Single Equality Scheme & Action Plan
Aims and Values
The College actively promotes equality of opportunity regardless of such characteristics as age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. It values diversity and encourages mutual respect in all relationships.
Guiding Principles
The College’s Single Equality Scheme builds upon and brings together the separate Disability, Gender and Race Equality Schemes adhered to previously. The Single Equality Scheme demonstrates the College’s commitment to the values of the Equality Act which received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010 and provides a single overarching legal framework to replace over 40 separate equality laws. Most of the Act is expected to come into force in October 2010.
However, Equality and Diversity is more than just meeting legal obligations. It is about making a difference to the lives of the people we serve, treating all people with dignity and respect, and recognising the value of each individual.
The College has a clear vision and purposeful strategy for the future. It has an absolute commitment to the success and general welfare of all its students, employees and users. As part of its commitment to equality of opportunity and inclusivity, the College will continuously strive to eliminate unlawful discrimination, to promote equality and to value diversity. The views of students and staff have been instrumental in the construction of the Single Equality Scheme and its accompanying three year Action Plan.
The College’s commitment to valuing diversity and embedding equality in all that we do can also be seen in its Mission and Strategic Objectives, Operational Plan, Whole College KPI reports and Whole College Self Assessment Report.
Full details of the Policy and Policy Guidelines can be seen in the College’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
By constantly developing the Single Equality Scheme and Action Plan, we intend to ensure that equality and diversity become even more deeply embedded in our policies and practices.
Leadership and Management
The full involvement of senior managers and other key members of staff is essential to the success of this scheme. The process for the development of the scheme and accompanying action plan was discussed by the whole Senior Management Group.
Opportunities to help all staff, governors and students to understand the College’s vision and their own responsibilities will continue to take place as part of an ongoing programme provided by the College.
The governors are responsible for:
- Ensuring that the organisation stays within the Equality Act and other relevant legislation, and meets all of its duties.
- Making sure the Single Equality Scheme and its procedures are followed.
The Principal is responsible for:
- Giving a consistent and high profile lead on equality and diversity issues.
- Promoting the Single Equality Scheme and Equality and Diversity policy.
- Making sure the Single Equality Scheme and its procedures are followed.
The Assistant Principal (Community and Students) is responsible for:
- Co-ordinating work on equality and diversity.
- Making sure that all staff know their responsibilities, and receive support and training in carrying these out.
- Preparing reports for the Governing Body.
All managers (including Heads of Subject and Course Leaders) are responsible for:
- Putting the Equality and Diversity policy and its strategies and procedures into practice.
- Following the relevant procedures and taking action where staff or students have behaved in a way which goes against the College’s aims and values.
All staff and students are responsible for:
- Promoting equality and diversity, and avoiding behaving in a way which goes against the College’s aims and values.
- Participating in training and learning opportunities as appropriate.
Monitoring, Reviewing and Assessing Impact
The College recognises the vital importance of assessing our progress in relation to targets set and the need for actions to have real and positive impact upon the experiences of all students, staff and users of the College. Each one of the targets included in the action plan at the end of this Scheme will therefore be analysed and reported upon in such terms.
By embedding all action plan targets into the College’s robust Quality Assurance and Self Assessment systems that are already established, it is intended that the Single Equality Scheme and Action Plan’s impact measurements represent a significant dimension of the College culture rather than being an additional and separate issue.
As such:
- The College monitors the experience of students, staff and users from diverse backgrounds through regular consideration of that experience at the meetings of the Equality and Diversity Committee, as reported to it by standing and occasional representatives. Actions arising from these meetings feed into the College’s Single Equality Action Plan.
- The student/staff disability equality focus group chaired by the Assistant Principal (Community and Students) plays a significant part in scrutinising the activities of the College with respect to disability equality. Contributions from this group, which often includes members of the local community, inform College practices.
- The College assesses the effects of its policy and practice on applications and admissions to the College by measuring these by racial group, gender and students with disabilities. The reports of this monitoring are reported annually to the Equality and Diversity Committee and to the Corporation.
- The progress of students from diverse groups is monitored by value-added measure of achievement and by retention as part of the College’s Key Performance Indicator measurement.
- The results of this monitoring are reported as part of the annual cycle of Key Performance Indicator reports to the Corporation.
- The College monitors the recruitment of staff by racial group, gender and disability by the inclusion of relevant questions in its equal opportunities monitoring form for applicants to posts.
- The results of the monitoring of the recruitment of staff are reported in the annual Personnel report to the Equality and Diversity Committee and the Corporation.
- Opportunities are sought to include consideration of Equality and Diversity issues in the tutorial programme and in the curriculum, particularly General Studies which is currently compulsory for most Advanced Level students.
- In the event of a breach of the Single Equality Scheme or Equality and Diversity Policy, the matter will be reported through any of the following channels: The Equality and Diversity Committee (via any standing member of the committee), the Student Association, the Principal, the Assistant Principal (Community and Students). Appropriate action will then be taken.
- The Scheme will be made available to all staff in the staff guide on the college network. It will be available to all students from the general office on request and via the Virtual Learning Environment. Information about the availability of this Single Equality Scheme will be included in the Equality and Diversity Policy displayed in every tutor room in the college.
Supporting Documents
1. Single Equality Action Plan 2009-2012
2. The Equality and Diversity Policy
3. College Mission and Strategic Objectives
4. Personnel Procedures Manual
5. Staff Recruitment Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
6. College Charter
7. Equality and Diversity Committee Terms of Reference.