Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation has told learning organisations that a ‘tick box approach’ will not be enough to minimise the terrorism risk in the city region. Tony McDonough reports.

Further education providers in Merseyside are being urged to step up their efforts to combat the threat posed by radicalisation and extremism.

Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation (GMLPF) has told learning organisations that a “tick box approach” will not be enough to minimise the terrorism risk in the city region.

GMLPF will host a continued professional development (CPD) workshop later this month titled ‘Prevent, Safeguarding & British Values: What is Ofsted looking for?’

The Government published its Prevent strategy in 2011 as part of its overall counter-terrorism strategy.

Prevent duty guidance for the further education and skills sector was then introduced in September 2015.

This requires all further education and skills providers in England to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

However, an Ofsted report in 2016 highlighted that a number of further education providers are not implementing the Prevent duty successfully.

At the workshop on Wednesday, January 25, GMLPF will help further education providers understand what they are expected to do to fulfil Ofsted requirements and how to keep learners safe.

Delivered by Trevor Alley, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the further education sector, the workshop will offer providers a resource on how to implement and evaluate new strategies.

Joanne Rymer, membership development manager at GMLPF, says: “While it is impossible to shield pupils from all forms of extremism and discrimination, we believe that equipping staff with the right tools will allow them to recognise the signs and deal with any issues as and when they arise.

“It is not enough to simply tick a box to say that your staff have undergone training – it’s about understanding the nature of specific risks in the local community.

“Safeguarding young people is a job for us all and this workshop will detail not only what Ofsted is  looking for but how providers can demonstrate the impact their strategies are having on learners.”

The workshop will take place on Wednesday 25 January, 9.00 – 16.00. For further information and tickets, click here.