SYT Policies

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy

Statement of Intent

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training is committed to the principles of equality & opportunity. It is responsible for ensuring that nobody is unlawfully discriminated against due to age, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation (together the protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010).

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training will ensure that there is access for everyone who wishes to participate in every training, event, retreat & workshop & that they are treated fairly, in accordance with the law.

 

 

Purpose of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training recognises that inequality & discrimination still exists & it may limit opportunities to participate equally & fully in the practice of yoga at all levels.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training promotes inclusion & will take steps to prevent inequality & discrimination or other unfair treatment.

 

 

Legal Requirements

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training is required by law not to discriminate & recognises its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 & any later amendments to such legislation or subsequent equality related legislation that may be relevant.

 

 

Discrimination, Harassment, Victimisation & Bullying

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training recognises that any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation, or bullying is gross misconduct & this behaviour will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

 

  • Direct Discrimination is treating someone less favourably than you would treat others for reasons relating to a protected characteristic.

 

  • Indirect Discrimination is applying a provision, criteria or practice which can disadvantage individuals with a particular protected characteristic.

 

  • Harassment is any form of unwanted or unwelcome behaviour that violates people’s dignity or creates an offensive environment.

 

  • Victimisation is treating someone less favourably because he or she exercises his or her legal rights.

 

  • Bullying is the misuse of power or position to undermine an individual’s confidence.

 

 

 

Reasonable Adjustments

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training recognises its duty to make reasonable adjustment for disabled people. Sussex Yoga Training will consider all requests for adjustments.

 

 

Implementation

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training is responsible for ensuring that this policy is communicated to & understood by all & that all breaches are dealt with appropriately.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training will take positive action to address any under-representation in its teachers, students & trainees.

 

 

Monitoring and Evaluation

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training will set up monitoring systems and evaluate the policy, practices, procedures, operations and recruitment/selection of students, trainees and staff on an ongoing basis.

 

  • Monitoring and evaluation information will be used to identify any areas of underrepresentation.

 

Complaints Procedure

 

  • To safeguard individual rights under the policy, anyone involved in Sussex Yoga Training may raise the matter.

 

  • Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who violates Sussex Yoga Training’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training has the responsibility of maintaining the integrity of any complaints or disciplinary procedure.

 

  • All Sussex Yoga Training’s staff & students will have access to the procedures referenced in this Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

 

 

Communication

 

  • A copy of this policy will be made available on the website: sussexyogatraining.uk/

 

Contact Us

 

  • For queries, please contact info@sussexyogatraining.uk

 

Quality assurance policy

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd monitors and evaluates all its systems, policies & procedures for the delivery of all their teacher training courses. Continuous improvement is assured through ongoing monitoring, thus promoting public confidence in the quality of all Sussex Yoga Training Ltd ‘s qualifications. This policy applies to all tutors who will have teaching time with the course attendees.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s Tutors must hold an Advanced Yoga Teacher Certification or Level 3 Diploma Certification of at least 500 hours training or more.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s Course Tutors are expected to complete a minimum of fifteen hours CPD annually. Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s course director will spot check CPD every year as part of the quality assurance process.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s Assessors must hold an Advanced Yoga Teacher Certification or Level 3 Certification of at least 500 hours training or more. Assessors must also have over eight years of full-time yoga teaching experience.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s assessors are expected to complete a minimum of twenty hours CPD annually. One CPD point will be earned for every one hour of learning/CPD activity. Assessor CPD hours may include:
    • Attendance at CPD events (which may be face-to-face or online)
    • Mentoring
    • Supervision
    • Formal training leading to further qualifications
    • Self-directed learning
    • Observation
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s course director will spot check the CPD of course assessors every year as part of the quality assurance process. Prompt action will be taken to address any weakness identified. If an Assessor is facing issues which prevent them from fulfilling their annual CPD requirement, an action plan will be drawn up between the Assessor & the Course Director. Non-adherence to the plan will be cause for disengagement.

 

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd has a small faculty of tutors & assessors; our assessors will observe the teaching & learning of the sessions & spend time consulting with students. For Teacher Trainings the assessor will look at and moderate students’ written work. The assessor will require sight of the tutor’s course plan to be able to assess progress against this. They will also want to see course tutors lesson plans. In this way the standards of our courses, CPD & qualifications are ensured.

 

  • Once annually, course tutors & assessors will convene to ensure the standardisation of our offerings. This process ensures that all members of the course or module teaching team are familiar with & have a common understanding of, the marking standards & conventions in relation to the provision of feedback. Standardisation is completed in advance of marking coursework & involves assessors independently marking a sample of student work & assigning grades using agreed criteria.

 

  • All new tutors are inducted to our way of working at informal, sit down, face to face meetings. The culture of our school & the standards we ensure are clearly communicated before a new tutor joins our team.

 

  • Feedback is collected at the end of all trainings by email & if given verbally, will be requested in writing for clarity.

 

  • All feedback is communicated to course tutors & assessors at our syllabus meetings. Changes to the syllabus will be communicated to trainees & potential trainees by the website’s syllabus pages, at pre-enrolment meetings & in the administration paperwork provided at course sign up.

 

Ensuring the standards of our qualifications

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd has a responsibility to all learners undertaking our qualifications, to maintain high standards & maintain both the reputation of the school & all the teachers who work with us. We want to help you become a confident & successful yoga teacher, who can deliver safe & accessible Yoga classes:

  • Please be ensured that Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will remain up to date with all new findings & research regarding yoga.
  • Courses & content will be constantly monitored & updated as required; an annual review will take place of each course & revisions will be made if required.
  • Quality control measures are carried out at various stages of writing manuals & creating presentations.
  • All content is tested & reviewed before being made available.
  • Regular data clean-up projects are implemented as required.
  • All Sussex Yoga Training Ltd assessments are overseen & monitored by Lucy Leslie founder & director of Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. Any additional staff will be fully trained by Lucy Leslie & will be experienced, insured senior Yoga teachers.
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will request feedback with each assessment to make it easy for the learner to provide comment.
  • All feedback will be reviewed & any amendments required will be implemented. The learners will be informed of revisions.
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will interact with all learners & customers regularly via newsletters notifying of new products or updates, whilst also requesting feedback & suggestions.
  • All feedback is read & implemented where appropriate.
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd is a is dedicated to maintaining quality of service.

 

Reasonable adjustment & special considerations policy

Introduction

This policy is primarily for our learners who are undertaking a Sussex Yoga Training Ltd Teacher Training course.

It is also for use by our staff to ensure they deal with all reasonable adjustment & special consideration requests in a consistent manner.

This policy outlines:

  • Our arrangements for making reasonable adjustments & special considerations in relation to our qualifications.
  • How learners qualify for reasonable adjustments & special considerations.
  • The reasonable adjustments we will permit & 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 Sussex Yoga Training Ltd staff involved in the management, assessment & quality assurance of all Sussex Yoga Training Ltd teacher training courses are fully aware of the contents of this policy.

Review arrangements

We will review the policy in response to learner feedback & special or individual requests.

Arrangements not covered by this policy

Circumstances for both internal & external assessment not covered in this policy should be discussed with Sussex Yoga Training Ltd before registering on a course, if your situation changes during the course please contact Sussex Yoga Training Ltd as soon as possible & before your next assessment takes place.

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.

Process for requesting reasonable adjustments and/or special considerations.

If you wish to make a request, you should contact course founder & creator Lucy Leslie at Sussex Yoga Training Ltd & supply relevant supporting information:

  • learner’s name & course details
  • nature of & rationale for the request
  • supporting information/evidence (e.g. medical evidence or a statement from the invigilator or any other appropriate information).

Requests for reasonable adjustments & special considerations should be submitted as soon as possible. 

How Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will deal with requests

  • We will aim to respond to all requests within five working days of receipt. If we are unable to respond within that time frame we will provide you with an estimated response date.
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will deal with each special request on an individual basis, please make sure you discuss your situation with Sussex Yoga Training Ltd.

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 assessment situation. They are made to an assessment for a qualification to enable a disabled learner to demonstrate his or her knowledge, skills & 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 assessed, but may involve:

  • Changing usual assessment arrangements, for example allowing a learner extra time to complete the assessment activity.
  • Changing the assessment method, for example from a written assessment to a spoken assessment.

Reasonable adjustments are approved or set in place before the assessment activity takes place; they constitute an arrangement to give the learner access to the programme. The use of a reasonable adjustment will not be taken into consideration during the assessment of a learner’s work.

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd 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 & the practicality & effectiveness of the adjustment. Other factors, such as the need to maintain competence standards & health & safety, will also be taken into consideration.

Definition of special considerations

Special consideration can be applied after an assessment if there was a reason the learner may have been disadvantaged during the assessment. For example, special consideration could apply to a learner who had temporarily experienced:

  • An illness or injury.
  • Some other event outside of their control & which has had, or is likely to have had, a material effect on that learner’s ability to take an assessment or demonstrate his or her level of attainment in an assessment.

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. The learner’s result must reflect his / her achievement in the assessment & not necessarily his / her potential ability.

Special consideration, if successful, may result in a small post-assessment adjustment to the mark of the learner. The size of the adjustment will depend on the circumstances & reflect the difficulty faced by the learner.

Learners should note that:

  • Where an assessment requires the learner to demonstrate practical competence or where criteria have to be met fully, or in the case of qualifications that confer a licence to practice, it may not be possible to apply special consideration.
  • In some circumstances, for example, for on-demand assessments, it may be more appropriate to offer the learner an opportunity to take the assessment at a later date.

 

Complaints Policy

This document sets out Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s complaints policy & procedure, it is aimed at our learners & all interested parties who encounter a direct or indirect service from Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. Sussex Yoga Training Ltd values all learners, our aim is to help you become a safe, confident & successful yoga teacher.

Please raise any concerns you may have with us immediately so that we may address them & improve.

Scope of the policy

This policy covers complaints that learners & members of the public may wish to make in relation to the qualifications offered by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. It is not to be used to cover enquiries about services offered by or appeals in relation to assessment decisions made by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. These areas are covered by our Appeals Policy.

Should a complaint be submitted which is in fact an appeal we will respond to inform the relevant party that the issue is being considered in accordance with our Appeals Policy.

If you are unhappy about the way an examination or assessment was delivered & conducted & you suspect malpractice &/or maladministration may have occurred you should send your concern to us in accordance with the arrangements in our Malpractice & Maladministration Policy.

This should occur as soon as possible to protect any associated evidence that may form part of your complaint. 

How should I complain? 

Stage 1

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd is keen to help, so you should first try to sort out any problem at the earliest opportunity by speaking to the person who dealt with your problem initially. 

Stage 2

If they cannot help or you wish to speak to someone else, please contact our course founder & Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s director (Lucy Leslie), who will email you a receipt for your complaint within 5 working days & will respond with a solution for your complaint within 20 working days. Where it is not possible to offer a solution within 20 working days you will be notified of the time scaled action plan. 

Confidentiality & Whistle blowing

Sometimes a complainant will wish to remain anonymous. However, it is always preferable to reveal your identity & contact details to us. If you are concerned about possible adverse consequences, please inform us that you do not wish for us to divulge your identity. 

What happens if my complaint is upheld?

If any part of your complaint is upheld, we will of course respond to the complainant accordingly & give due consideration to how we can improve our service & arrangements. For example, by reviewing our procedures to assess the impact on our arrangements & assessment process (if relevant) or arranging for staff training.

In situations where a complaint has been successful, or where an investigation following notification from indicates a failure in our processes, Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will give due consideration to the outcome & will, as appropriate, take actions such as:

  • Identify any other learner, who has been affected by that failure.
  • Correct, or where it cannot be corrected, mitigate as far as possible the effect of the failure.
  • Ensure that the failure does not recur in the future.
  • Compensate the learner if the complaint is valid & Sussex Yoga Training Ltd is unable to correct it satisfactorily.

 

Appeals Procedure

The purpose of this appeals procedure is to ensure that every learner who is not satisfied with the outcome of an assessment decision has the right to appeal against the decision that has been made.

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s learners will be assessed by the course founder & director Lucy Leslie, any additional assessors will possess a qualification equivalent to the course being taught, they will possess relevant industry experience & they will receive full training to assess learners by the course founder.

Examples of areas you may wish to appeal against.

  • You feel you have not been given the correct support throughout the course.
  • You found that there was not enough contact from the course leader during parts or all of the course.
  • A marking decision was unfair.
  • You feel that you have been unfairly treated by the course provider or a fellow learner.
  • You experienced major delays with your course material, marking & feedback.

To appeal please follow the following two stages.

Stage 1

Appeal direct to Sussex Yoga Training Ltd as soon as the issue occurs. If still unresolved follow stage 2 of the process.

Stage 2

Contact course founder and creator Lucy Leslie will respond directly to you within 5 working days.

Dates of all correspondence will be easily accessible through the data stored by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd, this will provide concrete evidence should the matter require further investigation.

Please keep all correspondence, until you have completed the course & received your certification.

If you do not achieve a satisfactory result please note that any further investigation will incur fees. 

 

Safeguarding & Prevention Policy

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd promotes the safeguarding of all its trainees & students, including vulnerable adults & children.

Responsibilities

  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd has a responsibility to protect & to support the welfare of the vulnerable members of our community. Under the ‘Domestic Abuse Act 2021’ it is the duty of every citizen to share their concerns for the welfare of children, young people, or vulnerable adults, firstly with their colleagues & then with their local council social services department.
  • Sussex Yoga Training Ltd acknowledges its duty of care to safeguard & promote the welfare of all learners, children & vulnerable adults & is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities & government guidance. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socio-economic background, all learners, children, young people & vulnerable adults have a positive & enjoyable experience of participation.

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd commits to:

  • Providing a safe environment to learn in
  • Identifying & responding to adults, children, young people & vulnerable adults in need or support & / or protection
  • Supporting all learners’ development in ways that will foster a sense of self-esteem & independence.
  • Fostering a learning environment in which every pupil feels valued & able to articulate their wishes & feelings in their preferred method of communication in an atmosphere of acceptance & trust.

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd will ensure that all learners are protected from harm while they are attending classes, courses, CPD or workshops run by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. We will do this by:

  1. Making sure our staff are carefully selected.
  2. Providing appropriate training for staff.
  3. Establishing & maintaining an ethos whereby all learners feel secure & are encouraged to talk, & are listened to.
  4. Taking all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety & welfare of any child or vulnerable adult in contact with us.
  5. Taking all reasonable steps to prevent any staff member, persons working for us or member of the public from putting any child or vulnerable adult in a situation in which there is an unreasonable risk to their health & safety.
  6. Reporting to the Director, (Lucy Leslie) any evidence or reasonable suspicion that a learner has been abused by anyone in our organisation.
  7. Referring to statutory authorities all incidents reported.
  8. Implementing this policy in conjunction with our Health & Safety guidelines already in place.

Everyone working or applying to work for this organisation is to be made aware of this policy. Furthermore, this document should be issued to all staff.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL STAFF

These guidelines apply to:

  • All learners, vulnerable adults & any & all situations involving children & young people up to age 18, whether accompanied by an adult.
  • All staff, contractors, freelance staff, volunteers & consultants working within our organisation or on our premises. In the case of contractors & consultants it is incumbent upon the Director, to ensure that they are made aware of these guidelines.

Regarding the safety & welfare of children & similarly vulnerable people all staff are required to:

  • Undergo an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau/ Disclosure & Barring Service Disclosure.
  • Take all reasonable steps to protect children from hazards.
  • Strictly observe the code of behaviour in this document.
  • Take appropriate action if an accident occurs.
  • Take all reasonable steps to prevent abuse of children in contact with anyone within the organisation.
  • Report any incident or suspicion of abuse.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL STAFF

  • Safety of participants & staff is always of prime consideration.
  • All accidents involving anyone should be reported to the Director & recorded in the organisation’s accident book immediately or as soon as practicably possible.
  • Staff are responsible for familiarising themselves with building/facility safety issues, such as, fire procedures, location of emergency exits, location of emergency telephones & first aid equipment.
  • Staff are responsible for reporting suspected cases of child abuse to the Safeguarding Officer – Lucy Leslie.
  • Staff should ensure that their activities start & end on time.
  • Staff are expected to promote, demonstrate & incorporate the values of fair play, trust & ethics throughout their teachings.
  • Staff are adequately insured, to protect against claims of negligence.

 

Malpractice & Maladministration Policy

Definition of Malpractice

Malpractice is essentially any activity or practice which compromises the integrity of the internal or external assessment process or the validity of certificates & associated achievements. It covers any deliberate actions, neglect, default or other practice that compromises, or could compromise:

  • The reputation & credibility of Sussex Yoga Training Ltd.
  • The validity of a result or certificate.

Examples of Malpractice

 

The categories listed below are examples of malpractice, which are not exhaustive & are only intended as guidance on our definition of malpractice:

  • Deliberate failure to continually adhere to our course approval & qualification approval requirements.
  • Fraudulent claims for certificates.
  • The unauthorised use of inappropriate materials or equipment in assessment settings.
  • Intentional withholding of information from Sussex Yoga Training Ltd, which is critical to maintaining quality assurance & standards of qualifications.
  • Deliberate misuse of logos & trademarks.
  • Collusion in exams & assessments.
  • A loss, theft of, or a breach of confidentiality in, any assessment materials.
  • Plagiarism by learners or Sussex Yoga Training Ltd.
  • Copying from another learner.
  • Impersonation – assuming the identity of another learner or having someone assume your identity during an assessment.
  • Unauthorised amendment, copying or distributing of exam/assessment papers/materials.
  • Deliberate submission of false information to gain a qualification.
  • Reproducing course material & making it available to others.

 Definition of Maladministration

Maladministration is essentially any activity or practice which results in non-compliance with administrative regulations & requirements, including the application of persistent mistakes or poor administration within Sussex Yoga Training Ltd.

The categories listed below are examples of maladministration. Please note that these examples are not exhaustive & are only intended as guidance on our definition of maladministration:

  • Unintentional, but persistent failure to adhere to our approval or qualification requirements.
  • Unreasonable delays in responding to requests and/or communications.
  • Inaccurate claim for certificates made frequently, even if accidentally.
  • Failure to maintain appropriate auditable records, e.g. certification claims and/or disposal &/or forgery of evidence.
  • Withholding of information.
  • Misuse of logo & trademarks.

 

Making an allegation of malpractice or maladministration

Anybody who identifies or is made aware of suspected or actual cases of malpractice or maladministration at any time must immediately notify Sussex Yoga Training Ltd. In doing so they should put them in writing & enclose appropriate supporting evidence to Sussex Yoga Training Ltd including the following.

  • Course name.
  • Learner’s name.
  • Personnel’s details (name, job role) if they are involved in the case.
  • Nature of the suspected or actual malpractice or maladministration & associated dates.
  • Any other information deemed relevant to the claim.

If Sussex Yoga Training Ltd suspect an instance of malpractice or maladministration we will contact the learner concerned immediately via writing & include supporting evidence & information regarding the nature or the claim & the date we suspect it occurred.

It is highly likely that in the event of any accusation against malpractice & maladministration that an investigation will occur.

To eradicate cases of malpractice/maladministration within Sussex Yoga Training Ltd, we will ensure:

  • All staff are aware of policies & procedures & receive all appropriate training on policies & procedures.
  • Staff have clear roles & responsibilities.
  • Learners are informed of their roles & responsibilities in terms of not doing anything that may jeopardise their potential achievements.
  • All learners will be required to sign a contract of learning that clearly explains Sussex Yoga Training Ltd’s terms & conditions, expectations & requirements before any course content is made available to them.
  • All assessment activities are accurately recorded.

 

Sussex Yoga Training Ltd procedure to investigate malpractice or maladministration.

To investigate instances of malpractice/maladministration each case will be dealt with accordingly. Sussex Yoga Training Ltd reserves the right to not investigate where reported information does not provide reasonable grounds or sufficient evidence on which to undertake an investigation.

If necessary the following steps will be followed; – 

Stage 1: Briefing & record-keeping

  • Anyone involved in the conduct of an investigation will receive clear written information describing the nature of the investigation & the cause.
  • Anyone involved must maintain a clear record of every action during the investigation to demonstrate that they have acted appropriately.

Stage 2: Establishing the facts

Issues to be determined are:

  • What occurred (nature of malpractice or maladministration).
  • Why the incident occurred.
  • Who was involved in the incident.
  • When it occurred.
  • Where it occurred – there may be more than one location.
  • What action has been taken to date.

Stage 3: Interviews

Interviews will be thoroughly prepared & underpinned by clear records of the interviews.

Stage 4: Other contacts

In some cases, learners or employers may need to be contacted for facts & information. This may be done via face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, by post or email.

Whichever method is used, the investigator will have a set of prepared questions. The responses will be recorded in writing as part of confirmation of the evidence.

Investigators will log the number of attempts made to contact an individual. 

Stage 5: Documentary evidence

Wherever possible documentary evidence will be authenticated by reference to the author; this may include asking learners & others to confirm handwriting, dates & signatures.

Independent expert opinion may be obtained from subject specialists about a learner’s evidence &/or from a specialist organisation such as a forensic examiner, who may comment on the validity of documents. 

Stage 6: Conclusions

Once the investigators have gathered & reviewed all relevant evidence, a decision on the outcome will be made by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd in a timely manner.

If an individual or organisation is deemed to have participated in any acts of malpractice and/or maladministration following the investigation, they will be liable to repay all costs & fees incurred by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd & its agents during the investigation of the case.

Any qualifications gained by means of malpractice and/or maladministration will be deemed null & void by Sussex Yoga Training Ltd.