ACCESSANDPARTICIPATION-FEBRUARY2019 1

AccessandParticipationStatement

CONTENTS

Page1 Overview

Page2 YourAmbitionsandStrategy

Page3 MeasurestoSupportStudents

Page4 EqualityandDiversity

Page5 TheProtectedCharacteristics:KeyPoints5

Page6 SomeKeyChangesYouNeedtoKnowAbout

Page7 EqualityandDiversityGoodPracticewithinLDTrainingServicesLtd

Page2 AdditionalInformation

Excellence in Learning, Development and Training

2 POLICY12–SAFEGUARDING(JANUARY2017)

1.OVERVIEW

LearningDevelopmentandTraining(LDT)hasverystrongcommitmenttoimproveaccess,successandprogressiontoallofourstudentsregardlessbackground,race,religionandgender.WefocusonimprovingstandardsineducationandhelpaccesstoHEforstudentsformdisadvantagedgroups,underrepresentedgroupsandstudentsformpoorbackground.LDTcomplywiththefollowingregulationsinpromotingaccessandparticipationforallourstudents.

1. OfficeforstudentsRegulatoryAdvice7(OfS2018.07)2. OfficeforStudentEqualityImpactAssessment(OfS2018.09)3. OfficeforFairAccessguidance4. HigherEducationandResearchAct2017sections30to32

Weuseourcurrentstudentdatasourcealongwiththefollowingsourcestotakedecisionson• NationalPupilDatabase• ESFA-ILR• Datarequiredinrelationtothetransparencyinformationcondition(ConditionF1oftheOfS

RegulatoryFramework)• HigherEducationStatisticsAgency(HESA)performanceindicators• UCASnationalandproviderstatistics• TeachingExcellenceFrameworkmetrics• Dataongraduatedestinations• DepartmentforEducationdestinationmeasuresandfreeschoolmealstatistics• StudentLoanCompanydataofstudentsreceivingthemaximummaintenanceloan

LDTwillconsiderthenationalprioritiesaspertotheOfficeforStudentregulatoryAdvice7OfS2018.07)guidanceondevelopingthefollowingthreeareas.

Access

Wehelpstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedgroupsandstudentsformpoorbackgroundstoenterintotheUKhighereducationsystem,inparticularreducingtheparticipationgapsforthosefromsocio-economicallydisadvantagedbackgrounds.Wereviseourstrategiestoincreasehighereducationparticipationbymaturestudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups.

Success

LDTaimtoimprovethenon-continuationratesofstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedstudentsandstudentsparticularlyfromminorityethnicgroupsandwithdisabilitiestoreducethegapsbetweenthesegroupsandothernormalstudents.Additionallecturesandnumeracyskillssessions,employabilitylessonswillbeprovidedtomakethemsuccess.

Progression

LDTwillworktowardstoimprovetheratesofprogressionofourstudentsfromunderrepresentedgroups,disadvantagedstudentsandstudentsformethnicminorityandpoorbackgroundswithdisabilitiesbyprovidingappropriateInformationadviceandguidancethroughourIAGsessionstoprogressthemtograduate-levelemploymentorfurtherUniversitystudy.

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2.YOURAMBITIONSANDSTRATEGY

LDTcoremissiontowideningaccessandimprovingparticipationforunderrepresentedgroupstudentstoenhancetheircareerforemploymentandfurtherUniversitystudies.Itisimportantforsocialmobilityandeconomiccompetitivenessaswell.WeworkwithOfSequalityimpactassessmentguidanceto

• Eliminateunlawfuldiscrimination,harassmentandvictimisationandotherconductprohibitedbytheAct

• Advanceequalityofopportunitybetweenpeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristicandthosewhodonot

• Fostergoodrelationsbetweenpeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristicandthosewhodonot

LDTrecruitingandsupportingstudentsfromdisadvantagedbackgroundsandstudentswithdisabilitiesandwesueourfundsto

• Widenaccesstotheabove-mentionedgroup• Improveretentionandstudentsuccessamongthesegroupofstudents• SupportprogressiontofurtherUniversitystudyoremployment

Wefoundfromouranalysisthatnationaldataandsomespecificevidenceindicatestherearegapsinequalityofopportunityindifferentgroupsofstudentswithparticularcharacteristicslike

• Thoselivinginareasoflowhighereducationparticipation,householdincome,orsocioeconomicstatus

• Studentsofparticularethnicities• Immaturestudents• Disadvantagedbackgrounds• Refugees• Disabledstudents

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3.MEASURESTOSUPPORTSTUDENTS

LDTgoverningboarddiscussandanalysetheaccessandparticipationstatementinregularbasisandupdatethestatementinourwebsite.Studentrepresentativewillbeincludedinthisdiscussiontogetstudentvoice.OurHeadofQualityisresponsibleforimproveaccess,successandprogressionforparticulargroupofstudentstoreducethegapinattainmentandparticipationinHEwithotherstudents.

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4.EQUALITYANDDIVERSITY

LDTrainingServicesLtdwillensurethatalllearnersandemployersaretreatedfairlyandequally.Wearecommittedtoensuringthatallofouractivitiesarerelevantandmeaningfultoeveryonewhoreceivesourservices.Alllearnersandemployeeswillbehelpedandencouragedtodeveloptheirfullpotentialwithoutdiscrimination.Thismayentailtreatingpeopledifferentlyinordertoavoiddiscriminationbyrecognisingthediversityofindividuals.LDTrainingServicesLtdrecognisesthatalllearnershavearighttoworkinanenvironmentinwhichthedignityofindividualsisrespectedandwhichisfreefromharassmentandbullying.Wecontinuouslystrivetoeliminateintimidationinanyform.LDTrainingServicesiscommittedtoprovidingequalopportunitiestoallandvaluesthediversityofeveryonebyconsideringgender,genderreassignment,race,ethnicorigin,disability,age,nationalityorigin,sexualorientation,religion,belief,maritalstatus,civilpartnerships,socialclass,pregnancy,maternityoranyotherindividualcharacteristic.LDTrainingServicesopposesallformsofunlawfulandunfairdiscrimination.Definitionsoftypesofdiscrimination:-

DirectDiscrimination

Directdiscriminationoccurswhensomeoneistreatedlessfavourablythananotherpersonbecauseofaprotectedcharacteristictheyhaveorarethoughttohave(seeperceptiondiscriminationbelow),orbecausetheyassociatewithsomeonewhohasaprotectedcharacteristic(seediscriminationbyassociationbelow).

DiscriminationbyAssociation

Appliestorace,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation,age,disability,gender-reassignmentandsex.Thisisdirectdiscriminationagainstsomeonebecausetheyassociatewithanotherpersonwhopossessesaprotectedcharacteristic.

PerceptionDiscrimination

Appliestoage,race,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation,disability,gender-reassignmentandsex.Thisisdirectdiscriminationagainstanindividualbecauseothersthinktheypossessaparticularprotectedcharacteristic.Itappliesevenifthepersondoesnotactuallypossessthatcharacteristic.

IndirectDiscrimination

Appliestoage,race,religionorbelief,sex,sexualorientationandmarriageandcivilpartnership,disabilityandgender-reassignment.Indirectdiscriminationcanoccurwhenyouhaveacondition,rule,policyorevenapracticeinyourcompanythatappliestoeveryonebutparticularlydisadvantagespeoplewhoshareaprotectedcharacteristic.Indirectdiscriminationcanbejustifiedifitcanbeshownthattheorganisationactedreasonablyinmanagingthebusiness,i.e.thatitis‘aproportionatemeansofachievingalegitimateaim’.Alegitimateaimmightbeanylawfuldecisionmadeintherunningofthebusiness;butifthereisadiscriminatoryeffect,thesoleaimofreducingcostsislikelytobeunlawful.Beingproportionatemeansbeingfairandreasonable,includingshowingthat‘lessdiscriminatory’alternativeshavebeentakenintoconsideration.

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Harassment

Harassmentis“unwantedconductrelatedtoarelevantprotectedcharacteristic,whichhasthepurposeoreffectofviolatinganindividual’sdignityorcreatinganintimidating,hostile,degrading,humiliatingoroffensiveenvironmentforthatindividual”.Harassmentappliestoallprotectedcharacteristicsexceptforpregnancyandmaternityandmarriageandcivilpartnership.Employeeswillnowbeabletocomplainaboutbehaviourthattheyfindoffensive,evenifitisnotdirectedatthemandthecomplainantneednotpossesstherelevantcharacteristicthemselves.Employeesarealsoprotectedfromharassmentbecauseofperceptionandassociation

ThirdPartyHarassment

Appliestosex,age,disability,gender-reassignment,race,religionorbeliefandsexualorientation.TheActrendersanemployerpotentiallyliableforharassmentofemployeesbypeople(thirdparties)whoarenotemployeesofyourcompanye.g.customersorclients.Theemployerwillonlybeliablewhenharassmenthasoccurredonatleasttwopreviousoccasions,theyareawarethatithastakenplace,andhavenottakenreasonablestepstopreventitfromhappeningagain.

Victimisation

VictimisationoccurswhenanemployeeistreatedbadlybecausetheyhavemadeorsupportedacomplaintorraisedagrievanceundertheEqualityAct;orbecausetheyaresuspectedofdoingso.Anemployeeisnotprotectedfromvictimisationiftheyhavemaliciouslymadeorsupportedanuntruecomplaint.

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5.THEPROTECTEDCHARACTERISTICS:KEYPOINTS

TheEqualityAct2010protectsthefollowingcharacteristics:

Age

TheActprotectspeopleofallages.However,differenttreatmentbecauseofageisnotunlawfuldirectorindirectdiscriminationifitcanbejustified,i.e.ifitcandemonstratethatitisaproportionatemeansofmeetingalegitimateaim.Ageistheonlyprotectedcharacteristicthatallowsemployerstojustifydirectdiscrimination.TheActallowsemployerstohaveadefaultretirementageof65untilApril2011.

Disability

UndertheAct,apersonisdisablediftheyhaveaphysicalormentalimpairmentwhichhasasubstantialandlong-termadverseeffectontheirabilitytocarryoutnormalday-to-dayactivitiese.g.usingatelephone,readingabookorusingpublictransport.THEEQUALITYACT–WHAT’SNEWFOREMPLOYERS?TheActplacesadutyontheemployertomakereasonableadjustmentsforstafftohelpthemovercomedisadvantageresultingfromanimpairment(e.g.byprovidingassistivetechnologiestohelpvisuallyimpairedstaffusecomputerseffectively).Itisdiscriminationtotreatadisabledpersonunfavourablybecauseofsomethingconnectedwiththeirdisability(e.g.atendencytomakespellingmistakesarisingfromdyslexia).Thistypeofdiscriminationisunlawfulwheretheemployerorotherpersonactingfortheemployerknows,orcouldreasonablybeexpectedtoknow,thatthepersonhasadisability.Thistypeofdiscriminationisonlyjustifiableifanemployercanshowthatitisaproportionatemeansofachievingalegitimateaim.Additionally,indirectdiscriminationcoversdisabledpeople.Thismeansthatajobapplicantoremployeecouldclaimthataparticularruleorrequirementdisadvantagespeoplewiththesamedisability.Itisalsounlawful,exceptincertaincircumstances,foremployerstoaskaboutacandidate’shealthbeforeofferingthemwork.

GenderReassignment

TheActprovidesprotectionfortranssexualpeople.Atranssexualpersonissomeonewhoproposesto,startsorhascompletedaprocesstochangehisorhergender.Apersondoesnothavetobeundermedicalsupervisiontobeprotected.Itisdiscriminationtotreattranssexualpeoplelessfavorablyforbeingabsentfromworkbecausetheyproposetoundergo,areundergoingorhaveundergonegenderreassignmentthantheywouldbetreatediftheywereabsentbecausetheywereillorinjured.

MarriageandCivilPartnership

TheActprotectsemployeeswhoaremarriedorinacivilpartnershipagainstdiscrimination.Singlepeoplearenotprotected.

PregnancyandMaternity

Awomanisprotectedagainstdiscriminationonthegroundsofpregnancyandmaternityduringtheperiodofherpregnancyandanystatutorymaternityleavetowhichsheisentitled.Duringthisperiod,pregnancyandmaternitydiscriminationcannotbetreatedassexdiscrimination.Anemployermaynottakeintoaccountanemployee’speriodofabsenceduetopregnancy-relatedillnesswhenmakingadecisionaboutheremployment.

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Race

‘Race’includescolour,nationalityandethnicornationalorigins.

ReligionorBelief

Religionincludesanyreligion.Italsoincludesalackofreligion,inotherwordsemployeesorjobseekersareprotectediftheydonotfollowacertainreligionorhavenoreligionatall.Additionally,areligionmusthaveaclearstructureandbeliefsystem.Beliefmeansanyreligiousorphilosophicalbelieforalackofsuchbelief.Tobeprotected,abeliefmustsatisfyvariouscriteria,includingthatitisaweightyandsubstantialaspectofhumanlifeandbehaviour.Denominationsorsectswithinareligioncanbeconsideredaprotectedreligionorreligiousbelief.Discriminationbecauseofreligionorbeliefcanoccurevenwhereboththediscriminatorandrecipientareofthesamereligionorbelief.

Sex

MenandwomenareprotectedundertheAct.

SexualOrientation

TheActprotectsbisexual,gay,heterosexualandlesbianpeople.

PositiveAction

TheyActallowsemployerstotakepositiveactioniftheythinkthatemployeesorjobapplicantswhoshareaparticularprotectedcharacteristicsufferadisadvantageconnectedtothatcharacteristic,oriftheirparticipationinanactivityisdisproportionatelylow.Protectedcharacteristicsmaybetakenintoconsiderationwhendecidingwhotorecruitorpromotewhencandidatesare“asqualifiedas”eachotherforaparticularvacancy.

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6.SOMEKEYCHANGESYOUNEEDTOKNOWABOUT

Pre-employmentHealth-relatedChecks

Health-relatedquestionswillonlybeaskedpriortoofferingajobinorderto• Assistindecidingwhetheranyreasonableadjustmentsshouldbemadeforthepersontothe

selectionprocess• Decidewhetheranapplicantcancarryoutafunctionthatisessential(‘intrinsic’)tothejob• Monitordiversityamongpeoplemakingapplicationsforjobs• Takepositiveactiontoassistdisabledpeople• Assuretheemployerthatacandidatehasthedisabilitywherethejobgenuinelyrequiresthe

jobholdertohaveadisabilityOnceanapplicanthaspassedtheinterviewandajobhasbeenoffered(whetherthisisanunconditionalorconditionaljoboffer)itispermissibletoaskappropriatehealth-relatedquestions.

EqualPay-DirectDiscrimination

Inmostcircumstancesachallengetopayinequalityandothercontractualtermsandconditionsstillhastobemadebycomparisonwitharealpersonoftheoppositesexinthesameemployment.However,theActalsoallowsaclaimofdirectpaydiscriminationtobemade,evenifnorealpersoncomparatorcanbefound.Thismeansthataclaimantwhocanshowevidencethattheywouldhavereceivedbetterremunerationfromtheiremployeriftheywereofadifferentsexmayhaveaclaim,evenifthereisno-oneoftheoppositesexdoingequalworkintheorganisation.

PaySecrecy

Itisunlawfultopreventorrestrictemployeesfromhavingadiscussiontoestablishifdifferencesinpayexistthatarerelatedtoprotectedcharacteristics.Theethosofequalopportunities,diversity,dignityandrespectinthelearningenvironmentisgoodpracticeandisextendedtoallwecomeintocontactwithasweprovideourservices.LDTrainingServicestakesequalopportunitiesseriously,embracingthefollowingaimsandobjectives.Weaimto:

• Valueandrespectdiversityandbenefitfromourdifferences.• Createapositive,safe,accessibleenvironmentandcultureinwhichdiscriminationhasnopart

andwhereeveryonecanachievetheirfullpotential.• Listto,engageandcollaboratewithawiderangeofpartners,employers,learnersandstaffin

ordertocontinuallyimproveourequalitypractice.• Promoteequalopportunitiesinallaspectsofemploymentandlearning.• Supportpositiveactionprogrammeswherethereisaclearlyidentifiedneed.• Includeequalopportunitiesintothemainstreamofallouremployment,learningprovisionand

businessdecisionbydevelopingsystemsandprocesseswhichareaccessibleandtransparent.• EnsureallprojectsandprogrammessupportedbytheLDTrainingServicesLtdhaveequality

anddiversityascorecomponents.• Toaccountablebysettingtargets,monitoring,evaluationandreviewingprogressonaregular

basis.• Takenecessaryactionwhennon-compliancewithourpoliciesisidentified.• SecureresourcestoensurethatourEqualOpportunities,Diversity,DignityandRespect

Strategiesareimplemented.

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7.EQUALITYANDDIVERSITYGOODPRACTICEWITHINLDTRAININGSERVICESLTD

Weaimforclarity,accessibilityandcomplianceinallareassuchas:

• Planningconferencesandmeetings(isthereabalanceofspeakers?Arecommunicationsinanaccessiblelanguage?Aretimingsworkandfamilyfriendly?)

• Languageandimages(haveweavoidedjargon?Areimagesofpeopleinclusiveandshowingnon-traditionalroles?)

• Advertisingandmarketing(arefontstylesclearandeasytoread?Arecoloursacceptabletothosewithvisualimpairments?Iscoreinformationavailableinalternativeformats?)

• TheLawandPolicy(arekeylawsadheredtoregardingsex,race,disabilityandhumanrights?Canadvicebegivenonhowtoidentifyandimplementapositiveactionstrategy?)

Thesearejustsomeofthequestionsweaskourselveswhenengagingwithlearners,clients,ourownemployees,contractorsandotherpartners.

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8.ADDITIONALINFORMATION

Furtherhelpcanbeobtainedatthefollowingwebsites:

• EqualOpportunitiesCommissiono www.eoc.org.uk

• CommissionforRacialEqualityo www.cre.gov.uk

• DisabilityRaceCommissiono www.drc-gb.org.uk

• DepartmentforWorkandPensionso www.agepositive.gov.uk

Theabovepolicyisunderpinnedbythefollowinglegislation:

• TheEqualityAct2010• RehabilitationofOffendersAct1974• SexDiscriminationAct1975(GenderReassignmentRegulations1999;indirectDiscrimination

andBurdenofProofRegulations2001;EmploymentEquality(SexdiscriminationRegulations)• RaceRegulationsAct1976(RaceRelationsAmendmentAct2000)• DisabilityDiscriminationAct1995• SENDA2001• TheProtectionfromHarassmentAct1997• HumanRightsAct1998• EmploymentAct2002• EmploymentEquality(SexualOrientation)Regulations2003• EmploymentEquality(ReligionofBelief)Regulations2003• CivilPartnershipAct2004• GenderrecognitionAct2004• DisabilityAct2005ERS

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