Governance
Modern Slavery
The Learning Community Trust
Zero tolerance to any form of modern slavery
The Learning Community Trust recognises its responsibilities in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking. The trust takes a zero-tolerance approach and is committed to preventing this within its activities and ensuring its supply chains are free from modern slavery and human trafficking.
This statement sets out the Learning Community Trust’s actions to understand the potential risks related to its business and put in place steps to ensure there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in its business (at trust and academy level) and supply chains.
This statement covers the academic financial year 2023/24.
Ethos and values
The Learning Community Trust strongly values:
- The ethical treatment of all individuals
- The safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults
- The responsible, accountable and compliant spending of public and charitable funds
We work to the highest professional standards and comply with all laws, regulations and rules relevant to the trust, and we expect the same from those we work with. We act ethically and with integrity across all aspects of the trust.
Identifying and assessing risk
We recognise, as a multi-academy trust, there are two main avenues of risk relating to modern slavery and human trafficking:
- Safeguarding: matters of a safeguarding nature, which includes child sexual exploitation or human trafficking, that can directly impact our pupils, their parents/ carers and potentially staff members (include link to safeguarding page)
- Supply chain: through working with our suppliers, contractors and business partners
Business activity (trust and academy level)
We have policies and procedures in place that minimise the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking across the Learning Community Trust. These include:
- Academy safeguarding policies
- Employee, governor and trustee codes of conduct
- LCT Complaint Procedure
- LCT Financial policies, regulations and procedures
- LCT Health & Safety Policy Statement
- LCT Safer Recruitment Policy
- LCT Whistleblowing Policy
These policies are strictly adhered to and undergo regular review by the most appropriate senior officer, as determined within the LCT’s Policy Framework.
Where we recruit and make appointments via external agencies (for example, for agency/temporary staffing), we require them to have their own equivalent policies.
Supply chains
The trust’s zero approach is communicated to all suppliers, contractors and business partners at the outset of any business relationship and reinforced as appropriate thereafter.
We ensure this is embedded through:
- Due diligence
- Procurement policy and procedures
- Risk assessment
- Training and communication
The majority of our purchasing and procurement activity is with pre-approved suppliers. Our supply chains include:
- Catering services and supplies
- Education equipment and resources
- Estate management, maintenance and services
- HR services
- IT equipment and software
- Specialist consultancy
- Supply (staff) agencies
- Uniform suppliers
Any breach of our requirements by a supplier, contractor or business partner will be treated seriously.
Monitoring and compliance
Both our appointed internal and external audit providers regularly test our internal procedures and controls. Any areas of non-compliance are incorporated into the reports presented to the trust’s Audit & Risk Committee, which include a management response and action to be taken.
Staff members are required to notify their line manager (or make a report in accordance with the Whistleblowing Policy, if appliable) as soon as possible. If unsure whether their concerns relate to modern slavery and/or human trafficking either within the business or the supply chain, staff members should check this with the LCT’s Chief Operating Officer.
Responsibility and awareness
This statement is reviewed by the Chief Executive on an annual basis and shared with the trust’s Resources Committee.
At trust level, the Chief Operating Officer has day-to-day responsibility for internal implementation and with the supply chain and, at academy level, it is the Headteacher/Principal’s responsibility.
The trust board, executive team and senior leaders across the trust are made aware of the duty to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2025 and the policies and processes in place to mitigate the risk of modern slavery offences.
To date, no referrals have been made to the LCT or concerns raised by the LCT with its supply chain partners in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking.
