As a learning provider – whether a school, college, university or work based learning provider – equality and diversity is one of the key features of the inspection framework that we are all required to have regard for.
Under the common inspection frame-work for further education and skills, inspectors have a duty to assess how well the learning provider:
- manages equality and diversity, in particular disability, gender and race
- promotes equality and diversity amongst staff, learners and employers, parents and other partners
- assesses the impact of its work in relation to equality and diversity and takes appropriate action in response to its findings
- makes sure training in equality and diversity is effective so that leaders, managers, governors or supervisory bodies, staff and learners understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to equality and diversity
- makes sure that learners and staff are protected from harassment, bullying and discrimination, including those based with employers and at other sites external to the provider
- manages incidents and complaints specifically about disability, gender and race equality
- sets challenging targets and uses data to monitor, analyse and improve engagement and performance by different groups of learners
- takes action to reduce any significant variation in outcomes between different groups of learners to maximise their potential.
Specifically for schools, under the new inspection framework (January 2012), inspectors have a duty to assess schools on:
- how well the school is working towards eliminating discrimination, promoting equal opportunities and encouraging good race relations
- how well the school strives to meet the diverse needs of all pupils
- the extent to which the school meets the needs of the range of learners at the school, and in particular, those who have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 and learners who have special educational needs
- how well tutors manage the behaviour and expectations of learners to ensure that all learners have an equal and fair chance to thrive and learn in an atmosphere of respect and dignity.
In the event that a learning provider of any kind is judged to be inadequate in equality and diversity and challenging discrimination, the learning provider’s overall effectiveness is also likely to be deemed inadequate.
The modules in the resource pack will help you to understand the steps you need to take in order to embed equality and diversity into all teaching and learning practice and activity.
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