LSIS
LSIS BARRIERS
Scenarios
• SCENARIO 1
• A cross-dressing male student who turned up for lessons wearing make-up
and a long skirt decided to quit his course rather than face the daily taunts
and abuse he received from fellow students.
•2
• A young learner who is openly gay is on the receiving end of negative
comments and bullying behaviour from the rest of the group.
•3
• A young learner comes to you to ask advice as they’re considering ‘coming
out’ and are not sure how best to handle it in the learning environment.
Considerations
•
•
•
•
In case studies 1 and 2 strategies could include:
talking to the learner affected to find out how they would like you to address the situation
talking to the rest of the group to discuss their behaviour and to reinforce why it's unacceptable
implementing organisational policy and procedure in dealing with inappropriate remarks and
behaviour
• explaining to all that while you cannot force them to accept others' differences, you can expect
tolerance
• ensure that learner agreements and charters refer to the behaviour expected in these situations
and that it is addressed during learner induction.
• In case study 3 you will still want to talk to the learner to find out how you can support them but
you need to be mindful of what’s within the scope of your expertise and experience. You could
refer them to a counsellor either through your organisation or through their GP.
Barriers to inclusion - Age
• Making their life experience a benefit to others by partnering them in
groups with younger students.
• Ensure they don't have additional needs that need addressing. Older
learners sometimes don't identify a gradual change in their faculties.
• Check the size of print on resources as eyesight tends to deteriorate as one
gets older.
• Older learners can be hard of hearing without being fully aware of the
impact that has on them. Take care with the environment that background
noise isn't an issue for them.
• Ensure they can access the facilities they need without having to confront
large numbers of young people moving rapidly in confined areas.
Barriers to inclusion - Finance
• "It isn't just about cash. It's to do with family circumstances, cycles of deprivation,
and poverty that's ingrained through first, second and third generations of
unemployment. The college recognises that white working class males in
particular are being alienated by these issues. There are young men who find it
hard to stay with their aims of remaining in classes and aspiring to a job while
circumstances are conspiring against them.
• We have a 19-year-old engineering and construction student who gets up at five
o'clock each morning to work in a cleaning job before coming to college. He has
to hand most of his earnings to his family, who question his desire to stay in
college. They're not supportive and he's having a dreadful struggle to stay on
course. We have given him considerable support through our tutor network and
through links with external agencies. And he's not alone. There are many others
in similar situations.
• The equality agenda has very much focused on minority groups, but white,
working class males are beginning to be spoken about much more earnestly."
Barriers to inclusion - Literacy
• "We have an initial assessment of students' functional levels of literacy,
numeracy and language skills to inform all tutors on how they need to
structure their lessons to support those needs.
• It's a very detailed profile. For example, if we have a group of 25 learners,
we will know how many can't read, how many have a reading age of 8
years, and so forth - this is important for a lesson plan. This will enable the
teacher to differentiate and pick out different delivery styles.
• In lesson observations I conduct, I look at whether learners are learning. In
some lessons, there will be lots of different things going on, appealing to
different groups. That's good teaching.
• The initial assessment is crucial. It influences things like staff case loads.
Some staff are better at working with students who present challenging
behaviours. Some are better working at a higher level."
Looking at language
• To make sure that learners can use all course resources you need to ensure the language
level used is appropriate.
• As a general rule use a language level slightly below the level at which the learner is
studying.
• Identify a document that you give your learners and focus on the vocabulary and
language level. How do you know it is accessible for them?
• You can check that the language level is appropriate by asking learners. In addition you
could use a readability test such as the'SMOG' Calculator (Standard Measure Of
Gobbledygook), or paste it into a Word document and use the readability measures in
the wordprocessor.
• NIACE's readability document is a free resource that will show how to score readability
and also gives useful tips on how to make your documentation accessible to all.
• What other factors will help to ensure the text you provide to learners will be accessible
to them? Use your notepad to record your thoughts.
Scenario
• Learners on a NEET programme must attend 95% of lessons as one of the criteria for
successfully completing the programme. However, some learners wish to take time off
for the reasons below. Do you accept them as 'legitimate absences' or not?
• Two days absence to celebrate Eid
• One day off for Diwali
• Two days off for Chinese New Year
• A day off for Orthodox Christian Christmas day (January 7th)
• Time off to celebrate Hanakkah
• Do you consider that your organisation is sensitive to the needs of minority groups?
• Could you do more in supporting those with constraints imposed on them by religious
practices or cultural influences?
• If you don't agree to the requests in the scenario are you contravening any aspect of the
Equality Act 2010?
Scenario
• You have some learners from a local traveller community starting a programme of
learning .
• What issues might you need to consider for learners from this culture to ensure
inclusion given that many traditional traveller families don't continue with
education beyond the age of 11?
• You would need to monitor the group to make sure there are no inappropriate
remarks as showing prejudice towards travellers is not uncommon.
• You would need to show an understanding of their lifestyle as there may be
extended periods of absence which may be a problem if it's an accredited
programme.
• You may need to seek professional advice in how to deal with these particular
issues.
Gender stereotyping
• A young female joins an Apprenticeship programme as a motor vehicle mechanic. All the
other learners in the group and the work environment are male.
• After the first few weeks she approaches the tutor to say she's considering withdrawing
from the programme because, although she's doing well at her workplace, she feels
uncomfortable in the off-job training environment. What might be the issues that
underpin her decision?
• What could the trainer have done to pre-empt any difficulties she might have?
• The trainer could:
• observe and monitor the workshop environment to ensure she feels safe and
comfortable
• discuss with her peers how they can help her to feel included
• find out from her the types of behaviour and language that she finds intimidating
• recruit a peer mentor or study buddy to work with her.
Scenario
• During an ACL English Literature evening class one learner revealed in the introductions
that he was an ex-offender. The following week several women dropped out leading to
the class being too small to run so it was closed. If the class had been all female the issue
would not have arisen?
• Consider this scenario in light of the Equality Act 2010. What strategies could you
adopt to avoid exclusion of the ex-offender and to create a comfortable atmosphere?
• The tutor could make a general comment in the class that he/she is available to discuss
any questions or concerns at the end of the first session.
• If the tutor knew about the ex-offender in advance he/she might discuss with him
whether he is happy to explain the nature of his offence and explore why he’s wishing
to take the class.
• Running an all-female class would avoid the problem but if it hadn’t been advertised as
a single-sex class at the outset with a justifiable reason then you might be in breach of
the act on the grounds of gender discrimination.
Whose responsibility is it to ensure learner groups
mix?
• You may take the view that it's not your concern who your learners
mix with when they're not with you.
• By adopting strategies to get your learners to broaden their horizons
and to work together, you will reinforce the message of integration
and equality and allow people to be more confident in mixing socially
with more diverse groups.
Scenario
• You work with a group of 16 learners, 6 of whom are BME. The group
on the whole is well-behaved and work well when they are together.
• The BME learners are friends and always sit and work together. They
spend their time outside the learning environment together and
never mix with others.
• Put the responses below into the order that would work best to make
the group more cohesive
Options
• A. You might take the view that you can't force students to mix and while there
are no behavioural issues you don't need to do more than encourage discussion
between the group but this may not be enough to really engage the students in
getting to know each other better.
• B. If resources allow then an enrichment day or 'away-day' approach to building
teams within the group will allow the learners to build relationships.
• C. A project carried out over a period of time where you set the groups and mix
them will give the learners an opportunity to mix in a controlled environment.
This strategy can be used in planning all lessons to promote interaction.
• D. Starting each period of contact time engaging the group in an ice-breaking
activity to allow them to explore the things they have in common will help group
cohesion.
Answers
• C A project carried out over a period of time where you set the groups and mix
them will give the learners an opportunity to mix in a controlled environment.
This strategy can be used in planning all lessons to promote interaction.
• B If resources allow then an enrichment day or 'away-day' approach to building
teams within the group will allow the learners to build relationships.
• D Starting each period of contact time engaging the group in an ice-breaking
activity to allow them to explore the things they have in common will help group
cohesion.
• A You might take the view that you can't force students to mix and while there
are no behavioural issues you don't need to do more than encourage discussion
between the group but this may not be enough to really engage the students in
getting to know each other better.
You have three learners in your group who have
told you they have dyslexia and have difficulty
reading text.
• Provide all hand-outs on coloured paper
• Produce all hand-outs and materials in a large clear font
• Talk to a dyslexia specialist to find out what you should provide.
• Find out through an initial assessment with each learner what their
particular difficulties are, what strategies they use to help them and
how you can support them.
Answers
A - incorrect - Some learners with dyslexia find it helpful to have text printed on coloured
paper but this is not always the case. You would need to check with the learner what
colour works best for them.
B - incorrect - It is good practice to use a clean font in a suitable size for all your learners,
not just those with dyslexia.
C - incorrect - Talking to a specialist for advice will always be useful but they won't be able
to give specific help for a learner unless they have an assessment to refer to.
D - correct - The best course of action is always to start with the learner. Identify how the
dyslexia presents itself in each case; find out what coping strategies the learner uses;
find out what strategies you can adopt in supporting them. A specialist should be
involved in this assessment where there is availability.
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY CALENDAR
LLUK
These standards form the basis of the suite of qualifications available to
practitioners post 2007.
• Professional knowledge and understanding
Teachers in the lifelong learning sector know and understand:
• The impact of resources on effective learning (BK 5.1)
• Ways to ensure that resources used are inclusive, promote equality and
support diversity. (BK 5.2)
• Professional practice
Teachers in the lifelong learning sector:
• select and develop a range of effective resources, including appropriate use
of new and emerging technologies (BP 5.1)
• select, develop and evaluate resources to ensure they are inclusive,
promote equality and engage with diversity. (BP 5.2 )
POSSIBLE PITFALLS
FIVE GOLDEN RULES
1. Take advantage of opportunities where you can to include diversity in
your resources. Challenge yourself rather than saying it can't be done.
2. Recognise that it may not be appropriate to celebrate diversity in every
resource but it is appropriate to ensure that every resource is accessible
to every learner, e.g. by avoiding difficult words that can raise the
reading level.
3. Project work can offer rich opportunities. Offer flexibility for learners to
work together so the whole group can benefit from learning about
different characteristics.
4. Avoid patronising and tokenistic examples, or ones that reinforce
stereotypes.
5. Review and update resources regularly to reflect current thinking.
From compliance to confidence
MAINSTREAMING
Cohesive communities
• An inclusive approach is needed to help build a cohesive community and learning
providers have a key role to play in encouraging positive relationships between all
groups – not just on ethnic lines.
• Ofsted recognises this in its guidance, which is equally valid for all providers, on
what it describes as community cohesion:
• By community cohesion, we mean working towards a society in which there is a
common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which
the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and
valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all; and a
society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be
developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community.
• (Ofsted, September 2010. Ref No. 090165)
Trole of the sector in promoting cohesive
communities
• Through inclusive approaches and effective programme design,
learning providers can enable learners to engage with and benefit
from the shared values which join our communities together,
transcending our differences, to make a positive contribution to the
community.
Because learning providers are often at the heart of the communities
they serve, by engaging with and promoting EDI issues, they can make
a crucial impact, benefitting the community but also benefitting the
organisation.
Which of the statements below best describes
‘mainstreaming Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’?
• A Meeting targets for the number of learners from different
backgrounds (race, age, gender, ethnicity, disability, religious beliefs,
sexual orientation).
• B Complying with the Equality Act 2010 in every respect
• C Taking action to counteract discrimination so that members of
under-represented groups can take full advantage of educational
opportunities.
• D Integrating equal opportunities principles, strategies and practices
so it becomes a part of everyday work.
• E Creating an organisation where all groups feel welcome.
• A - Not the best description as this one is limited to targets and
doesn’t take into account the culture of an organisation.
• B - Incorrect - as complying with the Act is not enough;
mainstreaming is more about exceeding the requirements of an Act
• C - Not the best description as this one is just about recruiting certain
groups of learners, whereas mainstreaming is much more:
recruitment of staff too, shared values, culture of the organisation,
community activities and so on.
• D - Correct - this is the best description as it is the case that if you it
get it right the workplace becomes a much happier place.
• E - Not the best description but this is a good definition of promoting
equality and diversity.
• Essentially, Mainstreaming is a journey and the activities listed are
milestones.
The Equality Act 2010 requires providers to
‘advance equality of opportunity’ and to ‘foster
good relations’.
•This applies equally to staff and learners in
your organisation who will work at their
best in an environment with an overall
culture of inclusion and respect.
EQUALITY MEANING
• Equality emphasises equal outcomes, including equal opportunities.
• Equality does not mean that everyone has to be treated in exactly the
same way all the time.
• For example, a canteen may offer different dishes that might appeal
to different groups of people. In this way every diner has a choice of
food that appeals to them. Equality doesn't mean that everyone has
to eat the same kind of food.
Diversity
• Diversity refers to respecting, valuing and celebrating the differences
between people who come from (for example) different backgrounds,
have different abilities, have a different sexual orientation or are in a
different age group to yourself.
• Diversity is linked to equality as everyone, no matter what their
differences may be, have equal opportunities and strive for equal
outcomes.
Inclusion
• Inclusion is about embracing all people in a community irrespective of
race, gender, disability, medical or other need.
• The aim is to give equal access and opportunites and remove
discrimination and intolerance.
YOUR PERSONAL ACTION PLAN
• Forming partnerships with community groups.
• Understanding the needs of different communities.
• Talking to the media about equality and diversity
• Working with statistics and communicating them to others.
• Persuading community groups to get involved with you.
• Advising potential learners onto courses that suit them
What does equality mean?
• 1. Everyone is treated identically
• 2. Fair chances for everyone
• 3. Political correctness
• 4. Removing barriers to success
• 5. Giving privileges to particular groups
• 6. Not discriminating unfairly or unlawfully
What does diversity mean?
• 1. Recognising we are all different
• 2. Valuing difference
• 3. Celebrating difference
• 4. Understanding peoples’ differences and similarities
• 5. Benefiting from different perspectives and insights
• 6. Encouraging the expression of difference
What does inclusion mean?
•
• 1. Allowing any type of behaviour on the part of learners
• 2. Making all staff and learners feel valued
• 3. Bringing different groups of people together
• 4. Including people in your staff who discriminate unfairly
• 5. Creating a culture of respect
• 6. Opening up your organisation to all who can benefit from its
provision
Questions of quality and EDI
• ‘What percentage of our learners achieved level 2 qualifications last
year?’
• How could you adapt this question to incorporate issues of gender to
show you’re monitoring from an EDI perspective? Write your revised
question in the box and then compare your version with LSIS’
• What percentage of male learners and female learners achieved level
2 qualifications last year?’
• You can see that the first question is a ‘quality’ question whilst the
second is a quality question with an EDI perspective.
More questions of quality and EDI
• Re-write the questions to turn them into questions with an EDI
perspective for each protected characteristic indicated.
• How many of our teaching staff successfully completed a teaching
qualification last year? (age)
• In a student survey how many students stated they found canteen food
good or acceptable? (race)
• How many of our learners stated they feel safe on our premises?
(disability)
• What percentage of learners complete the Motor Vehicle course?
(gender)
• What percentage of learners say they are happy with the clarity of
assignment briefs? (race)
Possible Answers
• Age: What percentage of our teaching staff who successfully
completed a teaching qualification last year were over the age of 40?
• Race: In a student survey how many Asian students stated they found
canteen food good or acceptable?
• Disability: How many of our learners with disabilities stated they feel
safe on our premises?
• Gender: What percentage of female learners complete the Motor
Vehicle course?
• Race: What percentage of learners working in English as their second
language say they are happy with the clarity of assignment briefs?
Your organisation wants to improve its grade for
EDI at the next inspection. Which is the most
effective first step to take from the following?
• A Ask tutors what they do in embedding EDI in their teaching and
learning.
• B Read through the complaints received and compile an action plan.
• C Compile a comprehensive quality questionnaire with an EDI focus
to elicit feedback from staff and learners.
• D Send out the results of your last inspection to all staff and tell
them that everyone is responsible for improving the grade.
Scenario
• Marsha is a highly motivated and able learner. She describes her
ethnicity as Black British. She is enthusiastic about her apprenticeship
in hairdressing and wants to do well.
• During a regular workplace visit to check out how she’s getting on,
the assessor senses there may be a problem that she’s reluctant to
voice.
• After gentle questioning the assessor discovers that two regular
customers to the salon are upsetting Marsha by making racist
remarks in her hearing. She’s clearly worried about making a fuss
Scenario
• What do you say?
• What do you do?
• Who could you seek advice and support from if needed?
• What policies and procedures might you find helpful?
• What are the benefits of your actions?
What do you say?
• You reassure her that she is right in telling you about the situation.
You tell her that she doesn’t have to put up with this behaviour from
customers.
• You remind her that it’s the right of any employee to be treated fairly
and not to be discriminated against.
• You get her agreement for you to talk to the salon manager about it
so that you can both work with them to agree a solution.
What do you do?
• You raise the issue with the salon. You ask them to raise this with the customers and
insist that the customers behave respectfully to all their staff.
• You draw their attention to the clause in your contract with them that commits them to
providing a safe and discrimination free environment in which to work.
• You stress that Marsha was reluctant to complain and wants the issue resolved
informally.
• You tell the salon you will follow up with them what’s been done to resolve the
problem and check on Marsha at the next visit.
• If necessary you can point out that Marsha would be within her rights to bring litigation
against the company if her complaint is justified and the company does nothing about
it.
Who could you seek advice and support from
if needed?
Your line manager, Marsha herself, your
organisation’s lead on equality and diversity.
What policies and procedures might you find
helpful?
Workplace visits guidance, equality and
diversity policy, anti–bullying policy,
safeguarding policy.
What are the benefits of your actions?
Marsha remains in post.
Her morale remains high and therefore she is more likely
to succeed. If the offending behaviour is stopped, others
in the salon who also find it offensive will be protected
and pleased.
Marsha has learned about some important rights she has
as an employee and as a citizen.
Scenario
• Mary has enrolled on a part-time IT course. She is in her sixties,
recently widowed and has not taken part in any formal learning
activities since she left school.
• Until recently she had a job as an office cleaner but is now
unemployed having been made redundant.
• Mary lacks confidence and is nervous with computers and IT.
• As Mary’s class tutor, how would you make sure she feels included
and is able to achieve?
What do you say?
• You make sure the atmosphere in the class is informal and
welcoming.
• You could make a point of welcoming Mary when she arrives.
• You keep an eye on how she’s getting on and offer support and
encouragement.
What do you do?
• You recognise that you have a range of ages in your group and check
lesson plans to make sure you don’t make any assumptions about
prior knowledge of IT or IT applications.
• You use examples that include topics that are likely to be familiar to
someone of Mary’s age and background. You make sure you give her
some one-to-one time at each lesson.
Who could you seek advice and support from if
needed?
• Firstly, Mary herself through feedback during the sessions, then other
IT teachers who may have experience and good practice to share.
• Also involve the equality and diversity coordinator who will be able to
give advice on potential strategies.
What policies and procedures might you find
helpful?
• Teaching and learning, learning styles, differentiation, equality and
diversity.
What are the benefits of your actions?
• Mary is retained as a learner. Mary succeeds in gaining a qualification
and enjoys increased learner satisfaction.
• Learners of all ages in Mary’s class, including younger learners,
benefit from getting to know Mary and something about her life.
Scenario
• There is a partnership arrangement between an ISC and a local FE
college and it has been arranged for a small group of learners from
the ISC to attend a Performing Arts course at the FE college. One of
the learners has profound hearing loss.
• Learner profiles have been sent to the Performing Arts tutor at the
college in advance of the course starting.
• The tutor sends an email to the ISC saying that he cannot accept the
learner with hearing loss as he feels she won’t be able to participate
fully in the music and singing elements of the course.
• As an employee of the ISC, what would you do in this situation on
behalf of the learner?
What do you say?
• You contact the college and explain that their action is almost
certainly unlawful and discriminates against deaf learners and their
protected characteristic of disability.
What do you do?
• You discuss with the Performing Arts tutor strategies to support the
learner which will allow her to take part in the classes.
Who could you seek advice and support from if
needed?
• You suggest that the FE college tutor could speak to his line manager
and/or the equality and diversity coordinator to get help in
supporting the learner.
What policies and procedures might you find
helpful?
• The Performing Arts tutor should consult the college’s equality and
diversity policy and the college’s admissions policy.
• Both should make it clear that, subject to appropriate risk
assessment, disability will not prevent a learner from joining a course.
What are the benefits of your actions?
• Your learner gets the learning experience she wants.
• The FE college avoids possible litigation.
A learner with a disability is interested in joining
an evening class. The learner is a wheelchair user.
What is the best first step to take in supporting their needs?
A Carry out a risk assessment to check the learning environment is
safe and accessible for a wheelchair.
B Speak to the learner to find out what support they need.
C Arrange for a member of staff to support the learner during classes.
D Arrange for the class to be run in the nearest room to an entrance
with disabled access.
Answer
• A. A risk assessment will need to be done at some point but it would be best to
wait until you’ve established which room is going to be best suited to the
learner’s needs.
•
B. This is the best first step. The learner will be able to give a clear idea of their
support needs.
•
C. Until you’ve established the needs of the learner you won’t know if they need
a member of staff to help them. The learner may have a disability but not
necessarily a learning difficulty. They may not need anything more than good
access to the room and facilities.
•
D. The room most easily accessed may not be the most appropriate room for the
class and the needs of other learners on the course must be considered too.
What is the main purpose of monitoring equality
and diversity in an organisation?
•A
•B
•C
•D
To satisfy Ofsted requirements.
To provide a report on it to the board or to governors.
To improve results of the low achievers.
To make improvements to the service in this area.
Answer
• A - Incorrect - nothing should be done merely to satisfy Ofsted!
• B - Incorrect - this should not be the purpose, although a monitoring
report may well be presented to the board or to governors.
• C - Incorrect - this is likely to be one of the benefits of monitoring but
is not the only purpose.
• D - Correct this is the main purpose of monitoring.
References LSIS
• Leading Inclusion Annex, LSIS
• www.lsis.org.uk The LSIS site is the main source of information for the sector regarding events and workshops on equality and
diversity.
• www.excellence-in-learning.co.uk This site contains a wealth of staff development resources, continued professional development,
quality improvement and organisational development support for post-16 and lifelong learning sectors.
• Ofsted Single Equalities Scheme
• Learning for all – What works well?, March 2010, VT Research. Findings of a study into the commitment to furthering equality and
diversity in FE colleges in the East of England.
• Equality and Diversity in Self-assessment, Guidance for Colleges and Providers,October 2009, LSC and LSIS. A practical guide to use
of terms, such as equality and diversity; priorities and good practice in self-assessment in this field; some differentiated practice
issues regarding particular groups in the community, e.g. race issues. (pdf document)
• Leading Inclusion EDI Audit Tool, LSIS. An extract of all the action points and considerations from the ‘Leading Inclusion Guide’,
June 2010, which can be used as a self-assessment checklist. (pdf document)
• Summary of Equality and Diversity regional consultation workshops with ACL and WBL providers, LSIS
• Equality and Human Rights Commission. Equality Impact Assessment Guidance.A step by step by step guide to integrating equality
impact assessment into policymaking and review. (pdf document)
• BIS Impact Assessment Guidance Dec 2010 (pdf document)
An adult education centre seeks to improve its
organisational culture in relation to equality and
diversity. Which of the following activities would be
most useful in achieving this?
• a. It should redesign its publicity materials so that learners of
different races are shown.
• b. It should regularly reinforce to staff and learners the benefits of
equality and diversity.
• c. It should increase activities such as theatre and dance workshops
and performances, art exhibitions, etc.
• d. It should introduce a cultural theory course.
Which of the following best describes a Single
Equality Scheme (SES)?
• a. An assessment of each learner's progress with regard to EDI.
• b. An EDI policy that sets out the provider's key equality objectives.
• c. A report made up of qualitative judgements on a range of EDI
activities and responsibilities.
• d. A report for the future development of courses with EDI
embedded.
Put these in sequential order:
• Collect data (all types including information from questionnaires,
appraisals, etc).
• Make changes to how things are done.
• Prioritise what action to take first.
• Read through the data and make some conclusions.
• Select one
• a. 1, 2, 4, 3
• b. 1, 2, 3, 4
• c. 1, 4, 3, 2
• d. 1, 3, 2, 4
Question
• An adult skills and learning centre has decided to gain feedback from
its current learners on plans to make improvements to its courses.
Which would be the most appropriate method to gain that feedback?
• a. Staff focus groups are consulted.
• b. A multi-format questionnaire is sent to all learners.
• c. Read through Ofsted's suggestions.
• d. The principal has a chat with learners in the canteen each
Wednesday evening when she is on duty.
Question
• A learner enrols on your programme and has declared on the enrolment
form that he is blind and cannot work with any printed material. Your
programme requires learners to undertake additional background
reading. Your organisation has the facility to convert text material to
Braille. You also have access to laptop computers for learners to use.
What is the best course of action in this situation?
• a. Give a detailed reading list to the learner so that they can arrange for
someone to help them with it.
• b. Talk to the member of staff responsible for IT provision in your
organisation to find out what assistive technology might be available.
• c. Talk to the learner in advance of the course starting, to discuss how
you can best help them.
• d. Arrange to have all your course texts converted to Braille resources
for the learner.
Question
• A learner with disabilities has a guide dog as a helper and wishes to
enrol on your programme. Another learner already on the
programme is an asthma sufferer with allergy difficulties who will be
affected by close proximity with the dog. What would you do first in
this situation to ensure the well-being of the learners?
Options select one
• a. Speak to the asthma sufferer so that they can identify strategies to
manage the situation and minimise the risk to their health.
• b. Check the environment where learning will take place to see if the
room is big enough to keep some distance between the learners.
• c. Take advice on what adjustments would be reasonable in this case
to comply with the Equality Act.
• d. Tell the learner with the dog that you are unable to accommodate
them as it will put another learner at risk.
Question
• One of your learners has told you that another learner is on the
receiving end of abusive jokes and homophobic remarks from other
members of the group. You haven't witnessed this in the environment
where you work with them but you suspect there is some truth in the
allegation. Which is the best first step?
Options select one
• a. Keep a quiet eye on things to collect some evidence.
• b. Hold a group tutorial session where you can introduce the topic of
discrimination and homophobia?
• c. Talk to X and say you believe he might be being bullied and what
would he like you to do about it, reassuring him that you will handle
the situation sensitively?
• d. Tell the group openly that you've heard they are bullying X and you
won't tolerate it?
Question
• You have a wheelchair user in your group who attends training
sessions once a week. The building these are held in is large and the
main access corridors on each side of the ground floor have a short
flight of steps which have to be negotiated to navigate the building.
There is only one electric ramp on one side of the building to allow
wheelchair access. The coffee bar is near to your base room but
quickest access is via the corridor without the ramp. This means the
wheelchair user can't join her peers for coffee as it takes too long for
her to navigate the building. What would you do?
Options select one
• a. Ask the learner to bring a drink in a flask so they can have their
break in the learning environment.
• b. Extend the coffee break even if it means losing a substantial
amount of training time over the extent of the course.
• c. Raise the situation with management as an urgent issue of noncompliance with the Equality Act and expect action to be taken.
• d. Try and arrange for coffee to be available somewhere nearer.
Question
• A female member staff comes to you as she's concerned about a
young male learner with dyslexia whom she supports. She's having
trouble engaging with the learner and suspects the fact she's a
woman is a barrier. What would you do in this situation?
Options select one
• a. Tell her she's probably imagining things and to keep trying.
• b. Tell the course tutor to sort it out.
• c. Find a male support assistant to work with her over a couple of
sessions to see if that makes a difference.
• d. Tell the learner they must make use of the additional support or it
will be withdrawn.
Ofsted
Why is it useful to read inspection reports for
other organisations similar to your own?
• You can tell the inspection team that you are doing the same good
things too.
• You can get a feel for the sort of questions they will ask about equality
and diversity.
• You can work out what not to tell an inspector.
• You can look for good ideas on how to embed equality and diversity.
Answers
• A. No, they will be looking for evidence too!
• B. No, you can get that from the framework document
• C. No, an inspector will find you out!
• D. Yes, other similar providers may have some ideas that you can
borrow that you wouldn’t necessarily learn about by other means. It
also gives you an insight into the basis for an inspector’s judgment
which will enable you to improve your own self-assessment.
Which of the following are the THREE key
judgements made during inspections?
• Outcomes for learners
• Value for money
• Quality of teaching, learning and assessments
• Effectiveness of leadership and management
Which TWO of the following are criteria
for 'judging outcomes for learners'?
• all learners achieve and make progress relative to their starting points
and learning goals
• How effectively a providers positive action strategy is working
• achievement gaps are narrowing between different groups of learners
Answers
• There are three key aspect judgements that you need to be aware of, that guide
the grading of an area during an inspection. These are:
• outcomes for learners
• quality of teaching, learning and assessment
• effectiveness of leadership and management.
• Below are the three key indicators specifically relating to equality and diversity:
• Outcomes for learners: Achievement gaps are narrowing between different
groups of learners
• Quality of teaching, learning and assessment: Equality and diversity are
promoted through teaching and learning
• Effectiveness of leadership and management: Leaders and managers actively
promote equality and diversity, tackle bullying and discrimination, and narrow
the achievement gap
What is meant by inclusion
• Inclusion in education is an approach to educating students with
special educational needs. In current educational thinking inclusion
refers to far more than students with special educational needs. It is
centred on the inclusion of marginalised groups, such as religious,
racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, immigrants, girls, the poor,
students with disabilities, those not in education, employment or
training (NEETs), those in remote populations, and more. Inclusive
approaches recognise that all students can learn and benefit from
education, and providers should aim to adapt to the physical, social,
and cultural needs of students, rather than students adapting to the
needs of the provider.
Ofsted expects to see an organisation's selfassessment report. Why is this?
• So that the inspection team can work together with the organisation
to produce some action plans.
• So that the organisation can show what it's not satisfied with and how
it intends to improve it.
• So that the inspection team can grade the organisation on the
standards of its self-assessment process.
• So that the organisation can discuss with the inspection team how
best to improve its service.
Answers
• No, the organisation is expected to produce its own action plans.
• Yes, the self-assessment report gives an organisation the opportunity
to show what it intends to improve - and the action plans show how it
will do it. The inspectors also use it to inform the inspection process
and outcomes.
• No, the self-assessment process is not graded as such
• No, the inspection team is unlikely to give this sort of advice during its
visit.
COHESION
Ofsted recognises the importance and demonstrate this by including it in the
Common Inspection Framework (CIF) as further guidance on how equality
and diversity is promoted through teaching and learning. These references
can be found in section 172 of the Handbook for the inspection of further
education and skills (updated July 2013) which states:
"Where relevant, inspectors should take into account:
whether learning activities motivate and engage all learners, whatever their
age, ability and cultural background, and that they are suitably demanding
the impact that teaching has in promoting the learners' spiritual, moral, social
and cultural development
how well staff plan sessions to meet fully the needs of different groups of
learners
how well staff maximise opportunities in sessions and all learning contexts to
promote equality of opportunity and awareness of cultural and linguistic
diversity. "
What does building a cohesive community
involve? TRUE/FALSE/DON’T KNOW
• Everyone in the community working together to get to know each
other better so that they can become friends.
• An agenda which became prominent after 2001 riots in Bradford,
Burnley and Oldham and the Cantle Report which followed.
• The Equality Act (2010) which came into force in October 2010.
• Providers analysing data on the performance of learners from
different backgrounds and taking remedial actions to reduce any
differences.
What does building a cohesive community
involve? TRUE/FALSE/DON’T KNOW
• Disability issues and is monitored by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI).
• Providers meeting Equality and Diversity duties.
• Providers with best practice having a strategy for the promotion of
community engagement within the wider context of equality and diversity.
• All communities having a sense of belonging and feeling part of the society.
• Integrated, safe communities where there is trust and cooperation
between communities. Everyone in the community working together to get
to know each other better so that they can become friends.
• False. Building cohesive communities is a common vision which values the diversity of people's
backgrounds and circumstances, opportunities are available to all and relationships in the workplace, in
schools and the wider community are strong and positive. It is not just about individuals being friends.
• True.
• False. However, the Bill will support efforts to build a cohesive community.
• True. Providers need to collect and analyse data and measure impact.
• False. The ODI works across government to develop the evidence base on disability issues and publishes
annual indicators to measure progress towards disability equality.
• False. Public bodies have a duty to comply with equality laws but building cohesive communities is about
how communities relate to each other as well as the rights of specific minorities. This is broader than each
area of equality and diversity. BUT equality/inequality (whether real or perceived) has a direct bearing on
the welfare of the community, so observance of equality legislation remains relevant.
• False. The Duty is for schools, although colleges and public sector organisations have public sector E&D
duties under the Equality Act 2010.
• True. Ofsted has identified outstanding providers as having clear community cohesion strategies.
• True. The idea of a cohesive community includes relationships between all communities - and between all
groups within a community - for example, that it involves age, gender, sexual orientation and socioeconomic class, as well as relationships between people from different ethnic and faith backgrounds.
• True.
Promoting socially healthy communities
• In 2008, the government of the time set out the following definition
of what makes a socially healthy and cohesive society. Some of the
terminology may have changed since then but the broad aim remains
the same:
• Community cohesion is what must happen in all communities to enable different
groups of people to get on well together. A key contributor to community
cohesion is integration which is what must happen to enable new residents and
existing residents to adjust to one another.
• Our vision of an integrated and cohesive community is based on three
foundations:
• People from different backgrounds having similar life opportunities.
• People knowing their rights and responsibilities.
• People trusting one another and trusting local institutions to act fairly.
• ...and three key ways of living together:
• A shared future vision and sense of belonging.
• A focus on what new and existing communities have in common, alongside a
recognition of the value of diversity.
• Strong and positive relationships between people from different backgrounds.'
• Source: The Government's Response to the Commission on Integration and
Cohesion (CLG, Feb 2008
If your student and staff group were all White
British why should you engage them in debates
about difference and diversity?
• Differences exist between individuals who appear to share the same
racial or cultural identity. For example sexuality, religion, faith or no
faith, nationality, family background, political party membership,
physical and sensory disabilities etc. are not always immediately
visible.
• Promoting an awareness of differences is important in any staff or
learner group. Employment, finance and economics are often global;
it is very difficult to avoid making contact virtually or in person with
companies/ individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Question
• In 2008 the government set out their vision of what they saw as an
integrated and socially healthy community which was based on three
foundations.
• Which of the following foundations was not included?
• People from different backgrounds should have similar life
opportunities.
• People should know their rights and responsibilities.
• People should be knowledgeable about different faiths.
• People trust one another and trust local institutions to act fairly
Question
• The Seven Steps Toolkit, the resource developed by the Faith and
Social Cohesion Unit (FSCU) of the Charities Commission, identifies
seven indicators by which organisations evidence their contribution to
community engagement and social cohesion. Which of the following
is not included in that list?
• Engaging communities.
• Challenging and changing perceptions.
• Positive action to support disadvantaged groups.
• Developing a vision and values for community cohesion.
Question
• The CRE (2007) suggests that there are four types of 'meaningful
interactions' which will engage staff and learners from different groups.
One of these interactions refers to the 'broadening' of identity and values.
It goes on to suggest that '...it is through such interactions that people
change the way they see themselves and others, and find new things in
common'..
• Which 'meaningful interaction' does this behaviour describe?
• Grounding interaction.
• Banal interaction.
• Opportunity interaction.
• Growth interaction.
Meaningful interactions
• Engaging staff and learners from different groups in 'meaningful
interaction' will have a positive impact on relationships between
different groups within your provision.
• The CRE (2007) suggests that there are four types of interaction:
• Grounding interactions
• Banal interactions
• Opportunity interactions
• Growth interactions
Barriers to progress
• A 2007 survey for the Commission on Integration and Cohesion found
that 18% of people identified immigration/migrants as the main issue
facing Britain today and that 56% felt that some groups in Britain get
unfair priority when it comes to public services like housing, health
services and schools.
• In building socially healthy communities, barriers of mistrust of
different groups, especially those new to the local community, need
to be taken into consideration. Promoting community building
involves changing attitudes and practices - this may meet with
resistance.
Barriers to progress
• A force field analysis is one method that you can use when
introducing changes to identify and assess some of the key issues.
• Change happens when the driving forces (e.g. new staff, new
technology, market changes) are greater than the resisting forces (e.g.
fear of change or failure, apathy).
If organisational change is to be effective in
supporting community engagement, which would
you say is the best choice of focus?
• Getting a balance between organisational culture, the people and the
processes involved.
• Making sure the change is people-centred.
• Getting the processes right so the rest will follow.
• Appointing a 'change' champion.
Force field analyses
• Sometimes by attempting to reduce resisting forces you could
increase resistance or create new problems.
• Ideally you should carry out a Force Field Analysis with one or more
colleagues when you are planning changes within your organisation.
However this may not be possible.
• You can use a Force Field Analysis to plan personal as well as
organisational changes. You may have considered an area of personal
development which would benefit from the force field analysis
process. Identify this area of development as a series of actions and
put into your action plan.