Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. is committed to equal opportunity in employment, learning and development. As such, it wishes to secure genuine equality of opportunity whether required by legislation or not, in all aspects of recruitment, employment, training, service delivery and relationships between business partners, clients and others.
Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will take every reasonable and practicable step to ensure that there is no unwarranted discrimination against employees, learners, or apprentices on account of the nine protected characteristics as laid out in the Equality Act 2010 age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. This policy covers all nine and as an organisation we also include nationality, political allegiance, and employment status.
Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. recognises that it has a broader duty than that which is required by legislation, and the company’s Equality and Diversity Policy is not limited to the demands of the relevant legislation (Equality Act). By actively embedding the contents of this policy in all that we do we will engage employees, learners, apprentices, and other stakeholders to ensure that no one will receive less favourable treatment in their quest to attain their full potential. We will help to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. We aim to advance equal opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
AWARENESS
Management will bring to the attention of all employees the provisions of the Policy and will provide any training necessary to ensure the effective implementation of the policy operates in practice. All employees and management of Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will undertake training in Equality and Diversity Awareness as soon as possible after they join the company and will receive refresher awareness training as part of Continuous Professional Development. All employees and agents of Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will be provided with a copy of the company’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
RECRUITMENT
Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will ensure that job and course descriptions reflect the Equal Opportunity Policy. Advertisements and other recruitment materials will state that the company is an equal opportunities employer and training provider.
Recruitment procedures will be constantly reviewed to ensure that they do not discriminate. In particular, Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will ensure that there is no unwarranted discrimination against anyone:
- In the job or course specification
- In the design and completion of application forms
- In the selection process (including interview timing and location)
- In the assessment technique
- In the terms of employment or structure of courses offered
A copy of this Equality and Diversity Policy statement is available to all job applicants, learners and apprentices and will be provided to all successful candidates for jobs and any learner or apprentice enrolling on a programme or apprenticeship with Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.
WORKING PRACTICES
Subject to due regard for the company’s operational practices, Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will ensure that there is no discrimination against anyone appointed to a job:
- In terms and conditions of service
- In induction arrangements
- In occupational pensions
Staff will be informed of company approaches to good working practices and relationships and be informed of all policies supporting equality and diversity including Safeguarding; e-safety, anti-bullying and harassment.
LEARNERS & APPRENTICES
Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will use its best endeavours to ensure that no prospective learner or apprentice is discriminated against. This will be highlighted to all at Induction and through the onboarding process and monitored at each Quarterly Progress Review. We will continue to create learning materials which are inclusive and representative of the communities we serve, ensuring that any imagery used in learning materials, on posters, in handbooks on the website etc are inclusive.
Learners and apprentices may require “Reasonable Adjustment” this is defined as any action or actions which help to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty in an assessment situation, to ensure that a learner is not placed at a substantial disadvantage. Reasonable adjustments must not, however, affect the reliability or validity of assessment outcomes nor must they give the learner an assessment advantage over other learners undertaking the same or similar assessments. The need for any reasonable adjustment will be discussed with apprentices during the quarterly progress reviews. A formal application has to be made to the different Awarding Bodies in accordance with the body specific Reasonable Adjustment Policies.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- changing or adapting the assessment method
- using assistive technology
- changing usual assessment arrangements.
MONITORING
In order to ensure the effective operation of the Equality and Diversity Policy and in accordance with GDPR legislation (and for no other purpose), Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will seek information from all applicants for employment and from apprenticeship candidates. This information will be gathered for statistical purposes only, it will be treated as confidential, and where possible it will be provided voluntarily by individuals categorising themselves rather than by others categorising them. Where necessary, employees will be able to check/correct their own record of these details. Otherwise, access to this information will be stringently restricted. If any member of staff, learner or apprentice believes that they have been discriminated against, they should follow Professional Academy Complaints Procedure.
A statistical record is maintained of the representation of persons with protected characteristics including women, disabled persons, and members of racial or ethnic minorities among current delegates, from application stage through recruitment and academic achievement of students. This allows Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. to evaluate intake and achievement rates monitor delegate progression in terms of attrition and results.
LEARNERS WITH INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. is committed to providing a learning environment for all learners, regardless of need or ability. One-to-one support is provided for learners with individual needs. Alternative formats of learning material can be provided upon request where available.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
The principle of equal opportunities is central to the way Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.’s training & learning operates, and full support is given to all learners who wish to achieve their qualification by responding to any special assessment requirements. Special requirement does not necessarily signify any physical handicap or disability, although this may be the case. Other circumstances that could fall within the category are:
- Limited access to information, advice, or assistance
- Limited access to technology
- Genuine restraints e.g., shift work
- Personal situations e.g., illness of learner or close relative, pregnancy, relocation, location
- Learning difficulties
- Cultural difficulties
- Language difficulties.
If a learner has any individual special assessment requirements that they believe may affect their assessment, they should contact our Student Support team at head office 01223 365505 or email support@professionalacademy.com immediately.
PROCESSES TO ENSURE EQUALITY
Resources: Appropriate learning materials, support and opportunities for training and assessment will be provided for learners and apprentices, including those with individual needs to enable access on equal terms as other learners.
Assessment: Assessment opportunities, materials and practice will be monitored to avoid bias and ensure fairness.
Facilities: Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.’s learning premises and equipment are risk assessed and arrangements are made to ensure access for all potential learners to buildings, learning, support and assessment facilities. Any learner who needs further assistance should notify the Student Support team at head office 01223 365505 or email support@professionalacademy.com immediately.
Learner commitment: Learners and apprentices who are not progressing with their awards will be referred to a Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. Senior Tutor in discussions with the apprentice’s employer and the Cambridge Professional Academy’s Operations Manager. If an apprentice appears not to be committed to the process despite support being offered by Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd., it will be necessary for the Senior Tutor to refer this matter back to the Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.’s Operations Manager where it will be brought to the attention of their employer for further support.
If a learner/apprentice or prospective learner/apprentice feels that unnecessary barriers have been created to prevent them from registering for the qualification of their choice or at the level they deem to be appropriate or if their progress through the award is being blocked, then they should contact the Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.’s Operations Manager directly 01223 365505 or email hazel.lott-canning@professionalacademy.com
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Management Team (SMT) is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Equality and Diversity strategy, reviewing the policy on an annual basis, and amending the Strategy and the Equality and Diversity Policy as required, as well as, securing compliance with the Policy. The SMT is also responsible for:
- Monitoring relevant legislation and publicising new information to staff and others
- Ensuring that staff are trained in the application of equal opportunities and diversity law and policies
- Enduring the staff understand the impact of this policy and how to effectively implement its contents in all their dealings with learners, apprentices and other stakeholders.
- Ensuring that learning materials are inclusive and representative of the communities we serve
- Sourcing relevant training to staff and others
- Distributing the Equality and Diversity Policy to any employers who request it
- Collecting and collating data on referrals in respect of Equality and Diversity issues and providing a summary to the Governance Board
- Attending relevant external courses and seminars in support of this role
This Policy will be reviewed not less than once per annum by the Senior Management Team and approved by Governance Board. The Governance Board meet 5 times per year to review performance, analyse data and identify any areas or issues which require investigation. Recommendations and obligations arising from this data will be delivered to the Senior Management Team (SMT) with dates for review of the actions taken.
All staff are responsible for ensuring that this policy is embedded in their duties and functions. This includes attending relevant training courses and ensuring that the operation of their duties conforms to and promotes the policy. All staff will champion Equality and Diversity opportunities as a matter of course.
Staff involved with learners will additionally verify their candidates’ awareness of Equality and Diversity opportunities, discuss instances of possible discrimination with candidates, and if necessary, take appropriate action to help remedy the problem. Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd. will also use its best endeavours to ensure that employers have in place equality and diversity policies that are at least equivalent to our own.
This policy should be read in conjunction with Cambridge Professional Academy Ltd.’s Safeguarding & Prevent policy and will be reviewed on an annual basis by SMT and approved by Governance Board.
