A BRADFORD training provider has taken action after being made aware of a safeguarding complaint following an Ofsted inspection involving one of its sub-contractors.

Aspire-Igen Group Limited, based in Cheapside, Bradford city centre, said it had taken the decision to suspend direct delivery at sub-contractor QDP Forces Preparation College in Doncaster, with learners now working remotely.

It comes after an inspection by Ofsted revealed that "too many female learners" at the armed forces training centre in Doncaster "do not feel safe" and that female learners have "little confidence" that concerns over sexual abuse and harassment from male peers will be addressed.

Aspire-Igen Group Limited lacks “effective oversight” of QPD Doncaster, according to the newly-published Ofsted report published in light of a monitoring visit from inspectors on November 16 last year.

QPD Doncaster helps 16 to 18-year-olds get into a career in the armed forces, by providing qualifications, military application support and fitness improvement.

There are currently 38 learners on a Study Programme at QPD Doncaster, but none of those learners have been sent from Bradford.

The report said: "Leaders and managers have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place, with a clear reporting process. However, staff at QPD Doncaster do not follow these procedures well enough and, too often, do not pass on important information to the designated safeguarding lead. As a result, the designated safeguarding lead is not kept informed of safeguarding issues in a timely manner and cannot be confident that appropriate actions are taken."

Ofsted found leaders, managers and governors at the Bradford training provider do not have “effective oversight” of the armed forces centre and means they are unaware of “serious safeguarding concerns that a number of learners have raised”.

Female learners have made complaints about sexual abuse and harassment from their male peers previously but feel this is not taken seriously and that “the issue leading to the complaint is too easily excused or dismissed.”

The report said: “Too many female learners (at QPD Doncaster) do not feel safe.

“Female learners have little confidence that staff at the provider will address concerns about their safety, particularly in relation to sexual abuse and harassment from their male peers.”

Staff at QPD Doncaster do not record these allegations clearly enough, or indicate well enough how issues have been resolved, and they are not dealt with swiftly or appropriately, the report states.

Leaders and managers at Aspire-Igen have also not ensured the centre is following the correct processes for reports of harmful sexual behaviour.

Bullying at QPD Doncaster is seen as “banter”, rather than as inappropriate or harmful behaviour, the inspection found.

Dawn Hardy, Director of Learning and Executive Designated Safeguarding Lead at Aspire-Igen said: “There are currently 38 learners on a Study Programme at QPD Doncaster, which is a sub-contractor of Aspire-Igen.

"Aspire-Igen was made aware of a safeguarding complaint, following a recent Ofsted inspection at QPD Doncaster, which resulted in us taking the decision to suspend direct delivery at QDP Doncaster, with learners working remotely.

"An investigation has been carried out and liaison with Doncaster Council has been undertaken.

"Safeguarding of all learners is our paramount concern."

A spokesperson for QPD Doncaster said: "We at QPD, have worked hard with Aspire-Igen to investigate the safeguarding concerns raised at QPD Doncaster.

"As a result of this, we have made changes to ensure no learner would feel unsafe at QPD.

"We will continue to support our learners to stay safe and achieve their goals."

Aspire-Igen was last visited by Ofsted for a full inspection back in February 2022.

It received a Requires Improvement rating.

This monitoring visit focused on safeguarding arrangements and was undertaken with reference to the "Further education and skills handbook".

The main theme the inspector looked at was whether the leaders and managers were ensuring learners were kept safe at the subcontractor.

Ofsted deemed there to be insufficient progress with this.

The report said: "Leaders, managers and governors do not have effective oversight of their subcontractor, QPD Forces Preparation College Doncaster (QPD Doncaster).

"Although they hold frequent meetings with leaders at the organisation to discuss safeguarding, they do not consistently receive important information about safeguarding concerns.

"As a result, they are not aware of the serious safeguarding concerns that a number of learners have raised."