Your legal responsibilities
Equality and Diversity.
The 2010 Equality Act makes it unlawful for colleges to discriminate directly or indirectly against people with specific ‘protected characteristics’, and requires us to intervene in the case of discrimination, victimisation or harassment.
This means you have a responsibility to make sure the content of your class does not put some groups at a disadvantage, and to promote an understanding of diversity within your course.
You should ensure that your course includes, where possible, content, examples and images that draw on different cultures, sexes, ages, physical abilities etc.
For disabled learners, you have a responsibility to make 'reasonable adjustment's to accommodate each learner's needs .
You should challenge anyone in your group who makes discriminatory remarks about a particular group of people, or subjects them to any kind of harassment.
Health and Safety:
You have the responsibility to ensure learners are physically safe in your classroom and are not at risk eg from trailing cables, electrical equipment, inadequate footwear, not using protective clothing when using chemicals. This includes explaining fire evacuation procedures at the start of a course, and following these in the case of fire or bomb attack. If there is an incident in your class you should ring the duty manager immediately.
If your class is online, make sure you warn students about online safety too (See Unit 8)
On the Staff Access pages on City Lit website there is more detail on fire evacuation procedures:
www.citylit.ac.uk/fire-evacuation
Other Duties
Safeguarding Duty
You have a duty to report to the Safeguarding Lead for City Lit if you have concerns that an 'adult at risk' or young person in your class may be being subjected to abuse, exploitation, or other danger - whether inside or outside the organisation or online. (At City Lit this duty extends to all students) If you are not sure who the Safeguarding Lead is, contact the Duty Manager, your own line manager or email safeguarding@citylit.ac.uk. You should also make an immediate note of what you have observed, including the student's own words where relevant, and sign and date the record
Prevent Duty
It is a tutor's responsibility to report to City Lit’s Safeguarding Lead any student you are concerned is being radicalised by any organisation.
Promotion of Our Community Values (Ofsted term these 'British Values')
This is a requirement for government funded education institutions. The values are Democracy, Rule of Law, Respect and Tolerance, and Individual Liberty. At City Lit this means that we promote tolerance, critical thinking and respect for difference in our classes. For some groups it may mean discussing British democratic structures and legal processes.
Data protection/GDPR:
This is the requirement by law to keep confidential any personal data about your learners and ensure these are not made public. In particular you should not share students' contact details with other learners without their express permission. You should keep confidential and locked away any document that includes personal details or work by the learner. These records should be destroyed after the course.