Equality, Diversity
& Inclusivity
Solihull College & University Centre is proud to have a culture where difference is respected and diversity is celebrated.
As a provider of education and training, Solihull College & University Centre makes a genuine and realistic commitment to continually ensuring equality, valuing diversity and promoting inclusivity and raising awareness of these matters both within and outside of curriculum settings to challenge and minimise discrimination and prejudice in all of its forms.
Our Values
Solihull College & University Centre (SCUC) embraces the changes brought by The Equality Act 2010.
SCUC has a set of five core values which underpin everything that we do. Equality and Diversity is embedded within the five values.
Our Values:
- Inspiring and supporting students to succeed.
- Striving for excellence exceeding expectations.
- Respecting each other.
- Recognising our responsibility.
- Caring, sharing and working together.
Equality & Diversity Annual Report
Since 2012, Solihull College & University Centre has been dedicated in producing annual Equality & Diversity reports. The annual reports focus on the work of the College in respect of its equality & diversity activities and responsibilities covering the academic year.
See our previous and latest reports:
Where our Full-time Students Come From
A significant number of SCUC’s full-time students come from outside of the Solihull Borough. This profile of the College changes very little from year to year.
Area of Residence | Number of Students | Percentage of Students |
---|---|---|
Birmingham | 2861 | 50% |
North Solihull | 534 | 9% |
Other | 533 | 9% |
South Solihull | 1174 | 21% |
Stratford-upon-Avon | 647 | 11% |
Half of our full-time students are from widening participation (WP) areas (i.e., areas of socio-economic deprivation and underrepresentation defined by post code).
What is the difference between equality, diversity, and inclusivity and how does SCUC honour each?
Equality
Equality is ensuring that no single individual or group is treated differently or discriminated against as a result of their protected characteristics.
We welcome all students, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
Diversity
Diversity is about exploring the differences between people and groups and valuing these differences.
We are a college community of over 90 nationalities/heritage groups amongst our students and 45 amongst our staff. The Cultures of the College event invites Students and staff to celebrate our college’s diversity through events at each campus.
Inclusivity
Inclusivity is a collective process of engaging and empowering each individual and creating a culture of respect, support, welcoming, and belonging.
This process needs to be visible and its impact must be just as visible.
Our enrichment sports offer is accommodating of all. We offer fifteen weekly sport sessions which are both main-stream and inclusive. Our goal is to provide sessions for under-represented groups which include females, BAME, students with a disability, and students from low socio economic backgrounds.
Introducing the Student Voice Executive Committee

Sasha Georgieva
Student Voice President

Triniti Gittens
Vice President & BAME Officer

Kira Ellis
LGBT+ Officer

Abi Frost
LGBT+ Officer

Annie Ireland
Stratford-upon-Avon Officer

Ali Martin
Green & Sustainability Officer

Emma Stewart
Digital & Communications Officer

Tilly Murray
Digital & Communications Officer

Sara Abdalla
Women’s Officer

Jess Walsh
Disabled Students’ Officer

Corey Clarke
Apprentices’ Officer

Hayaat Hussain
Woodlands Officer

Joe Pedley
Woodlands Officer

Chloe Sims
HE Learner Voice Officer

Pete Haynes
Vice Principal HR & Student Services

Geraldine Swanton
College Governor
Equality & Diversity Steering Group
Membership
Our membership is reflective of the various departments within the college. Teachers, support staff, managers and members of our Student Voice Executive Committee are all equal contributors to our committees and represent their respective areas.
The Equality and Diversity Committee receives regular reports on student and workforce data, including:
- Student equality and diversity profile.
- Student application to enrolment by ethnicity gender and disability.
- Student success rates by ethnicity, gender and disability.
- Staff equality and diversity profile.
- Staff recruitment profile.
All data can be found in our latest available report.
The steering group meetings provide a positive forum for discussion, debate and initiatives on the College’s approach to equality and diversity.
For example:
- The introduction of Gender neutral toilets .
- Review and agreement on the College’s annual equality objectives.
- The content of tutorials in relation to E & D.
- The proposal brought by the Student Voice Executive Committee to hold a Women’s conference
- Consideration of E&D student data, for instance on early student withdrawals, students ‘at risk’, student disciplinary data.
Related News
The college’s commitment to LGBT+ Inclusion
Our college is a safe and inclusive place for LGBT+ learners with a range of inclusion initiatives in place:
- We have a Pride Club for LGBT+ students that meet weekly.
- As part of the Student Voice Executive Committee, we have a dedicated LGBT+ officer who works to ensure that LGBT+ voices are heard and represented.
- LGBT+ issues are regularly discussed at E&D steering group meetings.
- We raise awareness and celebrate key events throughout the year such as LGBT+ history month, Pride, International Day of Trans Visibility and more.
The Rainbow Flag is a national quality assurance framework for education providers that focuses on positive LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities) inclusion and visibility.
The college is proud to have been awarded the full Rainbow Flag Award for its LGBT+ inclusion work. To achieve the award, the College had to provide evidence of work carried out in six different key areas: skilled teaching, supportive parents and governors, effective policies, inclusive curriculum, pastoral support and student voice.
Useful Links
Useful Links for Parents
Stonewall
Stonewall answer frequently asked questions by parents of LGBT+ young people.
Birmingham Parents Support Group
Birmingham Parents Support Group (BPSG) is a voluntary organisation of parents of gay and lesbian children. BPSG offer support to other parents and families when they discover a family member or friend is gay. The group meet bi-monthly at New door, Oliver Bird Hall in Solihull.
FFLAG
FFLAG is a national voluntary organization and registered charity who offer support to local parent’s groups and contacts in their efforts to help parents and families understand, accept and support their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members with love and pride. FFLAG volunteers are parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans children supported by other volunteers.
Birmingham LGBT
Birmingham LGBT’s objectives are to raise awareness of the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people in Birmingham and beyond, to advocate for their needs to the wider community and to promote opportunities to LGBT people in Birmingham and beyond to enable them to fully participate in the lives of their community.
Gendered Intelligence
Gendered Intelligence work with the trans community, and those who have an impact on trans lives. They specialize in supporting young trans people aged 8 to 25.
Mermaids
Mermaids support transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse children and young people until their 20th birthday, as well as their families and professionals involved in their care also offers support for parents of trans young people. They also offer a web chat support service to students up to the age of 25.
SCUC Awareness Days
Further to our commitment of celebrating diversity and promoting inclusivity, we try our very best to raise awareness of the many national and international days and weeks. We promote these through our student hub and noticeboards around the college. We also try to celebrate and commemorate as many days and weeks as we possibly can internally by either holding stalls, creating mood boards with students, holding parades or serving a particular cuisine.
Upcoming Awareness Days:
- LGBT+ History Month begins
- Safer Internet Day
- World Book Day
- International Women’s Day
- Holi
- Young Carers Day
- World Storytelling Day
- International Day of Happiness
- International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- Trans Visibility Day
- Stress Awareness Month begins
- Autism Acceptance Month begins
- World Autism Day
- Ramadan starts
- Asexuality Day
- World Health Day
- Stephen Lawrence Day
- Earth Day
- Lesbian Visibility Day
- Mental Health Awareness Month begins
- Deaf Awareness Week begins
- Mental Health Awareness Week begins
- National Numeracy Day
- International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- Pansexual Visibility Day
- Pride Month begins
- Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month begins
- Men’s Health Week begins
- Achievement & Celebration Week begins
- Refugee Week begins
- Windrush day
- Non-binary Awareness Day
- Learning Disability Week begins
- South Asian Heritage Month begins