Safe environments for out-of-school provision

Maintaining a safe environment in a supplementary school (QCF unit ref. L/507/0801)

Recognising that many supplementary schools are governed by volunteer management committees with limited administrative support this course draws on NRCSEs Effective Management Skills course to ensure teaching staff understand the frameworks that govern out-of-school settings, including:

• legislation and policy on safe practice related to health & safety,
• child protection,
• assessing the risk of young people being drawn into acts of extreme violence, and
• strategies to address bullying and internet abuse.

Many supplementary schools are set up to address disadvantage in particular groups and therefore have equality at their heart. It is widely acknowledged that supplementary schools can make a positive contribution to: raising achievement, engaging parents in school and learning, keeping students safe and positively involved, and reinforcing positive identities.

NRCSE training and quality assurance can support local authorities to meet their new duties while helping community-led supplementary schools in their valuable work to support pupil attainment and aspirations.

The new model policy from the Birmingham Local Safeguarding Children Board lists in Appendix 4 ‘Indicators of vulnerability to radicalistion’.

It is clear to those working in the supplementary education sector that community-led supplementary schools support children and young people to grow up resilient to the ‘indicators’ below. Signing up to the NRCSE and the Code of Practice for Supplementary Schools can help make that clear to those outside the sector.

The Birmingham policy’s indicators of vulnerability include:

Identity

• the student/pupil is distanced from their cultural /religious heritage and experiences discomfort about their place in society;

Personal crisis

• the student/pupil may be experiencing:
  • family tensions;
  • a sense of isolation;
  • low self-esteem;
• they may have dissociated from their existing friendship group and become involved with a new and different group of friends;
• they may be searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging.

Unmet Aspirations

• the student/pupil may have perceptions of injustice;
• a feeling of failure;
• rejection of civic life.

[…], this list is not exhaustive, nor does it mean that all young people experiencing the above are at risk of radicalisation for the purposes of violent extremism.

This course comprises 12 hours of assessed learning and can be offered in tandem with an existing local safeguarding course. Learners will be assessed on the following: discussion and description of work; reflective diary; and an extended essay. The course contributes 1 credit to the Level 3 Certificate in Teaching in the Supplementary Education Sector.

Cost (including tutor fee, learner resources, assessment, moderation and learner registration fees): £450 for 10-15 learners.

If you are already delivering local safeguarding children courses within your authority you can use our resources and assessment to accredit the local course offered to supplementary schools in your area. Cost (without tutor, including learner resources, assessment, moderation and learner registration fees): £350 for 10-15 learners.