Responsible Learner Behaviour

Equality Impact Assessment

Background

Skills & Learning wants all learners to achieve and enjoy their course of study. We want to support our learners to achieve their full potential and support the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting an environment free from all forms of unacceptable behaviour and will take appropriate steps to achieve this. Other policies and guidance which support “Responsible Learner Behaviour” are listed at the end of this document.

Scope

This policy relates to learner behaviour and the behaviour of any participants involved in Skills & Learning’s projects. For standards relating to staff conduct and behaviour, see the policies and procedures listed at the end of this document. This policy applies to any participant taking part in the Connect to Work scheme and extends to clients accessing the learning environment to receive hair or beauty services.

Learner commitment

As a responsible learner, you will be expected to:

• Treat everyone with respect and consideration at all times
• Arrive on time and attend all sessions (see Attendance below)
• Comply with our policies and procedures, including health and safety guidelines, as they are there to keep you safe whilst you learn with us.
• Be responsible for your own learning. This includes completing homework, submitting assignments and coursework as required, updating individual learning plans (ILPs), attending assessments and exams as required.
• Be considerate of staff working patterns e.g using appropriate channels to make contact at appropriate times. This may vary between staff and each staff member will explain this as part of the induction.
• Advise us if you have any special needs or require additional support and reasonable adjustments to participate in a course or as part of the application process.
• Raise any concerns through the appropriate channels and allow staff to resolve issues.
• Attend any exams or assessments required for your course.

Please note: You may use your mobile phone for learning purposes with your tutor’s permission. You must not use your mobile to make or accept personal calls in class.

Unacceptable Behaviour

There is a broad range of behaviours, events or incidents that are within the scope of this policy. Examples of unacceptable behaviour include:

• Not following Skills & Learning’s policies, procedures and guidance, including the Learner Code of Conduct (Learner Handbook).
• Disclosure of information that poses a safety or safeguarding risk to others.
• Not adhering to the law, for example, health and safety, discriminatory behaviour, possessing or using illegal substances, and theft. This includes attempts to coerce others into anti-social or illegal activity.
• Being in possession of or under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on Skills & Learning’s programmes.
• Bullying, victimisation or harassment, including via the internet, texting or social media.
• Threatening behaviour or abuse, including: carrying illegal weapons, replicas or suggesting these may be in your possession; virus-related threats such as spitting or close contact.
• Behaviour intended to humiliate, frighten, distress, denigrate, pester or ignore.
• Failure to complete homework and the assignments/coursework required for any qualifications being studied.
• Cheating, plagiarism, collusion or other malpractice when doing work contributing to qualifications.
• Use of rude, offensive or discriminatory language or verbal abuse, including by text, e-mail, chat threads or social media.
• Unacceptable computer use.
• Involvement in anti-social activity or hate speech
• Repeated lateness
• Disruption to the learning and assessment of other learners or the work of staff.
• Behaviour that requires an unviable level of staff intervention and time.
• Behaviour that results in an untenable professional relationship with staff.
• Behaviour that does not meet the professional standards expected in the sector being studied.

Please note that this is not a complete list and that there may be other issues that could lead to action being taken. Although it may not have been the intention of an individual to cause offence or disruption, it is important to remember that the perception of the recipient may differ.

Learners should report any incidents immediately to either their tutor or any member of staff via 01202 123444 or enquiries@salbcp.com. A member of staff experiencing unacceptable behaviour from a learner should follow the procedures below.

Attendance

Attendance is monitored closely by the Curriculum Administration Team. Learners should alert Skills & Learning via Enquiries if they cannot attend a session. Learners who fail to attend three consecutive sessions without contact or explanation, will be removed from the course. Text and email reminders will be sent during this time period.

Due to Ofsted requirements, it is vital that 16-18 year old learners make contact if they cannot attend a class and Curriculum Administrators will follow up any unexplained absences.

The Procedures

This policy applies to Skills & Learning staff, governors, project participants, and learners, including those who are learning with subcontracted partners.

It is important to let a person know immediately if their behaviour is unacceptable, even if incidents are minor.

If the behaviour of a learner or learners is impacting on the health and well-being of a staff member or other learners, the staff member can speak to their line manager to request a risk assessment, which may result in the initiation of formal procedures and/or signposting to appropriate support.

Informal Procedure

Where minor incidents occur during sessions, the tutor should discuss these with the learner and agree on appropriate action. This should be recorded and the tutor must inform their line manager of the discussion. The tutor may request the support of their line manager during the informal discussion. Where incidents occur outside sessions, the manager of the programme will carry out the informal discussion.

If the learner declines an informal discussion, the matter or concern should be summarised in a letter to the learner, together with a reference to our expectations and a further invitation to attend an informal discussion. If this is refused, the formal procedures are triggered.

Formal Procedures

Refusal to attend an informal discussion, continued cause for concern or further incidents, will trigger the formal stages. Full records must be kept and minutes of meetings with the learner must be given to the learner and any staff involved.

Where an incident is of a particularly serious nature, it is possible to go straight to Stage 3. In this instance, two Skills & Learning managers could make the decision that due to the severity of the behaviour or situation, the learner should no longer continue on the course. The learner has the option to appeal this decision and can activate processes at Stage 4.

The offer of a place on a course may be withdrawn where it is clear that the professional skills and behaviours required to: complete the course and/or qualification; and/or to enter the related sector, are not being clearly and consistently demonstrated by the learner.

Where the incident may put other learners, visitors or staff at risk, the person may be asked to leave the classroom or premises with immediate effect. This may include noncompliance with health & safety expectations, threatening, disruptive or violent behaviour. The police may be called if it is felt there is a risk to others or illegal activity taking place.

For most situations, the procedures that will be followed are as follows:

Stage 1

In the event of unacceptable behaviour, including a breach of the code of conduct, the line manager of the member of staff reporting the incident will meet with the learner to discuss the nature of the problem. An Action Plan will be agreed with the learner and a review date agreed. As appropriate, this could be referred to as a Behaviour Plan. This could be if, at the review, everything has gone well and the learner is committed to maintaining standards, the matter will be closed.

Stage 2

If the matter has not been resolved within the period specified at Stage 1, a Stage 2 meeting will be called. The aim of this is to bring together the learner and staff involved in supporting the learner to succeed on their programme. Generally, two members of staff will attend the meeting and may include the tutor, the Area Programme Manager, Learning Support Manager, Teaching & Learning Manager, or Learner Experience Manager. The learner can bring someone to support them. The meeting may be minuted and a member of the Business Support Team would be asked to attend. Minutes would be shared with all parties.

The meeting will identify and agree on the actions required to enable the learner to continue on the programme, including any support which can be provided. The meeting will agree on a review date with the learner. If everything has gone well, the matter will be closed. If not, the following options will be considered.

• An extension of the review period
• A risk assessment will be completed by two managers to ascertain if the course is appropriate for the learner and the impact the behaviour is having on staff and other learners.  Depending on the result, further immediate actions may be made at this time, such as withdrawal from the course, or a recommendation to transfer to an alternative course.
• Exploring whether the course/Adult Learning is right for the learner and other options available
• Stage 3 of this process

Stage 3 of the procedures will be applied if:
• Stage 2 has not resolved the problem
• Unacceptable behaviour or the allegation of unacceptable behaviour is of a particularly serious nature

Stage 3 – Disciplinary Panel

The learner may be temporarily suspended from the course. This will initially be communicated in writing by a Skills & Learning manager, and the learner will be invited to attend a Disciplinary Panel. This will consist of the two staff members including: Area Programme Manager, Learner Support Manager, Teaching & Learning Manager, or Learner Experience Manager. The allegations and evidence will be reviewed and the learner will be asked to comment on them and to present any additional evidence. The learner can bring someone to support them.

If the learner’s unacceptable behaviour is found to have been serious, the Disciplinary Panel will normally take one of the following courses of action:

• A final written warning

• Temporary exclusion from attending

• Permanent exclusion from Skills and Learning

Stage 4 – Appeal/Complaint

The learner can appeal against the outcome of the Disciplinary Panel to the Head of Service. This should be done in writing within 5 working days of being informed of any decision. All reports of concern or incidents at any stage must be reported to the line manager and forwarded to the Head of Service.

Other policies and protocols that support Skills & Learning’s Responsible Learner Behaviour Policy and Procedures which provide specific guidance are the:

• Skills & Learning’s Health and Safety Statement

• Skills & Learning computer use and e-safety and internet use policy

• Malpractice (including collusion, cheating and plagiarism) and Maladministration Policy

• We are Listening – BCP Council’s Feedback Policy and Process https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/Contact-Us/comments-and-complaints.aspx • BCP Council’s Equality & Diversity strategy

• BCP Council’s Reporting and Recording Prejudice Incidents Protocol

• BCP Council’s Dignity at Work Policy • BCP Council’s Disciplinary Procedure

• BCP Council’s Dealing with Violence, Aggressive and Threatening Behaviour

• BCP Council’s Alcohol Drug or other substance misuse guidance

• BCP Council’s Corporate Safeguarding Strategy

Read more of our policies below