Mary Thornton’s Movement Educational CPD workshops - Policies & Procedures

Equal opportunity and diversity policy

Mary Thornton Movement education is dedicated to promoting a working environment in which diversity is recognised, valued and encouraged. We acknowledge the multi-cultural and diverse nature of the UK workforce and society in general. We are committed to principles of fairness and mutual respect where everyone accepts the concept of individual responsibility. These principles are embedded into Mary Thornton’s Movement education’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy.

We recognise that discrimination in the workplace/provision of training in any form is unacceptable and in most cases unlawful. We view any breach seriously. We will investigate and potentially take appropriate action.

Definitions and Protected Characteristics

Diversity

The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

Protected Characteristics

No learner, or anyone the organisation deals with, receives less favourable treatment because of their protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are:

  • Age

  • Disability

  • Gender Reassignment

  • Marriage and Civil Partnership

  • Pregnancy and Maternity

  • Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)

  • Religion or Belief

  • Sex

  • Sexual Orientation

Mary Thornton Movement education’s stance


In adhering with this stance Mary Thornton Movement education ensures equality of treatment for all by aiming to:

  • Raise awareness of equality and diversity

  • Ensure that you are never discriminated against or receive less favourable treatment because of a protective characteristic

  • Acknowledge any issues that could be defined as discrimination, victimisation or harassment with an appropriately sensitive and prompt investigation

  • Comply with CIMPSA in making suitable reasonable adjustments

Our Responsibilities
Mary Thornton Movement education will make a positive contribution towards maintaining an environment of equal opportunity throughout the organisation. Mary Thornton Movement education will responsibility adopt the following:

  • Do not take unlawful discriminatory actions or decisions contrary to the spirit of this policy

  • Do not discriminate against, harass, abuse or intimidate anyone on account of their protected characteristics

  • Do not place pressure on any other learners to act in a discriminatory manner

  • Resist pressure to discriminate placed on you by others and report such approaches to a member of the education team.

  • Co-operate when we investigate, including providing evidence of conduct which may amount to discrimination

  • Co-operate with any measures introduced to develop or monitor equal opportunity

Discrimination is not just treating one person less favourably than another. It can take place because:

  • Someone associates with a person with a protected characteristic;

  • Someone is believed to possess a protected characteristic (even though they do not); We expect you to treat, and be treated by, other learners and the people our organisation deals with considerately and with respect.

Where you encounter discrimination.

  • If you feel subject to discrimination of any kind as identified within this policy, make clear to the individual concerned that you find it unacceptable. Person-to-person discussion at an early stage may be enough to resolve your concern without involving anyone else. Alternatively, seek the help of a trusted colleague (e.g. a fellow learner or your tutor) and ask them to approach whoever has caused you offence.

  • If discrimination continues, or you consider an instance to be particularly serious, you should consider who to highlight the issue with. For the majority of cases this will likely to be the tutor. However we appreciate that this staff member may be implicated in your concern and therefore when this happens they should approach CIMPSA.

  • The staff member approached will carry out a suitable documented investigation or where more appropriate will refer the issue to an appropriate individual responsible for this area within the company.

  • The result of the investigation into alleged discrimination will be communicated to you with information including the action taken and outcome highlighted if applicable or appropriate.

  • If you feel dissatisfied about the outcome of the investigation and you want to appeal then you will need to contact CIMPSA within five working days of receiving the outcome, who will carry out a review these concerns.


Version 2 - Publication date April 2024

Review date - April 2025

Author - Mary Thornton

Mary Thornton’s Movement Education - Reasonable adjustment and special considerations policy.

Introduction

This policy is primarily for our learners who are undertaking or have completed a Mary Thornton Movement education CPD. It is also for use by our staff to ensure they deal with all reasonable adjustment and special consideration requests in a consistent manner.

This policy outlines:

  • our arrangements for making reasonable adjustments and special considerations in relation to our courses.

  • how learners qualify for reasonable adjustments and special considerations

  • the reasonable adjustments we will permit and those where permission is required in advance before they are applied

  • what special considerations will be given to learners

Our responsibility

It is important that all Mary Thornton Movement education staff involved in the management, assessment and quality assurance of our CPD courses, including our learners, are fully aware of the contents of this policy.

Review arrangements

We will review the policy annually as part of our self-evaluation arrangements and revise it as necessary in response to learner feedback, changes in our practices, actions from the regulatory authorities or as a result of changes in legislation.

If you would like to feedback any views please contact us via the details provided at the end of this policy.

Appeals

If you wish to appeal against our decision to decline requests for reasonable adjustments or special consideration arrangements, please refer to our Appeals Policy.

Definition of reasonable adjustments

A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of a disability or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in the learning process. They are made to an assessment for a qualification to enable a disabled learner to demonstrate his or her knowledge, skills and understanding of the levels of attainment required by the specification for that qualification.

Reasonable adjustments must not affect the integrity of what needs to be learnt, but may involve:

  • changing access to the course content, for example allowing a learner extra time to complete the online educational material.

  • changing the delivery method of course materials, for example changing written content to spoken content in video form.

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the course takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the programme.

Mary Thornton Movement education is only required by law to do what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of giving access. What is reasonable will depend on the individual circumstances, cost implications and the practicality and effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need to maintain competence standards and health and safety, will also be taken into consideration.

Definition of special considerations

Special consideration can be applied after the course if there was a reason the learner may have been disadvantaged during the course.

For example, special consideration could apply to a learner who had temporarily experienced:

  • a sudden illness or injury

  • some other event outside of their control and which has had, or is likely to have had an effect on that learner’s ability total part in the course.

Special consideration should not give the learner an unfair advantage; neither should its use cause the user of the certificate to be misled regarding a learner’s achievements.

Learners should note that:

  • where an course requires the learner to demonstrate practical competence or where criteria have to be met fully, or in the case of qualifications that require a licence to practice, it may not be possible to apply special consideration

  • In some circumstances, for example a live course, it may be more appropriate to offer the learner an opportunity to retake the course at a later date.

Process for requesting reasonable adjustments and/or special considerations

If you wish to make a request, you should contact Mary Thornton Movement Education directly and supply relevant supporting information:

  • learner’s name and CIMSPA registration number

  • nature of, and rationale for the request

  • supporting information/evidence

Requests for reasonable adjustments should be submitted a minimum of 10 working days before the start of the course.

How Mary Thornton Movement education will deal with requests

We will aim to respond to all requests within five working days of receipt.

Version 2 - Publication date - April 2024

Review date - April 2025

Author - Mary Thornton

Mary Thornton’s Movement Education - Quality assurance policy

Quality assurance policy

Mary Thornton Movement education monitors and reviews all its courses, policies and procedures for the delivery of its continuous professional development (CPD) courses in line with CIMSPA  & Mary Thornton Movement education standards.

Continuous improvement is assured through ongoing monitoring and review of courses to promote public confidence in the quality of all Mary Thornton Movement education courses.

Prompt action is taken to address any weakness identified, and this regular monitoring forms part of Mary Thornton Movement education’s annual self-assessment to improve and maintain our service and courses.

Ensuring the standards of our CPD courses

Mary Thornton Movement education has a responsibility to all learners undertaking our courses, to ensure that they stay in accordance and meet with relevant national standards and CIMSPA guidelines.

In order to meet this responsibility Mary Thornton Movement education has a yearly internal review process.

Internal quality assurance systems are checked and monitored externally by CIMSPA.

Quality monitoring & standardisation policy

Mary Thornton Movement education aims to supply quality continuing professional development (CPD) courses for CIMSPA members. To ensure it continues to revise and update its courses to reflect current practice and safety guidelines. To ensure these standards are met  Mary Thornton Movement education will regularly monitor and review all courses in line with CIMSPA and industry standards.

Continuous improvement is assured through ongoing monitoring and review of courses to promote public confidence in the quality of all Mary Thornton Movement education courses.

Prompt action is taken to address any weakness identified, and this monitoring forms part of Mary Thornton Movement education’s annual self-assessment to improve and maintain our service and products.

Actions required

Mary Thornton Movement education has a responsibility to all learners undertaking its courses, to ensure that they stay current and in accordance with relevant national standards and CIMSPA guidelines.

In order to meet this responsibility Mary Thornton Movement education will review all course content through an annual review process.

Mary Thornton Movement education internal quality assurance systems are checked and monitored externally by CIMSPA.

The process

Mary Thornton Movement education reviews all CPD course content by considering renewal objectives based on student feedback while also taking into consideration current guidelines and/ or research to ensure all course content is relevant and current.

To meet CIMSPA partnership contractual terms Mary Thornton Movement education CPD courses will be reviewed by CIMSPA on an annual basis to ensure quality assurance activity has been conducted in line with CIMSPA renewal procedures.

The annual review activity encompasses:

  • A review of CIMSPA endorsed Mary Thornton Movement education CPD courses

  • Feedback from course participants/students

  • Plans relating to changing or developing course content in line with current available research on course subject matter.

  • Information relating to relevant complaints from students regarding course material.

Contact

If you have any queries about the contents of the policy, please contact our support team on: info@marythornon.uk

Version 2 - Publication date - April 2024

Review date - April 2025

Author - Mary Thornton