How well are you implementing the Prevent Duty?

Ofsted has published its findings on how well further and education and skills providers are implementing the Prevent Duty. How does your practice shape up?

Ofsted carried out survey visits to 37 further education and skills providers, as well as 46 full inspections or monitoring visits between November 2015 and May 2016. In July 2016, Ofsted published their report ‘How well are further education and skills providers implementing the ‘Prevent’ duty?’

The report recognises that some providers have made good progress in implementing the Prevent Duty. However, the report highlights that this is not the case with all providers: a worrying number are struggling. Too many providers see the Prevent Duty as little more than a ‘tick-box exercise’ and do not regard it as an important part of their responsibilities towards learners.

Commenting on the findings, Ofsted’s Deputy Director for Further Education and Skills, Paul Joyce, said:

“It is reassuring that over half of the providers visited for this survey were found to be making good progress in implementing the Prevent duty, and are ultimately keeping their learners and local communities safe. Leaders in the general further education and sixth form colleges we visited should be commended for the quick progress they have made in implementing this new responsibility.

“However, it is concerning that in some colleges and providers the progress made in implementing the duty has been slow. It is worrying that inspectors saw examples of poor practice that I’ve no doubt would shock parents and learners alike.

“I am calling on providers, local authorities and the government to take on board Ofsted’s recommendations. We need to work together to ensure that we keep learners safe and protect them from all forms of extremism.”

The report highlighted that the quality of teaching and learning of British values varied considerably and many providers recognised that practice needed improving. The main barriers that these providers faced were improving staff knowledge and understanding of the promotion of British values, and how to integrate these into lessons.

In my travels around the sector I, too, am finding that many staff do not understand what it means to promote British values in their job roles and responsibilities. Questions I am asked include, for example:  What if tutors feel uncomfortable with the term ‘British values’? What are the practical implications for promoting British values in teaching and learning? How might this be relevant to curriculum areas such as engineering, physics, maths or IT? How can tutors encourage diverse views to be heard and challenged in a way that values freedom of speech and freedom from harm? How can we support tutors to have the knowledge and confidence to discuss controversial and sensitive topics?

I have and am delivering many training events to help staff understand the answers to these questions and explore best practice in the sector. Recently updated with the very latest findings from Ofsted, below are just four of my most popular workshops on promoting British values.

• Promoting fundamental British values; taking a whole-organisational approach  (download the publicity here)
• Equality, Diversity, British values and classroom practice; Everything teachers need to know (download the publicity here)
• Equality, Diversity, British values and Workplace Learning; A meaningful rather than tick-box approach (download the publicity here)         
• Equality, Diversity, British values and Business Support; excellent working relationships and customer care (download the publicity here)

You can see more on the training page of my website here. Interested? Don’t hesitate to get in touch via my contact page here

You can download the Ofsted report ‘How well are further education and skills providers implementing the ‘Prevent’ duty? here

I am a keynote speaker at the AoC’s Prevent Duty conference on 19 October 2016. You can view the programme and book your place on the conference website here.

I am also facilitating, on behalf of the AoC, a one-day event ‘Understanding Ofsted: Equality, Diversity, Fundamental British values and the 2015 Inspection Framework’. This takes place on 29 November 2016. You can find out more information or register for the event here.