions, they cease the recruitment process.

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Significant progress

Leaders have recently provided staff with additional, useful ‘upstander’ training, which helps them to understand how to stay safe should they need to intervene in situations that could lead to aggression and violence. Staff know their responsibilities in challenging poor behaviour effectively, such as through distraction techniques, which they can use to diffuse any escalating situations.

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Significant progress

Learners behave very well towards their peers. Classroom spaces are welcoming and inclusive. Learners with high needs work positively with peers during small-group projects and are positive about their interactions with others. Leaders promote the use of restorative practice, which has contributed to good behaviour across the college. Monitoring visit: Luminate Education Group, 11 and 12 May 2023 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

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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

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