1 OUR COMMITMENT The transition into the 2020s marks a time the world will never forget. By the end of March 2020, almost all of the College’s delivery migrated to education accessible on-line, with both staff and students having to get used to what was to become the ‘new normal’. In this extraordinary era, extraordinary measures were needed to keep up with the times, and at Walsall College, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile to maintain communication with our students and stakeholders, through high quality education and continued support. We remain proud of our reputation of providing students with a high-quality learning experience in an environment which is inclusive, diverse and welcoming. Whilst delivering education remotely, and students accessing this remotely, we had to prioritise continuity and learning which would trigger student attainment and enable them to progress as planned. Our passion for inclusion and respect however, meant that all efforts were made to continue to promote and celebrate diversity and recognise that our differences make us unique, and there is more that brings us together than separates us. Students have a legal right to teaching that does not discriminate against them on grounds of age, disability, ethnicity, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Disabled students have a legal right to reasonable adjustments to ensure that their needs to access education are met. We are proud of our reputation and inclusive approach which enables individuals to achieve their potential and progress in their chosen career pathway. The importance of education is clear and we acknowledge the positive impact of education and the potential to transform lives by overcoming educational and economic disadvantage. We celebrate and champion diversity and go beyond what is expected in our drive for inclusion and community development. In order to reach their potential, students and staff must be able to flourish at the College and feel that they have a fair and equal chance to achieve and progress. We therefore, support our College community to achieve excellence by continuing to “bring talent to life”. Our Corporate Strategy outlines our intent to ensure Walsall College is at the forefront of providing innovative, high quality education and skills for an evolving and modern Britain. This supports us to create an aspirational, motivated and diverse community which is able to thrive in a changeable global economy. We respond to the huge range of needs expressed by our students, staff and stakeholders and celebrate the benefits of difference. Walsall College has a passion to ensure we meet the demands of this changing world, to be agile, innovative and creative, thereby, providing individuals, businesses and our community with the skills necessary for a modern economy. We work with over 1,000 employers, universities, schools and local, regional and national partners and work proactively with businesses to ensure our curriculum is fit for the future. The FE Sector has a responsibility to provide individuals with the skills necessary for success in an ever-changing environment. Driving prosperity for the borough of Walsall remains a continued focus for the College and working closely with our partners to identify key opportunities, innovative activity and developments is a priority. 1 Students who choose to study with us receive a holistic education that supports their personal development, confidence, health and wellbeing and prepares them for their next steps into work or higher levels of study in a local, national or global context. Our Adult and Community Learning offer enables us to deliver an educational solution for the borough of Walsall, giving local residents the opportunity to progress from Entry Level courses right through to Degree Level. This has meant our adult provision is stronger than ever before and our widening participation, intergenerational learning and community cohesion work is more effective. We offer education through 30 community venues across the Borough. We aim to continue to develop a corporate culture that is inclusive at all levels and in every system and process. Through our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy we work with people from across the College and beyond not only to meet our statutory responsibilities, but to exceed them. We facilitate awareness raising events for our students to ensure they embrace the College ethos and celebrate our differences and uniqueness. The College embodies Positive Communities and British Values and this is recognised by those with whom we work. Students, staff and visitors to the College recognise the inclusive nature of the College ethos and understand our expectations for equality, diversity and inclusivity. Equality and diversity and a commitment to inclusion are embedded in our mission: “Walsall College is uniquely and proudly vocational, delivering technical, professional and community education. Our greatest passion is unleashing the potential of individuals, communities and businesses; our greatest legacy is the talent of our students: skilled, professional and enterprising”. Our vision is accessible to all students, regardless of their sex, race, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status or age. We will provide them: “an excellent learning experience, education and skills development to support them into higher levels of study and jobs”. Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion continues to be evident in the shared values outlined within our Corporate Strategy: 2 We continue to encourage students and staff to disclose information in relation to protected characteristics to enable us to more effectively understand our community and to target activity where required. There is a guide to inform both staff and students about this initiative called, ‘Why are we asking?’ and this is available either electronically, via the Equality and Diversity site or as a hard copy document. Work will continue to increase disclosure of protected characteristics and this remains embedded in our equality objectives. Walsall College is passionate about helping students to achieve positive outcomes whether that is to get back into work, start a new career or climb the career ladder. To support this, we offer a broad and varied curriculum from entry level through to higher education, top up degrees and professional level qualifications all of which are designed to give our students the skills employers want and need. THE LOCAL CONTEXT Population Whilst we have seen some improvements in the overall local and regional economy when compared to previous years, the context remains extremely challenging, with a clear need for Walsall College to continue to provide opportunities for high quality education and training which will not only ultimately improve the local and regional prosperity, but also the prospects of residents in terms of lifestyles, health and wellbeing and social mobility. Walsall is a net importer of people both nationally and globally and, therefore, the Borough of Walsall has a diverse population, which varies greatly from one ward to another. There are around 75 community languages spoken in Walsall. Walsall has an estimated population of 285,500 (ONS 2019 Mid-Year Estimates), comprised of approximately 21.7% children under 16 (62,100), 60.7% working-aged 16-64 (173,300), and 17.6% 65+ over (50,100). Nearly four fifths (79.1%) of the population are economically active, of whom 74.2% are in employment; this compares to 74.7% in the West Midlands (WM) as a whole and 76.2% in Great Britain (GB). 2% fewer people are in employment than nationally. Workless households comprise 17.4% of households in Walsall compared to 15.3% (WM) and 13.9% (GB). 3 Walsall is expected to see continued and consistent population growth, projected to increase by 7% to an estimated 304,400 by 2030, and further by 13% to an estimated 320,400 by 2040 (2020 ONS, 2018- based projections). Source: ONS 2020 Source: ONS Population estimates based on single year of age (2019) Walsall Council’s local integration strategy, Walsall for All (2019) indicates: • 1 in 4 residents from a minority ethnic group (just under 25%) • For 7% of Walsall residents, English is not their first language • 68% of secondary schools are classed as segregated • The Borough has the 12th highest residential segregation in the UK (Walsall.gov 2019). • 68% of residents in the Palfrey ward are from an ethnic minority group compared to 4% in Pelsall. Walsall for All is a long-term strategy for creating strong and integrated communities in Walsall. It recognises the numerous strengths as well as our challenges, and sets out the steps to break down barriers to integration. Walsall College very much supports this strategy and works in partnership with our communities to promote and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion. Health Health in Walsall is worse than the England average on a number of indicators: hospital stays for alcohol related harm and self-harm, smoking related deaths, rates of sexually transmitted infections and TB, levels of excess weight and physical activity is worse than average and, therefore, life expectancy in Walsall is less (source: ONS Life expectancy at birth and at age 65 years by local areas, UK (2019)). Indices of Multiple Deprivation The English Indices of Deprivation (IMD), produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), identify small areas of England, which are experiencing multiple aspects of deprivation. This makes them an important tool for identifying and understanding deprived areas and for targeting resources effectively. They are based on the concept that deprivation consists of more than just poverty; so, while poverty is related to not having enough money to live on, deprivation refers to a much broader lack of resources and opportunities. The indices are based on seven different domains (or aspects) of deprivation, which are weighted as follows: 4 1. Income deprivation (weighted 22.5%) 2.