Equality and Diversity

Ridley Hall is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity.

The Public Sector Equality Duty (‘the general duty’), came into force on 5 April 2011, and replaced the previous separate equality duties for race, disability and gender.

The general duty requires Ridley Hall to have due regard in decision-making processes to foster good relationships regardless of race, gender/sex, cultural background, beliefs, religion.

Ridley Hall is entrusted with ensuring that its Equality policy is implemented at every level of the organisation and will deal with non-compliance appropriately:

• Ensuring that selection for recruitment, promotion, training and work allocation, is carried out in a non-discriminatory manner.
• Ensuring that selection for admission and ongoing assessment of students is carried out in a non-discriminatory manner.
• Working together to promote a harmonious working and studying environment and eliminating discrimination and harassment.
• Tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

Disability and Equality Statement

Ridley Hall ensures that the need of disabled persons are taken into account in all aspects of life of our community. It is the intention of Ridley Hall to promote equality for disabled people and challenge all forms of discrimination against them. As a Christian and part of a wider community of Federation, we believe that no one should be excluded or disadvantaged because of a disability. We continue to work towards a fully inclusive environment.

Ridley Hall is committed to promoting disability equality, eliminating unlawful discrimination in all of its activities and working towards ensuring that all staff and students with disabilities realise their potential. Ridley Hall values the diversity of its staff and student community and is committed to ensuring that the highest equality and diversity standards are implemented and maintained.

This means that we will adopt the principles of inclusiveness wherever possible in terms of designing, managing and monitoring the built environment. We aim to create a better environment for the entire community and improved access for disabled people and users in general.

This Disability Equality Policy sets out the overall policy objectives for improving and addressing disability inequalities and the action plan for delivering improvements to access and services.

Introduction and Background

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) is the overarching piece of disability legislation. Part 4 of the DDA was amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA). The Disability Discrimination Act (Amendment) Regulations 2003 followed and mainly amended part 2 of the DDA.

The DDA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

Under the DDA, discriminating against someone who is disabled by treating them less favourably can only be justifiable if their disability cannot be accommodated by making reasonable adjustments.

Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to their practices and premises to accommodate a disabled person, where some arrangement or physical feature of the premises causes a substantial disadvantage. Under SENDA there is a duty to anticipate what adjustments may be required and make them accordingly instead of acting in a reactive fashion for individual students.

Aims

The Aims of this policy are to ensure that:

• Reasonable adaptation to premises - accessible ramps, accessible WC, SpLD room, accessible library to both Ridley students and the wider Federation - are planned for and implemented;
• disabled staff and students have access to appropriate premises, College support and that reasonable local adaptations are made to maximise their inclusion in the life of the College;
• The views of the individual student or member of staff are taken into account at all times when their requirements are being assessed;
• Members of staff working with disabled people, either as colleagues or as students, have appropriate information and support;
• The College takes steps to enable staff and students who become disabled during their time at the College to continue in their chosen career or course of study;
• Disabled members of the public can fully participate in public events held on College premises;

So far as is reasonably practicable and within the constraints of existing buildings, College premises are partly accessible and safe for disabled people, however future investment in those areas is being reviewed at present.

Review and assessment of the policy

The policy will be reviewed as appropriate to ensure due regard to the Disability Rights and relevant legislation.

The Policy will be reviewed every 2 years. An assessment will be made of the effectiveness of the policy based on available data and appropriate consultation within the College’s community and representatives of student groups.

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