The SMB Group

Name of lead inspector: Russ Henry, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection date: 10 May 2024 Type of provider: General further education college Address: Stephenson Campus Thornborough Road Coalville LE67 3TN Monitoring visit: The SMB Group, 10 May 2024

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Context and focus of visit

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

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Significant progress

Managers and staff work diligently and considerately with students who demonstrate challenging behaviour. They link disciplinary meetings with welfare support and tutorial activities, to ensure that learners understand behavioural expectations and make use of support that can help them to improve. They also link disciplinary outcomes to safeguarding support activities. For example, when a student is the victim of bullying, staff work hard to ensure that they are safe, feel safe and can continue to study. They also work with the perpetrator to improve their conduct and avoid further difficulties. If learners refuse to improve their behaviour and represent a danger to other learners, then senior leaders take appropriate decisions to exclude them from college.

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Significant progress

Staff implement risk assessments, safety plans and adapted timetables to support vulnerable learners to adhere to safe behaviours in the college, for example by providing them with safe spaces and safe people for times when they feel worried or otherwise vulnerable.

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Reasonable progress

Staff with specific responsibility for safeguarding usually take suitable action to deal with concerns. They promptly contact learners to gather necessary information, and communicate appropriately with parents, other staff members and external agencies such as the police.

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Reasonable progress

Teachers and curriculum managers demonstrate a clear understanding of safeguarding processes. They understand their responsibilities towards learners who make safeguarding disclosures, their legal responsibilities, and the importance of follow-up welfare support.

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Reasonable progress

Senior managers take appropriate action if concerns are raised about staff conduct, or the reporting of safeguarding issues. However, in a very small number of minor safeguarding cases, staff have been too trusting of their colleagues and, as a result, have been too slow to escalate concerns to senior managers. Monitoring visit: The SMB Group, 10 May 2024

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Reasonable progress

When safeguarding concerns are raised about a child or vulnerable adult, safeguarding staff make prompt contact with parents where this is appropriate. This enables them to share the safeguarding or welfare concern, gather a fuller picture of the circumstances relating to the concern, and to advise about or arrange follow-up support. They ensure that parents are involved appropriately if a safeguarding issue is also a matter for the police. Staff behave sensitively and carefully when there are concerns about a learner’s family circumstances and involve other agencies when this is appropriate.

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Reasonable progress

In a small number of minor cases, staff have not communicated as effectively or appropriately with parents. When this has occurred, leaders have investigated the circumstances thoroughly and taken appropriate action. Monitoring visit: The SMB Group, 10 May 2024 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 looked after children, 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

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