IMSL Equal Opportunities Access and Fair Assessment Training Policies
Purpose
IMSL has a long term commitment to UK diversity and equality legislation. We will ensure that instructors and students adhere to the legislation and are protected by such legislation. This policy complements the broader IMSL equal opportunities polices which can be found in the IMSL employee handbook. IMSL will monitor the performance of its instructors and training personnel to ensure compliance with these instructions.
We believe that people from different backgrounds can bring fresh ideas, thinking and approaches which make the way work is undertaken more effective and efficient.
The Company will not tolerate direct or indirect discrimination against any person on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation whether in the field of recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, career progression, training, transfer or dismissal.
It is also the responsibility of all staff in their daily actions, decisions and behaviour to endeavour to promote these concepts, to comply with all relevant legislation and to ensure that they do not discriminate against colleagues, customers, students or any other person associated with the Company.
In adopting these principles IMSL:
- Will not tolerate acts that breach this policy and all such breaches or alleged breaches will be taken seriously, be fully investigated and miscreants may be subject to disciplinary action where appropriate
- Fully recognises its legal obligations under all relevant legislation and codes of practice
- Will allow staff and students to pursue any matter through the internal procedures which they believe has exposed them to inequitable treatment within the scope of this policy
- Will ensure that all managers and instructors understand and maintain their responsibilities and those of their team under this policy
- Will provide equal opportunity to all who apply for training
- Will select candidates only on the basis of their ability to complete a course of study
- Will provide all reasonable assistance to employees and students who are disabled, making reasonable adjustments wherever possible to provide reasonable access. We will ensure an appropriate risk assessment is carried out and that appropriate specialist advice is obtained when necessary
- Will ensure all assessment is carried out only on the basis of performance
Definitions
The Equality Act 2010 provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. It protects individuals from various forms of discrimination and harassment.
Direct discrimination – when you are treated less favourably than another person because of your
characteristic or disability.
Indirect discrimination – when a rule, policy or practice is applied to everyone, but it has a
particular disadvantage to people with a characteristic or disability.
Protected characteristics – characteristics that are protected by the law.
Roles and Responsibilities
Learners should make themselves familiar with IMSL’s fair access and equality, equal opportunities/equality and access to assessment policies.
Centre Tutors, Assessors and Internal Quality Assurers should make themselves familiar with IMSL’s own fair access and equality, equal opportunities/equality and access to assessment policies during the development, delivery, assessment and award of qualifications. They should ensure that all processes concerned with the development, delivery, assessment and award of ProQual qualifications are carried out in a fair and objective manner.
Directors should ensure IMSL has fair access and equality, equal opportunities/equality and access to
assessment policies in place to meet ProQuals’ centre approval requirements. They should ensure training staff and learners are aware of this policy and IMSL’s fair access and equality, equal opportunities/equality and access to assessment policies.
Qualifications and Product Development Managers should conduct Equality Impact Assessments on qualifications and materials developed by the Qualifications Development Team and collect and monitor available data to detect accidental bias over time.
Qualification Development, Assessment and Quality Assurance
IMSL will ensure qualifications are designed to be as accessible as possible. They will not discriminate, victimise, or harass any individual or groups identified within the Equality Law. In addition they will monitor and review the effectiveness of this policy and look for ways of improving it.
