WHISTLEBLOWING
Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure
How to report serious wrongdoing safely and in confidence.
Last updated
Version 3, in effect from 21 October 2026.
1. What whistleblowing is
Whistleblowing means reporting a concern, in the public interest, about something unethical, illegal or unsafe happening within iO-Sphere or on one of our programmes. We want people to speak up, and we will deal with concerns promptly, confidentially and without anyone suffering for raising them.
2. Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to everyone connected with iO-Sphere: learners and apprentices on every programme (Skills Bootcamps in London and Oxfordshire, Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and Apprenticeships), employees, contractors, employers and partners. You might use it to report, for example:
- fraud, financial malpractice or misuse of public funding;
- failure to meet legal, funding or regulatory obligations;
- dangers to health, safety or the environment;
- criminal activity or unethical behaviour;
- malpractice in assessment or certification;
- poor safeguarding practice, or a failure to act on safeguarding concerns;
- anyone deliberately covering up any of the above.
3. When to use a different route
If you or someone else is at risk of harm now, contact the safeguarding team straight away on 0333 224 6589 or safeguarding@io-sphere.io. In an emergency, call 999.
- If the issue is about your own experience of our service, use the Complaints Procedure. If you disagree with an assessment result or a conduct decision, use the Appeals Procedure.
- If it is a personal employment issue with your employer, use your employer's grievance procedure.
4. How to raise a concern with iO-Sphere
| If your concern is about | Report it to |
|---|---|
| Anything covered by this policy | The Designated Whistleblowing Officer (DWO), Oscar Colin: oscar@io-sphere.io |
| The Designated Whistleblowing Officer | The Director of Delivery, or the Managing Director at james@io-sphere.io |
| The Managing Director | The Designated Whistleblowing Officer, who will refer it to the Chair of the Board |
Please give as much detail as you can: what happened, when and where, who was involved, and any evidence you have. You do not need proof; a reasonable belief that something is wrong is enough.
5. Reporting directly to the organisation that funds your programme
You do not have to use our internal procedure first. You can report a concern about your programme directly to the organisation that funds it, at any time.
| Your programme | Who to contact |
|---|---|
| Skills Bootcamps for Londoners (funded by the Greater London Authority) | Email the Greater London Authority (GLA) at skillsbootcamps@london.gov.uk. Mark your email clearly "Skills Bootcamps". The GLA handles and escalates concerns through its own whistleblowing procedures. |
| Skills Bootcamps in Oxfordshire, and Apprenticeships (funded by the Department for Education) | Contact the Department for Education (DfE) through its Customer Help Portal at customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk. |
| HTQs and other regulated qualifications, such as an NCFE qualification | For concerns about assessment or certification malpractice, contact the awarding organisation (for example, NCFE) or Ofqual at gov.uk/ofqual. |
If a concern involves fraud or suspected fraud with public funding, we will also tell the funder promptly, as our funding agreements require.
6. What happens next
| Step | What we do |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgement | We confirm in writing that we have received your concern within 5 working days. |
| Initial assessment | We look at how serious the concern is and how best to look into it. |
| Investigation | Where needed, a designated investigating officer looks into it. This may be a senior manager or an independent external person. Anyone accused will be told and given the chance to respond. |
| Outcome | A report goes to the right decision-maker, such as the Managing Director or the Chair of the Board. If the concern is upheld, action will be taken, which may include disciplinary action or changes to our policies. |
| Feedback | We tell you the outcome where we can, while protecting the confidentiality of others. |
Some investigations take longer than others. We will keep you updated on progress at regular intervals.
7. If you are not satisfied
If you feel your concern has not been properly dealt with, you can escalate it to the Governance Board or the Chair of the Board through the DWO. You can also report it to your funder (see section 5) or to an external "prescribed person". These include:
- Ofsted Whistleblowing Hotline: 0300 123 3155, whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk
- Ofqual, for concerns about regulated qualifications: gov.uk/ofqual
- Information Commission (ICO), for data protection concerns: ico.org.uk
- Health and Safety Executive, for health and safety concerns: hse.gov.uk
The full list of prescribed people and bodies is on GOV.UK at gov.uk/whistleblowing. For free, confidential advice, you can contact the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285 (for concerns about children) or the whistleblowing charity Protect at protect-advice.org.uk.
8. Your protection
8.1 No retaliation
You will not be dismissed, disciplined, harassed or treated unfairly for raising a genuine concern, even if it turns out to be mistaken. This applies to every learner under this policy. Apprentices and other workers also have legal protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Making a deliberately false or malicious allegation, however, may lead to disciplinary action.
8.2 Confidentiality
We will treat your concern confidentially. We will not reveal your identity without your consent unless the law requires it or it is essential to the investigation, and we will talk to you first if that becomes necessary.
8.3 Anonymous concerns
You can raise a concern anonymously, but it is harder for us to investigate and to give you feedback. Whether we can act on it will depend on how serious it is, how credible it is, and whether it can be confirmed from other sources.
9. Quick reference: who to contact
| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Someone at risk of harm now | Safeguarding team: 0333 224 6589 or safeguarding@io-sphere.io. In an emergency, call 999. |
| A whistleblowing concern | Designated Whistleblowing Officer: oscar@io-sphere.io |
| A concern about the Designated Whistleblowing Officer | The Director of Delivery, or the Managing Director at james@io-sphere.io |
| Skills Bootcamps for Londoners | The GLA: skillsbootcamps@london.gov.uk, marked "Skills Bootcamps" |
| Skills Bootcamps in Oxfordshire, and Apprenticeships | DfE Customer Help Portal: customerhelpportal.education.gov.uk |
| Ofsted Whistleblowing Hotline | 0300 123 3155, whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk |