e-safety for Ofsted and inspection
The current insection framework has made Safeguarding central to providers responsibilities. The New CIF will have more exacting standards and there have ben significant changes to the legislation regarding Vetting & Barring that was to shape Safeguarding practice. An overview of What you need to Know about those changes can be found here.
Ofsted best practice guidance shows a clear requirement to keep learners safe when using technology in the organisational setting. It is worth pointing out that safeguarding is intended to create a culture of vigilance where all staff know their responsiblities and act accordingly.
The guidance also underlines the importance of equipping learners with the skills and knowedge to keep themselves safe whenever and wherever they go online so the organisational responsibility extends beyond the provider's walls. This will inevitably impact on staff CPD in order to equip staff to support learners and keep themselves safe.
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Even at Grade 3 Ofsted expects that every organisation will demonstrate good practice in line with their stated requirements.
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To get a Grade 2, an organisation would have to demonstrate this good practice, plus significant learner involvment and evidence of carrying out proper risk-assessment based on real learning situations as well as providing access to quality training for their staff.
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At Grade 1 there would need to be evidence that procedures are regularly reviewed - reflecting the fast moving changes to technological development, that the whole organisation receives training and that there is active collaboration with the Local Safeguarding Board. Procedures that are reviewed with realistic and specific risk assessment and staff are suitably skilled.
Ofsted inspectors want to see how a provider actively promotes the safeguarding of learners and they will actually ask learners if they feel safe? So the learners' active involvement and very obvious promotion of e-safety policies and procedures is key. Therefore you will need to demonstrate that you have:
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Assessed the real risks to real learners in real situations?
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Involved learners in that risk assessment?
Evidence will come from the reporting process, incident logs, staff surveys and appraisals, meeting minutes and improvement plan and from learner surveys.
Inspectors will be looking for evidence of:
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Strong leadership.
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Clearly defined responsibilities and ethos.
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Staff Training with indicators and procedures in place.
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Checks and policies across the whole provision, including partners, placements and others.
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Robust risk-assessment and rationale.
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Clearly visible reporting process and response.
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Collaboration with Local Safeguarding Board.
Related Links
Best Practice in Safeguarding in Colleges - A survey of best practice in safeguarding based on visits to 14 of the 15 colleges that received an outstanding grade for the leadership and management of their safeguarding arrangements in 2009-10.
Ofsted: Safeguarding FAQs - These frequently asked questions (FAQs) aim to dispel many of the myths surrounding the inspection of safeguarding within the new inspection framework for schools and colleges, and learning and skills providers.
Ofsted: Self-evaluation and the SEF - This article outlines the new self-evaluation form (SEF) alongside the framework for inspection of schools.
Ofsted: The safe use of technologies report - This report, launched February 2010, presents the findings from a small-scale e-safety survey of 35 maintained schools in England. It evaluates the extent to which the schools taught pupils to adopt safe and responsible practices in using new technologies.