EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND DIVERSITY POLICY

Policy statement:

The purpose of this document is to define the basis on which any subcontracting arrangements will be managed. Where appropriate, Markhor Shield Security Services will contract with other parties to deliver programmes and activities.

Due Diligence

Markhor Shield Security Services will conduct a rigorous due diligence and the Subcontractor will supply Markhor Shield Security Services with all relevant information requested to protect learners and to ensure the subcontractor is a legally, financially and educationally sound organization, prior to a contract being signed.

And to ensure that the Subcontractor is present on the ROTO (Register of Training Organization) or on any other public register of database, as an indicator that they are suitable to deliver to Markhor Shield Security Services specific requirements.

Markhor Shield Security Services will also ensure any due diligence checks will be made available to the Awarding Organization for inspection.

Any subcontractor Markhor Shield Security Services appoint continues to meet the requirements of the register and Markhor Shield Security Services will provide them with the necessary support.

On completion of due diligence Markhor Shield Security Services will then review all evidence requirements as stated within this policy to determine the risk and compliance.

Depending on findings the following action/s will apply:

1. If the Subcontractor passes Due Diligence, Markhor Shield Security Services will arrange a meeting to discuss opportunities and better understand their organization. A visit to their organization may also be conducted during this period.
2. If the Subcontractor doesn’t meet Due Diligence requirements they will be informed and no further actions will be taken. Contract management

For managing this Contract both Parties shall appoint a Contract Manager and shall notify the other Party in writing of the name of its respective Contract Manager.

The Sub Contractor’s Contract Manager shall co-operate with Markhor Shield Security Services Contract and Performance Analyst to ensure that the Services are delivered as specified in the Contract.

The Sub Contractor shall promptly comply with all reasonable requests or directions of the Markhor Shield Security Services Contract and Performance Analyst. Induction

Subcontractors will ensure that all learners are given inductions to their courses or programme.

All courses should include an initial assessment process that enables learners and staff to identify what they want to achieve from the course.

This process should ensure that:

• Learners have the necessary aptitudes, attributes and abilities to help them successfully complete the courses for which they are applying.
• Any learning support needs are accurately identified and planned.
• ILP (Individual Learning Plan) in place to giving clear structure and guidance as to the starting and end points of all components of the programme and how they will be delivered.

Learners have the information, advice and guidance they need to help them make well informed judgments about the relevance of their courses to their short and longer term employment and learning goals.

Teaching and Learning

Subcontractor will ensure all courses have their content defined within a scheme of work and all sessions planned using appropriate lesson/session plan documentation.

Ensure teaching and assessment is mapped to the specification of the awarding body and complies with its requirements.

Subcontractor to ensure that during teaching and learning sessions the tutor identifies opportunities to discuss health and safety, equality and diversity and safeguarding via the national standards or naturally occurring evidence.

Ensure teaching, learning and assessment is of a high quality and enables learners to maximize their attainment in a timely manner through detailed, timely and constructive feedback.

All subcontractor staff are appropriately trained and engage with continuous professional development to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

Subcontractor progress reviews are completed in accordance with AO and Markhor Shield Security Services requirements

Ensure all facilities and resources are ‘fit for purpose’ and comply with all current Health and Safety Legislation.

Quality Assurance

Ensure a robust process is in place to quality assure the sub – contractor provision including:

Observations of teaching & learning, assessment and progress reviews.

Evidence of staff training records, personal development plans.

Evidence of awarding body approval.

Evidence of learner interviews and stakeholder feedback.

Evidence of monthly standardization activities.

Evidence of EQA reports including development points and these being actioned.

Completion of self – assessment report and quality improvement plan.

Safeguarding

Subcontractor must have:

A clear commitment by senior leadership team to the importance of Safeguarding.

A clear line of accountability and defined roles and responsibilities within the organization for safeguarding.

Recruitment and selection procedures that consider the need to safeguard learners, including arrangements for appropriate checks on new staff.

Safe working practice which staff have read and understood including appropriate referral procedure.

Arrangements to ensure that all staff undertake appropriate training, and keep this up to date by refresher training at regular intervals; and that all staff who work with learners, are made aware of the organizations arrangements for Safeguarding and their responsibilities for that.

Appropriate whistle – blowing procedures and procedures which enable issues about Safeguarding to be addressed.

Quality assurance of sub – contracted provision

Markhor Shield Security Services will quality assure subcontracted provision through the following processes:

Rigorous Due Diligence process using 3 STEP internal questionnaire.

Review of documentation received including:

• Monthly performance reports and information from subcontractor
• Annual self – assessment report and quality improvement plan updated in year  Audits on application forms, learning agreements, register, ILPS, progress reviews
• Learner observation records

Performance monitoring visits as per subcontracting calendar with a minimum of initial visit within the first 4 weeks of the contract and further subsequent visit/s to review:

• Tutor/ Assessor files (Schemes of work and lesson plans)
• Tutor feedback to learners documenting progress, achievement and areas for development
• Initial assessment documentation
• Complaints records, including documentation illustrating how these were dealt with
• Learner progress monitoring records
• Learner survey data and survey documents
• Learner course evaluation documents and tutor (summative) evaluation records

Observations of teaching & learning, assessment and progress reviews in accordance with subcontracting calendar.

Reporting & monitoring requirements

Monthly reports:

Performance data

Health and safety:

• Number of sites
• Number completed
• Number outstanding

Quality data/ report

• Number of observations
• Summary of observations & assessor / tutor grades
• Learner / stakeholder feedback
• Audit reports
• EQA reports
• Staff CPD for that month including standardisation
• Additional learning support records
• Number of learner progress reviews completed

Markhor Shield Security Services to use PDSAT as part of this monthly reporting process.

Issues arising that month:

Any changes to staff

Safeguarding /Prevent

Accidents/incidents

Complaints

Accreditation

Financial

Resources

Security/data protection

Monthly sub – contracting meeting

Markhor Shield Security Services Contract and Performance Analyst, the Contracts manager for the Subcontractor, staff from both Internal Quality Assurance for the region and Subcontractors delivery team to meet up monthly.

The purpose of these meetings is to oversee all aspects of the Subcontractor provision, review the Subcontractors performance against monthly reports and data and identify any under/over performance against contract.

Resulting actions are agreed at the meeting with an opportunity to share any audit/visit outcomes and discuss and subsequent concerns.

The meeting is also a platform for initial discussions for new subcontracted provision.

Identification of under/over performance against contract and resulting action

A discussion between Markhor Shield Security Services and the subcontractor will take place because of under or over performance against contract value to determine future action which could include:

• Variation to contract (increase or decrease)
• Payment to contract value and terms only

Continued under/over performance against the contract terms as specified in the contract could include:

• Contract termination

Contingency for termination of contract

Markhor Shield Security Services will enable the completion of learners where a subcontractor’s contract has been terminated. Markhor Shield Security Services will assess the best option, from those listed below, for completing the learners:  Deliver the remaining programme as a prime provider using collegiate employees or self-employed consultants.  Seek a suitable alternative partner to deliver the reaming programme as a new or extended subcontracting arrangement.

Markhor Shield Security Services will assess the best method based on variables such as employer location, learner location, the proportion of the programme left to complete.

Director:
Markhor Shield Security Services
Suit 500, AW House 6-8 Stuart Street
Luton, Bedfordshire
LU1 2SJ
Website: markhorshieldsecurityservice.co.uk
Email: info@markhorshieldsecurityservices.com
Phone no: 0207 1933598