The minutes of the Quality sub-group held on 30April 2015 at B-Skill, Milburn House, Dean Street, Newcastlecommencing at 9.30 am.

1. Present

Alison Hodgson - B-Skill Ltd (Chair)

David Baker- NELP Executive Officer (Secretary)

Janet Allison- Release Potential

Kevin Bickle- Brenikov Training

Susan Briganti - NEETA Ltd

Marie Ferry- BarnardosPalmersville Training

Allan McNaught-Tyneside Training Services

Geoff Moore- TyneNorth Training

Debbie Park- Baltic Training

Warren Turnbull - TCV

Joyce Young - Springboard

2. Apologies for absence were received from:

Jackie Bijkerk- Key Training

Dominic Knowles - Team Wearside

Sharon Wallace- Access Training

3. Welcome and Introductions

Alison opened and welcomed everyone to this meeting of the Quality Sub-group, after introductions Alison opened with a brief history of the group.

Alison reminded the group of the ‘Summary of latest judgements’ report from Ofsted:

  • Since September 2014 there had been 105 FE & Skills inspections
  • 57% of inspections led to a grade 3 or 4 for Overall Effectiveness
  • 17% of inspections led to Inadequate grade (4)for Overall Effectiveness
  • Independent Providers (39 inspections)
  • 59% led to a grade 3 or 4 with 13% at Inadequate grade (4)
  • General FE Colleges (23 inspections)
  • 70% led to a grade 3 or 4 with 13% at Inadequate grade (4)

New areas for consideration – Safeguarding, English & Maths, Prevent (including e-safety)

4. Prevent agenda

  • TCV developed a statement with South Tyne Council (Warren to provide the secretary with a copy for the minutes)
  • B-Skill working with Northumbria Police, DC Sharon Ross (tbc) who provided a 2 hour session for B-Skill personnel
  • Alison also mentioned an event she attended – by Safe & EqualPartnership for Training Providers

Action: the Executive Officer agreed to explore offering this event as part of the CPD offering later this year

  • Local safeguarding boards, police (see above)
  • Colleges offering Raise Awareness of Prevent (WRAP) training under guidance from the Home Office to their subcontractors
  • HM Government ‘Prevent Strategy: a Guide for local Partners in England’ – see gov.uk website.

5.Ofsted

  • Ofsted – regional teams mooted
  • An activity of this group in future is ‘to identify trends from recent inspections’ (as mentioned by the Chair at the recent Network meeting)

Action: agreed that Exec Officer in the minutes will identify changed grades and allocate one to each member of the subgroup to review key issues and report to next meeting

  • From last subgroup meeting identified Barnardos Learning Portal – not available to external partners.
  • English & Maths: preparing for GCSE’s –mixed messages in recent inspection, in some not mentioned, in others it featured!!

6. Operation Sanctuary – Child Sexual Exploitation

  • Barnardos have undertaken some in-house Child sexual exploitation training – the Executive Officer to again explore offering this training to the Quality subgroup
  • TCV have developed a Radicalisation & Grooming Policy.

7. Health & Safety/Vetting

  • Springboard undertaking a review of paperwork
  • Long document now considered bad practice (Ofsted)
  • HSE new model document – ‘Way of the world’.

8. Future CPD

  • Observation of Teaching & Learning and Assessment
  • Good practice - moving away from grading
  • Improved judgements – actions required / SMART plans, etc

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 25June 2015 at 9.30am at Access Training, Skills Academy, Eighth Avenue, Kingsway South,Team Valley, NE11 0JL.

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