Equality and Diversity Standards for Teaching and Learning

Equality and Diversity UK is committed to embedding equality and diversity into curriculum design planning and delivery The equality and diversity standards set out in this pack represent the core of our systematic approach to embed equality and diversity across all teaching and learning.

We have taken a standard based approach because we recognise a congruence between this and an understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion as a set of real deliverables that impact on and shape the experience of managers, tutors, support staff and learners.

We believe that these are the equality, diversity and inclusion standards that practitioners and managers need to use in order to achieve fair and equitable outcomes for learners and staff across all education and training sectors.

We aim to continually evaluate the packs based on feedback on the use of the standards from each organisation using them, and will update all users with the amendments as and when they are made.

About this resource

Threading equality and diversity through the organisation and the curriculum has never been more important. Not only is it ‘a good thing’, but increasingly it is becoming both a legal requirement and something that Ofsted inspectors check for. The consequences of not embracing equality and diversity can result in damaging litigation and/or an Ofsted inspection judgement of ‘inadequate’ for the overall effectiveness of provision.

The Equality Act 2010 is a single source of discrimination law, setting out who is protected and the types of discrimination that are unlawful. It also introduces a new public sector equality duty on all public bodies, including colleges and schools, with the aims of:

• eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act
• advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
• fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Promoting equality of opportunity for all learners in a further education context is a key feature of the inspection framework. Your design, development and delivery of the curriculum plays an important part, in ensuring that your organisation meets its legal obligations and in ensuring that it acts in the best interests of all learners, meeting diverse needs and improving outcomes regardless of background.

Equality is also a key aspect of the Ofsted inspection framework. We know that in learning provision, promotion and management of equality and diversity are important to learners’ success. Learners cannot achieve their full potential unless their individual needs are met. The provider must be inclusive and equality and diversity must be effectively promoted.

In the 12 months, Ofsted has been focused closely on the impact of equality and diversity on learners. At the core of this is a sharp focus on the progress that all individuals and groups of learners are making over time, and whether providers are effectively narrowing the gap in achievement between underrepresented learners and their peers.

What does this resource do?

This resource looks in detail at the standards that individuals, managers, staff, tutors and support staff need; identifying what they must be able to do; and what they should know and understand in order to do it. It also outlines the behaviours that underpin personal and professional conduct

These standards are consistent and include the National Occupational Standards produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and by sector skills councils.

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