PILLAR ONE: Student
At Inspire Education Group (IEG), across both our Peterborough and Stamford campuses, we aim to provide bespoke, equitable support to all Care Experienced learners, ensuring every learner has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Designated staff and departments, such as the Designated Teacher and the Bursary Information Team, are clearly listed on the college website.
ESOL learners benefit from a dedicated enrolment day. This allows them to meet key staff and familiarise themselves with the campus environment, helping them feel as comfortable as possible for the upcoming academic year.
Transition PEP meetings are facilitated for incoming learners to ensure they fully understand what is involved in transitioning to the college environment.
We host a comprehensive range of pre-admission events, including Open Events and guided college tours. Additionally, the ESOL department organises bespoke pre-enrollment assessment sessions to ensure our Care Experienced learners are thoroughly prepared for the college experience.
Our college website clearly states that we welcome applications from Care Experienced learners. It features detailed testimonials from Care Experienced learners outlining how IEG goes above and beyond to provide the resources necessary for academic and personal success.
To maintain high standards of care, we regularly update departmental training on the financial entitlements of Care Experienced learners and Care Leavers, and we deliver comprehensive Trauma-Informed Training to staff.
Our inductions provide robust, foundational support to Care Experienced learners, but our commitment does not end there. Our dedicated Careers Guidance teams actively develop relationships with local employers to ensure Care Experienced learners are considered equitably and positioned for positive post-educational outcomes.
In partnership with the Virtual School, we use secured funding to provide transition events and essential starter packs (including notebooks and stationery) and specific resources have been designed, including cards with key information on them.
We offer a range of vulnerable learner bursaries. Our financial reward and hardship bursaries are fully detailed on our website and integrated into our Personal Development Curricula, ensuring all Care Experienced learners clearly understand their entitlements.
Care Experienced learners are specifically recognised and celebrated at our annual End of Year awards ceremonies.
While we have made significant progress in building bespoke, learner-centred support packages for our Care Experienced learners, we recognise that this work is evolutionary and continually update our provision with regular enhancements as our offer grows.
PILLAR TWO: A Robust Employment Offer
At Inspire Education Group, we continuously strengthen our employer relations. We work collaboratively across our Careers and Apprenticeship teams, alongside Virtual Schools, to ensure that all progression opportunities are shared directly with Care Experienced learners.
This collaborative network provides a vital link between employers and Care Leavers progressing from their courses. Furthermore, these teams support Care Leavers in accessing our bespoke Careers Department, which tailors advice to individual needs and actively encourages local employers to provide progressing IEG Care Leavers with employment offers that simultaneously benefit the local community.
Care leavers are entitled to exclusive engagement opportunities with local employers as a core part of their curriculum offer at IEG.
We are always keen to explore how our organisation can best respond to the Care Leaver Covenant and we have established a strategic working group of key staff and are linking directly with the local authority to precisely understand and meet local needs.
Career opportunities for Care Leavers are supported at every level of the Group. We work intimately with local businesses to promote smooth transitions from college into stable employment. Our Designated Teacher and support staff work effectively to ensure no Care Experienced learner leaves the group without a clear, viable career progression path.
PILLAR THREE: Community
At Inspire Education Group, we support more than 300 Care Experienced students each academic year to progress in their education.
In doing so, we have developed strong working relationships with our local Virtual School and for the 3rd year, IEG successfully secured funding, which we have specifically dedicated to the betterment of our Care Leavers.
This funding has enabled us to build networking opportunities with local employers and to ensure that Care Leavers are prioritised in the consideration of ongoing employment after education, as well as in opportunities for enrichment activities they may not otherwise have had.
Our offer with our Local Authority continues to improve, and we continue to work with other local education and employment providers to ensure that Care Leavers receive a holistic, beneficial experience.
Our work with the Virtual School also provides specialised training, including Trauma-Informed Training, Safeguarding Training, and training focused on the development of practical skills, to our Care Leavers.
