Equality and Diversity Policy

Online Learning College is a trading name of Oakwood Home Learning Limited.

Oakwood Home Learning is committed to achieving equality of opportunity, social inclusion and parity of esteem for all who study and work with the Centre, and seeks to reflect and celebrate the diversity of its community.

Oakwood Home Learning is committed to equality of opportunity and social inclusion by:

Seeking to recruit a learner population and attract a workforce that reflects the diverse community at large because we value and respect the individual contributions of all people.  There is a responsibility on all learners and associates to treat each other with dignity and respect.

Oakwood Home Learning will take positive action to provide equality of access and parity of esteem for all who study and work here.

No learner, associate or applicant should be disadvantaged or treated less favourably because of conditions or requirements that cannot be justified.  Oakwood Home Learning will seek to make reasonable adjustments to its arrangements and premises with a view to avoiding substantial disadvantage for people with disability.

Action will be taken to ensure that individuals are treated equally and fairly and that decisions on recruitment and admission, selection of staff, training, career progression and management, and on exclusion from learning or the termination of employment, are based solely on objective and relevant criteria.

Oakwood Home Learning will operate zero tolerance of discrimination or harassment of any kind.

We will seek to provide a learning and working environment that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation.  Any form of behaviour that discriminates, without proper justification, on the grounds of such factors as gender, marital status, family responsibility, sexuality, race, nationality, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or religious belief, social class, medical conditions, disability, trade union membership or activity, age and unrelated criminal convictions will not be tolerated.

Oakwood Home Learning will take positive action to remove barriers to achievement.

We will seek to ensure that no one in learning or as an associate is disadvantaged from being able to realise their full potential.  For both learners and associates it will take steps to identify, address, eliminate or minimise any unnecessary or artificial regulations, requirements or conditions that cannot be shown to be directly relevant to maximising an individual’s performance.

In order to meet this commitment, Oakwood Home Learning will

  1. Make clear our commitment by publicising our policy throughout the Centre, to all employees, learners, sub-contractors, partners and users of its services.
  2. Market the full range of its provision and services in ways that meet the needs of minority groups, including ethnic minorities, women and people with disabilities, or whatever under-representation is identified.
  3. Ensure equality of opportunity by replacing practices, procedures and customs in all areas of the Centre’s life that are identified as being directly or indirectly unfair and discrimination.
  4. Ensure appropriate representative participation in advisory, consultative and managerial processes connected to this policy.
  5. Adopt and monitor policies and procedures to provide equality of opportunity in the recruitment, selection, promotion and training of staff.
  6. Recognise its legal obligations under all relevant acts as amended or updated.

Every associate is responsible for embedding a culture that welcomes diversity, and one that challenges and deals with unfairness and discrimination. 

Every learner is responsible to act at all times in a manner that is non-discriminatory and respects the individuality of others; challenge prejudice, discrimination or harassment whenever and wherever they see it; and bring it to the attention of Oakwood Home Learning staff any procedures, practices, services or facilities that they perceive limit equality of opportunity or access.