Exceed Learning Partnership Modern Slavery Statement 2024
Introduction
This statement is made on behalf of Exceed Learning Partnership (company number 10660150) pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement. This statement relates to actions and activities as a Trust.
Exceed Learning Partnership recognises that it has a responsibility to take a robust approach to slavery and human trafficking. The organisation is committed to preventing slavery and human trafficking within its activities and to ensuring that its supply chains are free from slavery and human trafficking.
This statement sets out Exceed Learning Partnerships actions to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to its business and to put in place steps that are aimed at ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in its business and supply chains.
Structure, Business, and Supply Chains
Exceed Learning Partnership Trust is a multi-academy trust (MAT) with all our academies based in Doncaster.
Our suppliers are UK based and key supply areas cover catering, maintenance/repairs, agency staff and cleaning.
Our approach
We work to the highest professional standards and comply with all laws, regulations, and rules relevant to our business. We expect the same high standards from those we work with and are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business. We act ethically and with integrity in all of our charitable and business relations.
Policies, documentation, and key relationships
The following key policies and documentation detail our approach to protecting our pupils and staff from modern slavery and ensuring our supply chains are free from modern slavery:
• Procurement Policy;
• Complaints Policy;
• Whistleblowing Policy;
• Single Central Record (SCR), Personnel Files and Safer Recruitment Policy;
• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy;
• Code of Conduct;
• Supplier terms and conditions.
In addition, we work closely with the National Joint Council (NJC) to help reduce risk by improving employee working and pay practices.
Our Audit and Risk Committee has overall oversight of the process and practices embedded within ELP to reduce Modern Slavery and in ensuring our supply chains, which rely on people, can demonstrate adherence with local and national laws and regulations, including paying the minimum wage.
The members of the Committee work together with the Trust Board as appropriate on these areas.
Identifying and addressing risks
We recognise as a Trust that there are two main avenues of risk through which modern slavery could impact the Trust. The first is through matters of a safeguarding nature which covers child sex exploitation or human trafficking which can directly impact our pupils. This also potentially affects the staff of our contractors. The second is our supply chain and the vendors we contract.
Supply Chain
ELP's procurement regulations set out the requirements we have in relation to our engagement with suppliers. Our suppliers are expected to comply with all local, national laws and regulations. This includes paying their staff the minimum wage, and any on-site staff passing a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check. We publish our standard terms and conditions to ensure providers looking to contract with us are aware of our standards. Should suppliers fail to meet our minimum requirements, or be unwilling to make any changes, we may cease to trade with them. Procurement is subject to internal audit review, as well as assessed by our external auditors annually. Frameworks via public sector buying organisations are considered for all tenders and these meet the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 by default.
In the event we opt not to use an existing framework all tenders for all Procurement follow the Trusts Procurement Policy, ensuring modern slavery risk is considered and incorporated into the tender evaluation criteria.
As a Trust we have reviewed our key suppliers’ statements to reassure ourselves they continue to operate in accordance with the requirements of the act and no areas of risk were identified.
We continue to ensure that we support staff in working with existing and new suppliers through training and understanding of our processes embedded in our procurement practices to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking, and fully understand our duty as a Trust as prescribed in legislation namely in the form of e-learning.
Safeguarding colleagues also cover modern slavery within their CPD programme.
Safeguarding
We take safeguarding incredibly seriously in upholding our statutory duties and striving to safeguard staff and pupils through a culture of safeguarding in everything we do.
We have Designated Safeguarding Leads in every academy. Collectively these colleagues work together to implement policy and secure excellence in safeguarding practice across the Trust. These colleagues are incredibly experienced in this area and model excellent practice for all staff. Through their encouragement, each academy proactively works with the local authorities, the local safeguarding partnerships, the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) and local stakeholders to combat safeguarding issues, including child sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Their good practice is shared amongst the academies and the focus of safeguarding training always includes detailed training about early identification of those at risk of exploitation. The quality and impact of our safeguarding practice is reviewed at every level of Trust governance. Safeguarding policy and practice is reviewed annually. Statutory safeguarding practices and impact on keeping children safe are formally reviewed and quality assured by the school improvement team. Safeguarding is an item at every full Board of Directors Meeting, and we have a named Director with portfolio responsibility for Safeguarding.
The Trusts Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is reviewed annually by the Executive Leadership Team, Strategic Safeguarding Lead and the Board of Directors. It is fully compliant with all statutory requirements and guidance set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE 2024).
Each academy Designated Safeguarding Lead is required to understand the local safeguarding context. This is included within the policy for each academy and published on each academy website.
Key performance indicators to measure effectiveness
Training
Every member of staff, whether or not they are based in an academy, is trained on the Safeguading and Child Protection Policy (either in person or via e-learning) and is required to declare annually that they have read and understood the policy and their training.
In addition, the Trust also has a Whistleblowing Policy which enables those with concerns about any wrongdoing or breaches of law, to raise these concerns in confidence without fear of disciplinary action. We are fully satisfied that through our robust safeguarding training that staff could identify and act appropriately for at risk pupils, staff, and contractors. As a Trust we keep this under close scrutiny and evaluation our safeguarding policy and practice. This enables us to refine and develop excellence in all we do as we continually enhance the knowledge of our staff to prevent slavery and human trafficking and child sexual exploitation.
We evaluate our processes for raising concerns to ensure that there are clearly identified ways to report concerns of whistleblowing or modern slavery which are available to all users of our Academies.