People in the City College Nottingham community should be able to concentrate on their work as students or as members of staff. To help, each of us should try to value everyone’s abilities and avoid making anyone feel uncomfortable, unhappy or ill.

Personal harassment is behaviour that makes other people feel bad about themselves, or makes them frightened or unhappy to be in College. Examples include:

• suggestive remarks
• offensive pin-ups or posters
• unwanted physical contact
• threats or any other aggressive behaviour.

The College will not tolerate harassment and sees it as a form of discrimination. This means that we all need to:

• use language carefully and not say things that are untrue, rude or hurtful about individuals or groups
• ensure that pictures and display material will not offend other members of our community
• report graffiti which could be seen to attack or insult other members of the community either as individuals or as a distinct group, so that it can be removed promptly
• treat others as fairly as possible.

If you feel you are a victim of harassment, you can either approach your Personal Tutor OR any of the College Harassment Mediators whose details appear on notices throughout the College OR you can contact Student Services. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times.

At City College Nottingham, we promote an ethos of respect in preparing our students for work and life in Modern Britain.  Our work with students helps them to develop an awareness and understanding of the following fundamental values in British society so that they become thoughtful, caring and active citizens.    The College shall promote the basic British Values of:-

• Democracy
• Rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

to ensure students understand the importance of respect and leave our College fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

Examples of the understanding and knowledge the College wants its students to develop include:-

• an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
• an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law;
• an acceptance that people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour;
• an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

The College actively promotes and enjoys an inclusive culture that demonstrates the integration of equality and diversity, embraces British Values, safeguarding and respect for everyone into each aspect of our work and learning.  We will challenge opinions or behaviours in College that are contrary to this ethos and these values.

British Values are discussed and promoted to students during induction and through curriculum and enrichment through themed tutorial weeks, campaigns, and activities that promote safeguarding, equality and diversity and a strong Student Voice.  Embedding British Values also provides an opportunity to increase the resilience of students to challenge extremist ideology, including far-right extremism.

Students are encouraged to influence decision-making through democratic processes such as Students’ Union elections, group rules, elected course representatives, student governors, and through the student involvement strategy. 

Students receive clear information about Nottingham City College expectations of student and staff behaviour and conduct, through the Student Disciplinary Procedure, safeguarding procedures and the College Charter.  Expectations of behaviour and conduct are reinforced and the importance of laws that govern the class, the College, or the country, are consistently reinforced when dealing with behaviour. The College has good links with community PCSOs.

Students are supported to make informed choices about their future progression pathways. Students are encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe a supportive environment. Students are encouraged to know and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and how to do so safely, for example through inductions on safeguarding, e-safety etc.

The opinions of our students are respected and valued.   The College continues to develop its successful student voice strategy to ensure that students are fully involved in shaping their own experiences.   Students are encouraged to show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the College locality and to society more widely, for example through community challenges, and volunteering opportunities.

We celebrate diversity and inclusion and the breaking down of barriers to success.  The College promotes an ethos of respect in preparing our students for work and life in modern Britain through student participation in activities that raise awareness of and promote diversity and an acceptance that people have different faiths or beliefs.

The College seeks to provide an exciting curriculum for all our students. We have a College policy for students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities which covers all aspects of provision, and each department has a named learning support member of staff. We provide impartial guidance to all potential students prior to application; this includes information on support for individual needs. All enrolled students with learning difficulties and disabilities have access to a central bank of resources. Where we are unable to supply specialist equipment, we will liaise with outside agencies to try to provide appropriate support. It is our policy to ensure that no student is disadvantaged through his/her disability during examinations and assessment within examination board regulations. There is good access to most buildings in the form of special parking spaces, ramps, automatic doors, lifts and circulation space. We are implementing a programme of major improvements for access for students, staff and visitors.

The College has adopted a workplace safety policy statement, copies of which are available on request from the office of the Deputy Principal (tel 0115 910 1455)

In the event of fire, sound the alarm. When a fire alarm sounds (continuous loud bell) you must:

• leave the building in accordance with the evacuation exit route
• make your way to the designated assembly point
• NOT use lifts
• NOT stop to collect personal belongings
• NOT re-enter the building until instructed by a member of staff.

In the event of a nuclear emergency, you will be informed by the Dockyard siren giving the emergency signal for one minute. This will be followed by the ‘All Clear’ (a steady note) for half a minute. Tests will be made throughout the year. On hearing the emergency warning students must follow the instructions of the members of staff in their teaching areas. You must:

• NOT leave the building
• NOT use the telephones
• NOT open the fire doors
• Wait for further instructions.

Students MUST comply with the safety regulations and instructions in workshops and laboratories. Protective clothing must be worn in those areas where safety and hygiene regulations are in force and disciplinary action will be taken if students infringe the statutory provisions.

It must be understood that most students released by their employers are ‘at work’ within the meaning of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and, therefore, Section 7 of the Act applies:- it shall be the responsibility of every employee while at work:

• to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work, and

• as regards any duty or requirement imposed on his employer or any other persons by or under the statutory provisions, to co-operate with him so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.

Students are reminded that any act of vandalism which intentionally damages or destroys anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare is an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and may attract a criminal penalty as well as being in scope to the Disciplinary Procedure.

First aid boxes are provided in all laboratories and workshops. All injuries, however slight, must be reported to the member of staff in charge of the group and an accident form must be completed. Students with a medical condition such as epilepsy, diabetes or a disability which might require emergency treatment need to notify the College on application.

As well as being unsightly, litter can pose a threat to the health, safety and welfare of the College community. Please ensure that all litter is placed in the bins provided.