SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

1. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY POLICY B.CANNING

2. IDENTIFYING A NEED • Eq and Div committee set up as sub-committee of School Board to demonstrate school’s commitment to equality • Aim to raise profile so that Eq and Div not just a reaction when things go wrong • Aim to be proactive • Recognise changes in the law.

3. Why does the school need an individual policy? • Recognise university all encompassing policy complies with the law. • Usually only accessed in times of difficulty. • SED trying to avoid difficulties by being proactive – seen as an equality environment • SED has diverse needs, emphasised by range of partners including; LEAs, FE colleges, RAF Cosford, hundreds of schools, etc • All basically same desire, but expressed in a range of policies

4. CONTRIBUTORS • Started by investigating what others do. • Berry and Cindy – legal requirements • Partnership panels – samples of their policies – how do they promote Eq and Div? How does this impact upon visiting students? How are their rights protected? • LEA partners – what do they actively do to promote EQ and Div? How do they support equal opportunities? How does this apply to the students situation? • Documentation – including TDA Prof Standards for Teachers Q19 (Know how to make effective personalised provision…take practical account of diversity and promote equality)

5. PRINCIPLES (or why we are constructing a policy?) • Comply with and promote lawful practice. • Promote equality and diversity. • Support anyone who feels they are not being treated fairly. • Inform everyone of their rights and expectations within society.

6. Diversity and Equality PolicySCHOOL OF EDUCATION “We believe that it is wrong for people to be singled out for different treatment, merely because of personal characteristics. We want to ensure that everyone is encouraged to realise their potential – and to challenge prejudice where it becomes apparent in behaviour.” ‘Towards Equality and Diversity’ DfES 2003

7. DISTRIBUTION • Must be ‘user friendly’. • Accessible to all. • Promoted not hidden. • Have an input into daily routines-prevent things going wrong rather than reacting to them. • One document would not do! • To ensure maintain a high profile:- • MAIN COPY : comprehensive, point of reference – distributed to staff • PROFESSIONAL COPY : suitable for range of placement situations, emphasises the need to develop diversity, while ensuring equality of rights and opportunity for all – sends the message that we are serious about equality and diversity – distributed to partners • STUDENT COPY : inform, educate and set clear expectations both for them and of them – distribution to every student

8. REVIEW AND EVALUATION • Main purpose of Eq and Div committee is to annually review the policy • Ensure compliance with changing laws and directives eg TDA • Takes account of performance indicators, eg feedback from module evaluations, placement reports, annual monitoring, OFSTED, etc • Reflects the year from an Eq and Div point – have there been incidents, where are staff or students having difficulties? How proactive has the school been? Have we raised the profile? • Revised policy informs the action plan recommended to the School Board as a part of the school plan.

9. What to do with it – when you have it? • Ongoing process – must not gather dust or become invisible. • Keep every partner, member of staff, student informed and proactive • Use to promote, educate and support • Everyone informed and aware B.Canning@wlv.ac.uk