BSC EXAMINATIONS DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY POLICY

Introduction

The BSC fully supports the principle of diversity and equal opportunities and opposes all unlawful or unfair discrimination on any grounds.

The BSC aims to ensure that equality of opportunity is promoted in our products and services and that unlawful or unfair discrimination, whether direct or indirect, is eliminated. Hence this statement will be signposted in each QCF qualification specification and may be downloaded from the BSC website.

BSC responsibilities

As an awarding body, the BSC will ensure that:

  • the widest possible diversity of candidates can access the content and assessment of its qualification programmes;
  • the entry requirements, content and assessment demands of its qualification programmes are appropriate to the knowledge, understanding and skills specified and do not act as unnecessary barriers to achievement;
  • it endeavours to produce materials that do not cause offence;
  • the language used in its assessment materials is clear, free from bias and appropriate to the programme of study and target group;
  • it acts fairly at all times when working with centres, course providers and candidates;
  • its products and services are regularly reviewed against this statement.

Therefore, through our qualification development procedures and associated templates/checklists and management and quality assurance arrangements, the BSC will give consideration to how it can ensure equality for all learners. We will, where it is reasonable and practical to do so, take steps to address identified inequalities or barriers that may arise: between people of different religions and beliefs, racial groups, ages, marital / civil partnership status and sexual orientations; between men and women generally; between disabled and non-disabled people; between persons of different political opinion; between those with dependants and those without; or on any other ground or status.

In addition we will consult with relevant learners and/or their representatives to ensure that there are no barriers to entry to units and qualifications we develop and/or offer for disabled people, for women or men, or people from different racial groups, other than those directly related to the integrity of units or qualifications.

Should any barriers be identified they are recorded in the associated qualification/unit development materials along with justification of the requirements and details of how the effect of any barriers will be mitigated (e.g by using access arrangements, including reasonable adjustments). These are then reviewed for appropriateness by the Head of Qualifications before the final content is signed-off and the qualification/unit accredited.

BSC staff

The statement is provided to all staff upon joining BSC.

In addition, as part of their induction, each member of staff will receive training in equal opportunities and diversity issues and how BSC complies with the relevant legislation in relation to our range of activities and in particular with regards to the development of QCF units and qualifications.

Staff involved in the development of QCF provision will be trained on how to identify equality and diversity issues as part of the development process and how to record and address these via the associated templates and checklists. At all times staff will be able to contact the Head of Qualifications to flag up equality and diversity issues and/or to request further individual or group training and guidance - whether that be through formal or informal training methods (e.g formal training events run by external experts or regulatory bodies, or through a standardisation discussion/review with all staff involved in development at the next team/review meeting).

Responsibilities of centres

The BSC expects its centres and course providers to:

  • adhere to current equal opportunities legislation;
  • operate an effective equal opportunities policy with which candidates are familiar and which applies to all candidates undertaking programmes of study leading to BSC qualifications.

Relevant legislation

As a recognised awarding body we commit to complying with the requirements of equalities legislation in force from time to time, which at the time of writing includes, but is not limited to:

  • The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974;
  • The Sex Discrimination Act 1975;
  • The NHS Community Care Act 1990;
  • The Disability Discrimination Act 1995;
  • The Asylum and Immigration Act 1996;
  • The Human Rights Act 1998;
  • The Sex Discrimination (Gender Realignment) Regulations 1999;
  • The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulation 2003;
  • The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2003;
  • The Equal Pay Act 1970 (Amendment) Regulations 2003;
  • The Race Relations Act 1976, The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, and Amendment Regulations 2003;
  • The Gender Recognition Act 2004;
  • The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005;
  • The Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006;
  • The Equality Act 2006;
  • The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulation 2007.

Monitoring and review of these arrangements

This statement is reviewed annually and may be revised in response to customer and stakeholder feedback, changes in BSC practices, actions from the regulatory authorities or changes in legislation. Examples of how the BSC will review the appropriateness of our arrangements include:

  • The collection and analysis of data in relation to requests for special consideration, access arrangements, the diversity of the learner groups.
  • Feedback from learners, centres and other stakeholders on the appropriateness of our provision and delivery arrangements, for example through our annual customer satisfaction survey.
  • Ensuring that all parties involved in, and consulted during, the development of units and qualification rules of combination are aware of their responsibility to evaluate all drafts for perceived equality and diversity issues and report these back to the Head of Qualifications to review and take the appropriate course of action (including, and not limited to, changing aspects of our development arrangements and this policy statement).

Contact details for this policy

Sarah Reed
Quality and Compliance Manager
BSC Examinations
70 Chancellors Road
London W6 9RS

Telephone: 020 8600 1031
E-mail: examinations@britsafe.org

Website: www.britsafe.org/qualifications
First published: April 2004
Last updated: November 2009