Equality & Diversity

This policy embraces PMA’s core values and behaviours encompassing the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

The aim of the policy is to ensure no staff, learners and other stakeholders are subject to unlawful discrimination and that all individuals feel respected, valued and supported in their engagement with the PMA.

The Equality and Diversity policy sits within PMA’s Safeguarding framework, and promotes the principles of Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding and Prevent.

Through developing practice, staff and learner voice, research and dissemination, PMA seek to ensure that everyone in its care receives tailored support to meet their individual needs. PMA is committed to the values and practises of safeguarding, including those associated with
radicalisation and extremism and will take proactive steps to minimise risk and promote learner welfare.

The welfare and safety of all learners and staff is paramount. We expect all those involved with PMA to share this commitment and to uphold these principles in all interactions and activities.

Legal framework

As an organisation, PMA welcomes its duties under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations in relation to:

• Age (as appropriate)
• Disability
• Ethnicity (including ethnic origin, colour, nationality and national origin)
• Gender
• Gender reassignment
• Sexual orientation
• Maternity and pregnancy
• religion and or belief
• Marriage and civil partnership
  

We welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion.

We will comply with requirements set by governing bodies, including the government, Ofsted and other regulatory bodies. We commit to reviewing our policies and procedures in line with external updates and guidance.

Core values

• Passion for people: “Together we are great”.
• Positively charged: “We care about personal journeys and forward thinking”.
• Challenge the everyday: “We are making complex simple, delivering innovation”.
• Professionally ready: “We are wide eyed, smiling, friendly and happy”.
• Growing through pride: “Proud of our success, excited about our future”.

We promote the British values of:

• Democracy
• Individual Liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance
• Rules of law

These values underpin all aspects of PMA’s educational delivery and organisational culture.

Policy implementation

Equal and fair access to high quality learning, as well as the promotion of British values will be promoted by embedding appropriate teaching and learning activity into the curriculum, as well as actively promoting throughout the working partnership with all stakeholders. Equality and diversity include all aspects of the employer and learner journey, from pre-enrolment through to exit. PMA will monitor the impact of this policy via surveys and feedback, regular sampling of learner portfolios, and staff evaluations (post training). Findings from monitoring activities will inform continuous improvement actions.

Objectives

PMA aims to promote equality of opportunity for all, through the following objectives:

• Complying with its legal obligation
• Monitoring the performance of various groups of learners and working actively to narrow any gaps identified
• Ensuring any imbalance or evident variation in learner, staff or other stakeholder group participation or performance is not a result of unfair or unequal access, treatment or opportunity
• Ensuring all staff are appropriately trained, particularly around hot topics and national emergencies (training is face-to-face as well as online)
• Promotion of a monthly equality and diversity bulletin
• Ensuring that wherever, practical special adaptations are made to meet the individual needs of staff and learner in respect to their ‘protected characteristics’
• Ensuring that all providers acting on behalf of PMA are aware of this policy and adhere to it.
• Embedding inclusive communication and ensuring accessible formats are available where required

Roles and responsibilities

Managers and the Chief Operating Officer (DSL) are responsible for:

• Meeting our legal obligations in this policy and overall responsibility for its implementation
• Ensuring arrangements for learners, staff and stakeholders are inclusive and ensure fair access for all
• Ensuring staff are appropriately trained to be able to deliver up-to-date and relevant equality and diversity training
• Ensuring staff and learners know how to report discrimination, bullying, harassment and other behaviours that go against British values
• Challenging and responding to unacceptable behaviour
• Ensuring reported incidents do not result in victimisation
• Dealing with complaints fairly, professionally, promptly and confidentially
• A member of the governing body has a watching brief regarding the implementation of this policy
• Reviewing equality data annually and taking action where disparities are identified

Staff are responsible for:

• Familiarising themselves with this policy, seeking advice and guidance where appropriate
• Challenging and reporting unacceptable behaviour
• Identifying the starting point for learners’ awareness of equality and diversity and British values
• Promoting equality and diversity and British values
• Delivery staff are responsible for the mapping of evidence, related to equality and diversity and British values, into the embedded curriculum unit
• Promotion of the monthly equality and diversity bulletin
• Adapting teaching, learning and assessment for learners where appropriate
• Promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in their classroom/sessions
• Support those learners of which English is a second language

Learners are responsible for:

• Familiarising themselves with this policy seeking guidance where necessary
• Reporting unacceptable behaviours.
• Engaging respectfully with others and contributing to an inclusive learning environment

Staff development

PMA ensure that all staff, including support and administrative staff, receive appropriate training and opportunities for professional development, both as individuals and as groups or teams. An internal training calendar as well as eLearning packages are available to all staff to enhance their CPD and ensure ongoing awareness of emerging national priorities.

Reporting and complaints

Staff, learners or any other parties who raise a concern around discrimination have the right to do so without fear of victimisation and PMA will make every effort to ensure victimisation does not occur and that any issues are dealt with promptly and fairly. Further information about how to make a complaint can be found in our Concerns policy.

Any cases of harassment, discrimination, bullying or victimisation will be taken very seriously. Any staff member or learner found guilty of unlawful discrimination or harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, including where appropriate, dismissal for gross misconduct. Appropriate action will be taken against any member of the public, visitor or service provider involved in such behaviours. All incidents will be recorded, monitored and reviewed to ensure effective resolution and prevention.

Further information

This policy should be read in conjunction with:

• Safeguarding policy
• Recruitment, Fair and Safe Selection policy
• Raising a Safeguarding Concern policy

Religious observance

We respect the religious beliefs and practice of all staff, learners, parents and carers, complying with reasonable requests relating to religious observance and practice and ensuring such adjustments do not disadvantage the individual.

Breaches of policy

Breaches of this policy will be dealt with in the same ways that other breaches of other policies implemented by PMA are dealt with, as determined by senior management to ensure consistency and fairness.

Definitions

Equality: “The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities”.

Diversity: “Understanding that each individual is unique and recognising our individual differences”. Discrimination: ‘’The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age or sex’’.

Prevent Duty: “Is about making sure everyone is kept safe and within the law. It is not about preventing learners from having political and religious views and concerns but about supporting them to use those concerns or act on them in non-extremist ways”.