February 2019

Dear Parents and Carers

As many of you will be aware the College was visited by OfSTED last term to review our safeguarding procedures. We welcomed the visit since it gave the College an opportunity to show how highly it places the safeguarding of students within the College and the measures we have in place to ensure that all students are kept safe.

We are very pleased that the inspection team were clear that our safeguarding procedures are effective.

Parents and carers should be reassured that this was a very thorough, robust and in-depth examination of all of our procedures for keeping children safe with four inspectors visiting for two days.

The inspectors collected evidence from a wide range of activities which included: speaking to students both informally and formally, carrying out lesson observations, reviewing our safeguarding procedures, looking at risk assessments for individual students, examining trips and visits we had undertaken, fire evacuation procedures, behaviour logs, speaking to staff to ascertain their knowledge of safeguarding and looking at other provision such as REACH, Lesson 42 (PSHE) and off site provision.

Some of the comments in the report included:

“Many sixth-form students spoke of how they stayed on at school because they have strong support. They appreciate the safety of the school.

Pupils behave well around the site and in lessons.

Seeing several hundred pupils cross the bridge between the two sites at lesson changeover, in an orderly way, is testament to the understanding of appropriate behaviour protocols.

Staff have a secure knowledge of the recent updates in ‘Keeping children safe in education’, 2018, especially peer-on-peer bullying, the ‘Prevent’ duty and issues such as female genital mutilation.

The school’s internet safety procedures are exceptionally strong.

Leaders’ monitoring of health and safety in its widest remit is a strength of the school.

The leader of disadvantaged pupils and the special educational needs coordinator are working together to ensure the safety of any vulnerable pupils.

Risk assessments for trips and visits are comprehensive. Staff tailor the trip according to pupils’ needs. They provide one-to-one support when necessary so that every pupil can go.

The individual health and care plans and the education, health and care plans are comprehensive in describing what risk assessments and support need to be in place.

Students in the sixth form have effective plans that provide additional guidance regarding post-18 options until the age of 25, which is correct practice.

Skilful teaching assistants support pupils with SEND.

The communication with alternative provision has been exemplary.

Teaching is strong in religious education and pupils spoke of their enjoyment of the learning undertaken. Students in the sixth form receive good PSHE information.

A new leader of the personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) was appointed last year. There has been an overhaul of the curriculum. Pupils and staff appreciate the changes.

Careers guidance is effective in the main school and the sixth form.

Students receive a breadth of information on education, employment and training opportunities which satisfy the range of abilities. Sixth-form students have an effective tutorial programme which is an online reporting system. “

The inspection team suggested two priorities for further improvement

• Ensure that leaders and governors hold a strategic view and relentlessly monitor the impact of their plans, policies and practice:

• to improve the quality of education and attendance of the most vulnerable pupils in the school
• to improve attendance overall and reduce persistent absence, including in the sixth form, with more urgency.

• Leaders of the sixth form should ensure that teachers embed diversity and equality in their teaching to re-enforce students’ understanding of working and living in a wide range of communities

These priorities will be monitored by the senior team and Governors as we move forward. The full inspection report can be found at: https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50054235 

While we are delighted with the findings of the inspection team we are not complacent. Effective safeguarding relies on the culture within a school including the notion that “it could happen here”. We will continue to refine our procedures to ensure they meet the needs of the students and continue to keep children safe.

Many thanks for your ongoing support.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Davis

Principal