We embed equality and diversity in all our learning session plans

Equal opportunities policy

Our equal opportunities coordinator is Matt Ottewill.

We have a policy of open access. Our aim is to provide conditions whereby all learners are valued equally, and diversity of entry is welcomed across the full range of race, class, gender, disability, religious belief, age and sexual orientation.

What is equal opportunities & diversity?

Equality in education concerns a learners right to access education appropriate to their needs irrespective of their personal circumstances, gender, age, or current abilities. This does not mean a learner has the right to attend any learning session, but that they have an equal right of access to any session that has been pre-determined by a fair process to be appropriate for them and their current abilities and level of knowledge ad skills. Equality legislation seeks to ensure that learners with diverse profiles are not discriminated against.

Gender equality

Because the focus of our training is in traditionally male dominated areas of media technology, we employ the following strategies to ensure female learners are welcomed and not disadvantaged ...

  • Recruitment & induction - We employ widespread positive representations of females in our printed and digital marketing and recruitment literature. Materials are gender agnostic and promote equality. Parents and learners are offered one2one sessions during induction to ensure any concerns they may have are addressed. We endeavour to populate our groups with a balance of male and female learners. On the rare occasions when a group has a single female student (we operate a first come first serve system), we will speak to the parent and learner, before induction and offer them an alternative start date/group. Childcare and gender specific health issues are addressed during induction.
  • Access to technology - We have comprehensively equipped workstations in our training rooms to ensure equality of access to primary industry standard technologies for research, practice and learning.
  • Training - Learners have access to one2ones with teachers and support staff at any time during their time on-programme. Female learners are encouraged to take the lead in group practical sessions and the use of pre-existing male dominated industry jargon is avoided by training staff. Gender awareness and courtesy is promoted at all times during the course.
  • Pastoral care - Where a learner's tutor is male, we offer alternative access to female staff for advice and support.

Ongoing objective

Our objectives is to encourage learners and staff to contribute towards an environment where their differences are valued rather than merely tolerated, and where achievements and skills are fully accredited.

Implementation

A) Information

Ensuring that policies are effective and understood by all those who are expected to work within their provisions: i.e. All our staff, learners and parents.

B) Access

  • Clarity of message - In all promotional and corporate information.
  • Disability - Both physical access for the disabled, and access to tailored materials.
  • Entry criteria - We requires no prior experience or examination level from potential entrants, and have no test restriction on access.
  • Needs - Low teacher to student ratio. Modular nature of training and assessment.
  • Staff recruitment. We are an equal opportunity employer and make efforts to recruit from all possible demographics.

C) Reviews and Monitoring.

The purpose of review is to ...

  • Monitor the effectiveness of our existing practices in terms of the representation of groups identified in this policy statement.
  • Identify any changes which need to be made in order to improve this policy and our practices.