Athena School of Natural Therapies - Policies

• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Mission Statement
• Insurance
• Health and Safety Statement
• Environmental Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• Educational Aims
• Grievance Procedure
• Disciplinary Rules and Disciplinary Procedure
• Harassment and Bullying Prevention Policy
• Disability Equality Scheme 2008-2009
• Disability Statement
• Race Equality Scheme 2008-2009

Equal Opportunities Policy

The objective of Athena School of Natural Therapies (hereafter referred to only as “Athena”) is to maintain operational standards so that all its employees and employment applicants are treated equally, irrespective of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin.

Athena tutors are instructed to ensure the following:

1. There shall be no discrimination in respect of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin.
2. Recruitment, promotion, training and development and redundancy shall be determined on capability and merit only.
3. Athena's tutors have personal responsibility for the practical application of this Policy, which applies to the treatment of students and the general public as well as to each other.
4. Any Athena tutor that is involved in recruitment, promotion or training has specific responsibility for the practical application of this Equal Opportunity Policy.
5. In the event that someone considers that he/she has been the subject of unfair discrimination, or any form of harassment or victimisation, the employee should refer to the Athena Grievance Procedure.
6. Anyone who has been determined to have committed an act of unlawful discrimination shall be subject to disciplinary action according to Athena’s Disciplinary Rules and Procedures.
7. If there is any doubt about the terms of this Policy or the application thereof anyone should consult the Athena Co-ordinator and Registrar

Mission Statement

Athena School of Natural Therapies aims to encourage and help all students to gain confidence and grow so that they may acquire the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in their chosen career.

Small class sizes ensure excellent personal tuition, assisting students to achieve a recognised and accredited qualification.

Insurance

Upon successful completion of each course, a certificate or diploma is awarded, which entitles the therapist to apply for their own insurance through our specialist block scheme.

Health and Safety Statement

Introduction
We all have a legal and moral duty to make Athena School of Natural Therapies (hereafter referred to only as “Athena”) as safe and healthy a working environment as is reasonably practicable. This document comprises Athena’s, organisation and arrangements for the health, safety and welfare of staff, students, contractors, visitors and others. The policy communicates the beliefs, direction and commitment to health and safety within Athena.

Our primary aim is to manage the risks to those who may be affected by Athena’s actions or omissions. Such management will form part of the general operation of the Athena and assist in reducing losses resulting from failure to control.

The following is a general statement of policy and must be read in conjunction with all other relevant safety policies, procedures and  rules.

General Statement of Policy for Health & Safety
Athena recognises that health and safety, as with any other corporate responsibility, has to be managed successfully at all levels. Successful health and safety management contributes to Athena’s overall performance by preserving and developing human and physical resources, reducing costs and liabilities and is an expression of corporate responsibility. All staff can make a valid contribution to achieving this objective and have a duty to take reasonable care of themselves and those affected by their actions or omissions.

Athena is committed to improving performance in health and safety and is also committed to health promotion by encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyles by its staff and students. Statutory requirements and the general duty of care form the basis upon which Athena's health and safety commitment is built. By realistic planning, review and development, Athena undertakes to achieve successful health and safety management and appropriate resources will be made available for this purpose. Athena will ensure that the policy objectives listed on the following pages are adopted and implemented.

Athena recognises the importance staff have in formulating and reviewing the policy. All are encouraged to comment and make representation regarding the policy through existing communication links with School Principal, Departmental Safety Officer, Trade Union Safety Representative or the Secretary to the Health and Safety Committee as from time to time existing.

It is the responsibility of the Managing Director, accountable to the Board of Directors, to ensure that this policy is fully implemented, regularly reviewed and communicated within Athena. The review, implementation and communication will be co-ordinated by the Athena Health and Safety Officer and the Health and Safety Committee.

Debra G Goldston
Managing Director

To view the Policy Objectives click here

Environmental Policy

Environmental responsibility means first that our actions should comply with the relevant environmental legislation. It also means that we should seek to behave in a way that protects or preserves the environment. Although it is the Board of Directors of Athena School of Natural Therapies (hereafter referred to only as “Athena”) which has the ultimate responsibility for the environmental performance of Athena, we all have to share this responsibility.
 
An Environmental Handbook has been produced so that everyone may know how they should contribute to the care of the environment. It is issued with the authority of the Managing Director, who is accountable to the Board of Directors for Athena’s performance and behaviour. The Handbook describes our statutory obligations including the prevention of pollution, the people who have been nominated as environmental representatives, and the procedures which we have adopted to ensure that we not only comply with legislation, but that we are also environmentally aware and take the necessary action to improve our environmental performance. It applies to Athena’s staff and students and others who work on our behalf e.g. contractors.

This Policy Statement is supplemented by other specific policy statements relating to particular environmental aspects, e.g. energy conservation, traffic. These supplementary statements can be found in the Handbook.

To ensure that this environmental policy is kept up to date, we have instituted an annual environmental audit. The audit has three objectives:

• To ensure that we react properly as the law changes.
• To update the Handbook accordingly.
• To check that we are complying with the procedures that have been adopted.

Data Protection Policy

Athena School of Natural Therapies (hereafter referred to only as “Athena”) is registered as a data controller with the Office of the Information Commissioner. The College’s Data Protection Officer is Mrs Debra Goldston, Managing Director and Head of School), though specific enquiries about student-related data should be made to Tina Dunn, Administration Manager in the first instance.

Athena processes data relating to its students for the following purposes:

• maintenance of the student record and management of academic processes
• the management of Athena social events
• alumni operations
• the provision by Athena of advice and support to students
• internal research into improving education and educational services and quality and performance monitoring
• statutory requirements under various statutes, including the Further & Higher Education Act 1992

Athena, via the Student Registry and other ancillary departments, allows access to employees and agents of Athena (on a need-to-know basis only).

Student information is disclosed to a variety of third parties or their agents, notably:

• students’ sponsors (including LEAs, the Student Loan Company, and funding councils, other sponsors)
• relevant government departments to whom we have a statutory obligation to release information (including the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and Council Tax officers)
• current or potential employers of our students with the individual’s consent
• current or potential providers of education to our students This covers Franchise and Associate Colleges
• credit reference agencies who may keep details of the searches we make about students, and debt collection agencies for specific circumstances

NB. Disclosures to organisations not listed above will be made in specific legitimate circumstances. Consent from the student will be sought where necessary and students will be informed of such disclosures unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Athena undertakes to maintain student data in secure conditions and to process and disclose data only within the terms of its Data Protection notification. The details above indicate the nature of this notification but are not exhaustive. Full details of Athena’s Notification are on the Information Commissioners website at www.dataprotection.gov.uk.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have a right to request and receive a copy of the current personal information held on you by Athena and a right to object to data processing that is inaccurate or, causes substantial unwarranted damaged or substantial unwarranted distress. On request Athena will also inform you of the credit agencies it has contacted and the personal details it has disclosed to them.

A copy of the Athena Data Protection policy is available upon request. Please contact Karen Foster if you have any specific questions relating to the Data Protection Policy, or for details of procedures relating to your rights as a data subject.

Educational Aims

1. Athena School of Natural Therapies is committed, both in teaching and research, to confront Intellectual and practical problems and Issues on an Inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary basis.
2. Athena is a face to face-based school which aims for a relatively high degree of integration between the academic and the social/cultural experiences of its students. Whilst we have some successful distance learning programmes, and also value collaborative work and partnerships, the education we provide is mainly face- to-face. This does not mean that we are against innovation: new techniques and new technology are employed. We do, however, continue to believe in the effectiveness of interactive learning based on discussion between tutors and students.
3. We set our educational aims under three headings:
   ACHIEVEMENT     BREADTH     CAPABILITY
   We will now look at these as follows:

Achievement

4. We encourage all our students to reach their highest potential. By this we mean that, at every stage, we look to our students to improve on their personal 'best performance' and not be content with 'second best'.
5. Sometimes, because they aim high, students may not succeed. Nevertheless. we encourage our students to be adventurous because we believe that, successful first time around or not, they will learn from setting high standards and applying persistent efforts to study.

Breadth

6. Athena has always valued breadth because we believe that our students expect to receive both a nationally recognised education and a good preparation for the world in which they will live and work after they leave us.
7. Breadth in complementary therapy education is, for Athena, a critical aim because our students will qualify into a world which they will experience and shape through social relationships of many kinds. We are conscious that the knowledge-based technologies which underpin economic production in the contemporary world require intelligent and adaptable individuals. Our therapists are well placed to contribute effectively.

Capability

8. How a student learns and how a student is taught are critical factors in the development of capability .The development of a mature approach to study is vital both for high achievement a  for providing a springboard to success in the world beyond . The real world values capability, or key skills, above all else.
9. Athena encourages student-centred approaches to teaching and learning which aim to make students more responsible for their own education. This means that students must develop the capacity to:

• acquire and apply knowledge in pursuit of independent study and research;
• accept obligations to their fellow students and to their tutors;
• communicate ideas and information;
• listen to and collaborate with others in mutually planned activities;
• set achievable and relevant goals;
• be creative and honest in their thinking and actions;
• assess the effectiveness of their actions.

Graduate expectations

10. We see it as good practice to express our educational aims in terms of 'expectations': the key abilities, skills and qualities our students can reasonably expect to achieve by the time they qualify. Of course, the interpretation of these aims, and their respective weighting, will vary between subjects but together they provide a framework within which Athena can develop its learning objectives for all programmes.
11. Athena identifies the development of the following key abilities, skills and qualities as its educational aims for all.

Academic Achievement

• A substantial grounding in at least two academic disciplines, for example Anatomy and Physiology and Reflexology,  which may be complementary or contrasting, including subject knowledge, appropriate conceptual paradigms, an understanding of major theories, and practical skills as appropriate to the discipline.
• The development of general academic skills necessary for independent research, for example: critical reasoning, conceptualisation, narrative exposition, analysis, synthesis, logical argument, creativity, evaluation of evidence.

Breadth of Approach

• An awareness of the contexts, boundaries, and linkages between subjects, including the provisional nature of knowledge.
• An understanding of the methods and approach of both a scientific and a non- scientific  (holistic) discipline, so that awareness is developed of links and contrasts between arts and sciences.
• An appreciation of the social, environmental and global implications of their studies, including a recognition of any ethical implications.

CapabIlity

• The self-motivation to develop independent study skills, including independence of thought and the persistence to complete a given task.
• The maturity and judgement to manage one's own personal development, including a capacity for self-reflection, self-assessment and self-criticism
• Mature interpersonal skills and awareness, including a capacity to work in groups both as a team member and as a leader, to be sensitive to the views of others, to negotiate, to be aware of how one's actions are seen by others.
• The ability to use conventional printed sources of information effectively.
• The ability to use contemporary information technology effectively.
• The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, including the expression of technical knowledge to a relevant lay audience.
• A readiness for lifelong learning and a recognition of its necessity.

Grievance Procedure January 2007

The grievance procedure enables Athena to ensure that any problems, complaints or concerns raised by its Tutors and students are dealt with in a fair, timely and consistent manner. Any discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin should be countered and dealt with in an appropriate manner.

1. Informal
   If you have a grievance or complaint regarding your course, or treatment by Athena Tutors, or if you are concerned about your health and safety you should first talk the matter over on an informal basis with your Tutor. He/she will discuss your concerns with you and attempt to resolve the matter within a reasonable timescale.

2. Formal
   If you feel that your grievance has not been resolved or cannot be settled informally, you should write to Athena about the issue. You will then be invited to attend a meeting to discuss the grievance; you must take all reasonable steps to attend this meeting. Athena will consider the matter carefully and communicate the outcome to you in writing within 28 working days.

3. Appeal
   If you feel that your grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved, you have the right to raise an appeal. Your request for an appeal should be submitted to Athena in writing within seven working days of you receiving written confirmation of the outcome of the formal grievance meeting. A further meeting will be arranged so that you can discuss your grievance appeal with Athena. The outcome will be communicated to you in writing within fourteen working days. Decisions made at this point are final and the grievance procedure is concluded.

You have the right to be accompanied, if you wish, by a colleague at any grievance and appeal meetings. If your chosen companion is not available at the proposed time, you may request that the meeting is postponed for up to five working days in order that they can accompany you.

Where possible, the different stages of the procedure will be handled by different Athena Tutor members (normally of increasing seniority). However, where this is not practicable, the same person may handle the different stages and he/she will act as impartially as possible.

Grievances will be handled with as high a degree of confidentiality as is practicable, particularly when the issue is of a sensitive nature.

Confidential records of the grievance will be kept in the Athena archive in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Copies of meeting notes will be provided, although Athena reserves the right to withhold certain information (e.g. to protect a witness).

Please note that where timescales are specified in this procedure, they may be extended by mutual consent if necessary.

Disciplinary Rules and Disciplinary Procedure January 2007

1. Introduction
   The purpose of the disciplinary procedure is to ensure that any concerns over Athena tutor and/or student conduct or performance are handled in a fair, consistent and timely manner with the intention of bringing about an improvement, and to protect the proper operation of Athena. This procedure may be reviewed and updated from time to time. Any amendments will be notified to Athena Tutors in writing, following consultation and/or notice where appropriate.

2. Rules and Application
   The following are some examples of types of conduct that will normally be addressed through implementation of the Company’s disciplinary procedure:

• Unsatisfactory teaching performance;
• Breaches of Athena policies and procedures;
• Inappropriate behaviour (e.g. fighting, drunkenness, etc.);
• Bullying, harassment or victimisation;
• Discrimination on any of the grounds listed in Athena’s Equal Opportunities Policy: e.g. race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin;
• Serious or repeated failure to follow reasonable requests or instructions;
• Abuse, misuse or neglect of Athena’s property or facilities.
• Persistent lateness or poor timekeeping in tutored/tutoring situations

Where time limits are referred to in this procedure, they may be shortened or extended by mutual consent.

Disciplinary matters will be handled with as high a degree of confidentiality as is practicable, particularly when the issue is of a sensitive nature.

Confidential records of disciplinary matters will be kept in Athena’s archive in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Copies of meeting notes will be provided to the person, although Athena reserves the right to withhold certain information (e.g. to protect a witness).

Athena reserves the right to suspend a tutor, normally for no more than one month, while a disciplinary offence is investigated. Minor disciplinary offences and general issues of poor performance will be handled informally in the first instance, through discussion/ counselling and informal warning(s). Where an informal approach fails to bring about the desired improvement, or where the offence is more serious, the formal disciplinary procedure will be followed.

3. Formal Disciplinary Procedure
   There will be a careful investigation of any alleged offence before disciplinary action is taken against a tutor or student. If Athena concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the person may have committed an act of misconduct, he/she will be asked to attend a disciplinary hearing. In the event of poor performance by a tutor, disciplinary hearings will usually be undertaken only where informal approaches have failed to produce a satisfactory improvement.

In the event of a disciplinary hearing, Athena will:-

• give the person a minimum of 28 days advance notice of the meeting in writing, making it clear that the meeting is being held under Athena’s formal disciplinary procedure and detailing the alleged misconduct;
• remind the person of their right to be accompanied at the meeting by a colleague
• give the person, at the meeting, a full explanation of the case against them;
• give the person, at the meeting, every opportunity to challenge allegations against them, state their case and put forward an explanation of their conduct and any mitigating factors;
• take all relevant factors into account before reaching decisions about any disciplinary action;
• confirm the outcome of the disciplinary hearing in writing within twenty eight days, specifying the reason for any disciplinary action, the standards of conduct, details of any objectives and timescales agreed, the consequence of failing to achieve acceptable improvements, and the period after which any warning will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes;
• remind the person of their right to appeal against any disciplinary action;
• maintain appropriate records in Athena’s Archive.

The stages of the formal disciplinary procedure shall be as follows:

• Stage 1 – formal verbal warning
• Stage 2 – first written warning
• Stage 3 – final written warning
• Stage 4 – dismissal (or other penalty)

If a warning does not bring about the desired level of improvement in the person’s conduct or performance, or for repeated minor offences, then the person will normally progress to the next stage of the formal procedure. Athena reserves the right to implement the procedure at any stage, taking into account the nature and severity of the disciplinary offence. For example, where conduct is sufficiently serious to justify only a single written warning but insufficiently serious to justify dismissal, a person may be given a final written warning for a first offence.

Where appropriate, Athena reserves the right to impose disciplinary penalties as an alternative to removal of a tutor or student.

4. Gross Misconduct
   In the event that a person commits an act of gross misconduct, Athena is entitled to summarily terminate a tutor’s appointment or student’s attendance (as appropriate) without notice.

The following non-exhaustive list gives examples of offences that the Company will normally regard as gross misconduct:-

• Theft, fraud, dishonesty or deliberate falsification of records;
• Fighting, assault or other violent behaviour;
• Deliberate damage to, or misuse of, Athena’s property;
• Incapability at work due to the effect of alcohol or drugs;
• Possession, custody or control of illegal drugs on Athena’s premises;
• Serious breach of Athena’s rules, policies and procedures;
• Serious negligence which causes loss, damage or injury;
• Conduct likely to bring Athena’s name and reputation into disrepute;
• Bullying, harassment, victimisation or discrimination;
• Serious acts of insubordination.

5. Appeal
   People have the right to appeal against any formal disciplinary action. An appeal should be made in writing within seven working days. An appeal meeting will be arranged and the outcome confirmed in writing within fourteen working days of the meeting. Decisions made at this stage will be final. Where possible, the appeal will be handled by a different (preferably more senior) Athena tutor other than the one involved in the disciplinary hearing. However, where this is not practicable, the same person may handle both the disciplinary and the appeal meetings and he/she will act as impartially as possible

Harassment and Bullying Prevention Policy - Policy Statement

1.1 Athena wishes to provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment which will enable its Tutors and their students to fulfil their personal potential and creativity. Athena accepts that such an environment cannot be created or sustained if anyone is subject to harassment, intimidation, aggression or coercion.

1.2 Athena is fully committed to the principles of equal opportunities in the workplace and regards personal harassment as a discriminatory and unacceptable form of behaviour.

1.3 Accordingly, Athena will treat any incident of harassment as a serious matter which may lead to disciplinary action according to the terms of Disciplinary Policy, up to and including termination of appointment or dismissal from a course, being taken against the perpetrator.

1.4 All Athena Tutors are responsible for ensuring that personal harassment of another person does not occur.

1.5 Harassment outside the teaching environment may nevertheless fall within the remit of this policy and its procedures.

1.6 In addition to any penalty imposed by Athena, those responsible for harassing others may be subject to criminal and/or civil proceedings. Nothing in this policy and its procedures will prevent Athena Tutors and students from exercising their legal rights.

2. Policy Definition

2.1 Harassment may take many forms but essentially consists of behaviour, which is unacceptable to and diminishes the dignity of the recipient(s) and which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment for that individual.

2.2 Harassment may involve single, sporadic or continuing acts of intimidation, coercion, bullying, verbal or physical abuse, or the creation and/or maintenance of an offensive working environment for others. Harassment relating to another’s sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, gender reassignment, marital status or ethnic origin is all included within this definition.

3. Types Of Personal Harassment

• Sexual harassment
• Racial harassment
• Harassment on the basis of religion
• Bullying
• Other forms of harassment

3.1 Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and involves unwanted and unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. This may be physical or verbal or involve the denigration of an individual on sexual grounds or by sexual means. Some examples of sexual harassment are:

• indecent assault
• deliberate physical contact to which the individual has not consented or had the opportunity to object to
• offensive or derogatory language alluding to a person's private life or sexual behaviour or orientation by innuendo, jokes or remarks
• provocative suggestions
• pressing an individual to accept unwelcome invitations
• the display of suggestive or pornographic material
• unwelcome repeated telephone calls, letters or emails

These examples should not be seen as exhaustive: any unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the recipient may be regarded as sexual harassment.

3.2 Racial harassment

Racial harassment is any behaviour, deliberate or otherwise, relating to race, colour, ethnic or national origin directed at an individual or group, which is found to be offensive or objectionable to the recipient and which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Some examples include:

• physical attack
• verbal abuse, threats, derogatory name-calling, racist insults and jokes
• ridicule of an individual on racial or cultural grounds
• exclusion from normal workplace interactions or social events
• unfair allocation of work and/or responsibilities
• racist graffiti/insignia or display of racist material
• inciting others to commit any of the above

3.3 Harassment on the basis of religion

Harassment on the basis of religion is any behaviour, deliberate or otherwise, relating to religion or religious persuasion directed at an individual or group, which is found to be offensive or objectionable to the recipient and which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. Some examples include:

• physical attack
• verbal abuse, threats, derogatory name-calling, religious insults and jokes
• ridicule of an individual on grounds of religion or beliefs
• exclusion from normal places of interaction or social events
• unfair allocation of work and/or responsibilities
• inciting others to commit any of the above

 3.4 Bullying

Bullying in the workplace damages individuals’ health and lives and also undermines productivity and effective relationships. Bullying can occur when a superior uses the opportunity of position to intimidate a subordinate, in peer relationships or, in rare cases, may affect someone in a superior position. Bullying can be broadly defined as behaviour which consistently undermines another's confidence, reducing feelings of self-esteem and selfworth.Such behaviour may be deliberate, as in a planned campaign, or may arise out of the bully's own immaturity, lack of inter-personal skills and poor self-confidence. It is generally psychological, rarely though sometimes physical, and may also be exacerbated by the bully's own susceptibility and reaction to stress. In a teaching environment bullying consists of the abuse of power and the regular use of inappropriate behaviours at the expense of another individual. Some examples of these behaviours include:

• physical or verbal abuse, including threats
• psychological intimidation, humiliation, excessive and/or unreasonable criticism
• unjustifiable removal of areas of responsibility
• ostracism (“sent to Coventry”)/exclusion
• malicious lies
• setting unreasonable and unrealistic goals/targets
• “academic bullying”: i.e. asserting a position of intellectual superiority in an aggressive, abusive or offensive manner; threats of academic failure; public sarcasm and humiliation

Note: Legitimate, constructive and fair criticism of a someone’s performance or behaviour will not be considered to be bullying or harassment. Athena will not condone bullying under the guise of “strong management” but, conversely, regards an assertive management style as acceptable provided that people are treated with respect and dignity.

 3.5 Other forms of harassment

The following are further examples of specific types of harassment but, once again, should not be considered an exhaustive list:

• homophobic harassment, i.e. harassment directed at homosexual persons or groups on the grounds of their sexual orientation (applying equally to homosexual men or women)
• harassment in respect of a recipient’s disability or impairment
• repeated gibes in respect of personal traits or appearance, practical jokes or invasions of privacy, any or all of which may cause physical or psychological distress
• discrimination on the grounds of age. Harassment on the grounds of age is based on attitudes or assumptions and stereotyping which are prejudicial to older or younger people. Some examples of ageist harassment are derogatory remarks or behaviour, expressing prejudicial assumptions about abilities or excluding people from social activities.

Disability Equality Scheme 2008-2009

Mission

To raise aspirations and achievement through excellence in teaching, training and learning.

Disability Equality Commitment 

Athena School of Natural Therapies (“Athena”) is committed to supporting the learning and employment of students and staff with impairments. The College will be proactive in ensuring that all staff, students, governors and visitors are treated with fairness, dignity and respect in a safe, positive working and learning environment, free from discrimination or harassment.

According to the Disability Discrimination Act a disabled person is someone with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term impact on their ability to carry out day to day activities.

This document should be read in conjunction with the College’s

• General Equality Policy
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Race Equality Policy
• Disability Statement

Disability Equality Duty

In accordance with the duties outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, in all areas of work Athena will strive to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination
• Promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people
• Eliminate disability-related harassment
• Promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
• Encourage participation by people with disabilities in public life
• Take account of disabled people.s disabilities, even where that involves treating disabled people more favourably than others.

We believe that implementing the duty will close the gap between the expectations, experiences, education, qualifications and employment of disabled and non-disabled people.

Meeting our Responsibilities

College Managers are responsible for:

• Ensuring they are aware of the College’s statutory duties in relation to disability legislation
• Putting the Disability Equality Scheme and the action plan into practice
• Ensuring that all staff know their responsibilities and receive induction, support and training to ensure they carry out their responsibilities in relation to disability equality
• Establishing improvement measures for recruitment, retention and achievement of students with disabilities
• Establishing improvement measures for the recruitment and promotion of staff based on the analysis of disability information
• Through the college’s quality assurance processes, ensuring that curriculum and service areas review and develop appropriate practice with regard to disability equality and equal opportunities
• Taking action against staff or students who discriminate

Staff are responsible for:

• Ensuring that they are aware of the College’s statutory duties and that they work within the College’s Disability Equality Scheme
• Ensuring that curriculum materials and activities demonstrate an appreciation of the needs of learners with disabilities and promote a positive image of disability and the social aspirations of people with disabilities
• Ensuring that they participate in the rigorous and regular review of the delivery of learning programmes and other college functions in order to develop best practice with regard to promoting disability equality and equality of opportunity
• Ensuring that they challenge disability and discrimination whenever it occurs to ensure that Athena is an enabling environment where everyone enjoys respect and equality of opportunity

Disability Statement

Athena is committed to equality, diversity and social inclusion for all – both students and staff.

We want to remove any barriers to learning, and to ensure that all staff, students and visitors are treated with fairness, dignity and respect in a safe, positive, working and learning environment, free from discrimination or harassment. These principles underpin all areas of College work.

You do not have to tell us about your disability. That is your right. If you do tell us, then we can help you. You will find that we have many helpful systems standing by to support you. The most important thing to remember is that our staff are ready to give advice and support at any time.

Help Available

If you have a disability and/or learning need then please tell us and if necessary talk to one of our learning support team. We have staff who understand the following range of needs:

1. Mobility
2. Manual dexterity
3. Speech, hearing and eyesight impairments
4. Memory or ability to concentrate, learn or understand
5. Perception of the risk of physical danger

We also have trained staff who understand concerns such as:

1. Dyslexia
2. Dyspraxia
3. Dyscalculia
4. ADHD
5. Autistic spectrum concerns
6. Concerns over literacy and numeracy
7. Challenging behaviour

If you feel your concerns are not mentioned above then tell us anyway and we will do all we can to help you.

We have qualified dyslexia specialist teachers and we provide qualified staff to work with visually impaired students. We also provide signers and note-takers.

Examination Support

We can make special examination arrangements such as extra time, readers, writers, and adjusted papers.

Physical Access

1. All of our teaching sites have disabled car parking spaces
2. There are toilets for people with disabilities
3. There are lifts in each main building

How to Join Us:

You will need to complete an application form. If you have problems with writing, spelling or communicating in writing we will help you. If you would like to bring a friend or relative to the admission meeting, then please do so. Once we have met you and assessed your needs, we will be able to explain the level of support we can give you, and we will prepare an individual plan to help you succeed.

Race Equality Scheme 2008-2009

Mission

To raise aspirations and achievement through excellence in teaching, training and learning.

Race Equality Commitment

Athena celebrates and values the diversity brought by students and employees from a variety of racial, ethnic and national backgrounds. The College will treat all students and employees with respect and dignity, and seek to provide a positive working and learning environment free from racial discrimination, harassment or victimisation.

The College undertakes to provide training and support for staff and students, to consult about their experiences in the working and learning environment, and to provide diverse images in any material which it produces for learners and staff. By respecting difference and diversity, we will develop a shared commitment to foster positive relationships and to challenge and prevent discrimination.

Race Equality Duty

Under the Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended by the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000), the College has a general duty to:

• Eliminate unlawful race discrimination
• Promote equality of opportunity
• Promote good relations between people from different racial groups

It also has specific duties to:

• Prepare and maintain a written race equality policy
• Assess the impact of its policies on students and staff from different racial groups
• Monitor the admission and progress of students and the recruitment and career progress of staff by racial groups
• Set out the College’s arrangements for publishing the results of assessments and monitoring
• Where reasonably practicable publish annually the results of assessments and monitoring.

Meeting Our Duties

We will seek to ensure that:

• Governors, staff, learners and their sponsors (including work placement providers) are aware of our racial equality policy and the action needed for its implementation.
• Staff learners and their sponsors (including work placement providers) are aware of the value placed upon equal opportunity and that action will be taken in the event of any breach of the policy.
• Governors and staff have access to comprehensive information, which assists them to plan, implement and monitor actions to carry out their responsibilities under the policy.
• The College’s publicity materials present appropriate and positive messages about minority racial groups.

Monitoring our Progress

We will consider the following information by racial group origin:

For Learners:

• Racial group profiles of learners
• Applications, success and failure rates for admission to programmes
• Retention rates
• Achievement rates
• Disciplinary action
• Complaints by learners or their sponsors
• Student surveys
  

For Employees:

• Racial group profiles of employees by grade/salary scales and type of work
• Job application rates
• Selection success rates
• Type of contract (permanent, temporary)
• Training/Staff Development
• Promotion application and success rates
• Disciplinary/capability proceedings
• Grievances

Through the monitoring process the College will introduce targets to reduce any identified disadvantage.

Meeting our responsibilities

The Principal and Executive team are responsible for ensuring that: Taking the lead in creating a positive, inclusive ethos that challenges racist or inappropriate behaviour on the part of the managers, staff or learners.

College Managers are responsible for ensuring that:

• They are aware of the College’s statutory duties in relation to race legislation.
• All aspects of College policy and activity are sensitive to racial issues
• When racial group monitoring information has been collected and analysed and indicates that action is required, setting appropriate targets for the recruitment, retention and achievement of learners based upon that analysis
• The procedures for the recruitment and promotion of staff enshrine best practice in equal opportunities
• When racial group monitoring information has been collected and analysed and indicates that action is required, appropriate targets will be set for the recruitment and promotion of staff based upon that analysis.
• The College’s publicity materials present appropriate and positive messages about minority racial groups.
• Learner induction programmes and tutorial programmes reflect the College’s commitment to promote equality of opportunity
• Appropriate training and development is provided to support the appreciation and understanding of diversity.

Staff are responsible for ensuring that:

• They are aware of the College’s statutory duties in relation to race legislation
• Their schemes of work, lesson content and teaching resources demonstrate sensitivity to issues of cultural diversity
• They challenge inappropriate behaviour by learners, work placement providers, outside contractors or other members of staff.

Handling Complaints

• Athena will seek to provide a supportive environment for those who make claims of discrimination or harassment.
• Acts of racial discrimination (direct or indirect), harassment, victimisation or abuse will be treated as a serious disciplinary offence.
• Staff who feel they are being discriminated against on racial grounds by other members of staff should raise the matter under the Grievance Procedure.
• If, in the course of their work, College staff suffer racial discrimination from members of the public, the College will take appropriate action and provide appropriate support.
• Any student racist behaviour will be dealt with under the student disciplinary procedure.