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The Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) and LSC have jointly published guidance for FE colleges and providers, to help them to self-assess equality and diversity.
 
Both bodies have worked closely with Ofsted and Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) to develop the guidance, indicating a shared commitment to driving forward standards in self-assessment. The guidance is intended to help providers prepare for Ofsted’s new ‘limiting’ equality and diversity inspection grade and the Government’s proposed new equality duties. It also includes sections on funding body requirements and workforce development.

The guidance, which can be found at  www.excellencegateway.org.uk, includes two major case studies outlining examples of excellence in self-assessing equality and diversity.  Leeds City College explains how it assesses the effectiveness of its equality and diversity activities, while a case study from East of England shows how eight colleges and providers worked together to build their skills for self-improvement and peer review, and addressed equality gaps.  The guidance includes action points and considerations throughout suggesting how providers can apply individual examples to their own contexts.

This guidance is targeted at governors, boards, senior managers and those with strategic performance-management roles in organisations across the FE system. The equality and diversity requirements of policy-makers and regulatory and inspection bodies are diverse; this guidance aims to bring together the most important requirements in a single document, for reference when planning and implementing self-assessment.

LSC’s Chairman Chris Banks says: 
 “The FE sector has a good story to tell in terms of equality and diversity. Its learners are extremely diverse and many providers consistently demonstrate excellence in meeting the needs of all, including the hardest to help. This guidance will help colleges and providers to identify where they are particularly successful at removing barriers and addressing achievement gaps, and to make further improvements.”

LSIS Chief Executive, Dr David Collins says:
“LSIS is very pleased to have worked in partnership with LSC, Ofsted and LLUK and above all, providers to ensure that the whole sector can build on this excellent practice. This tool will provide essential guidance to equip the sector to meet the new inspection requirements in this very important area.”

Download the guidance here