Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Welcoming and including our staff, students and visitors

In a positive and inclusive environment we feel valued and respected, empowering us to be the best we can be. At Franklin, we’re committed to helping our students and staff to thrive in a learning environment that encourages equality and diversity and eliminates unlawful discrimination. 

We strive to create a college that’s free from any form of discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Underpinning this is our vision to improve the life chances of our local community and be representative of all sections of it.

To help us succeed, we uphold these values:

• Aspirational 
• Supportive
• Persistent
• Inclusive
• Respectful
• Even and consistent

Equality, diversity and inclusion objectives and next steps:

• To ensure our college is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all staff, students and visitors, we continually review progress and identify steps for further improvement to the college environment and our ways of working.
• We celebrate the diverse cultures in British society and our local community, recognising the value of identity and helping prepare students for a diverse and multicultural world. This has included the celebration of Black History Month and Islamophobia Awareness Month in previous years.
• Franklin also recognises the impact of socioeconomic inequality on current and prospective students. We continue exploring ways to support students financially, particularly during current economic challenges.
• To date, we’ve offered financial support that enables students to access university open days and university, apprenticeship and employment interviews. We’ve also given financial support to students attending work placements, assisting with transport, food and clothing costs.
• Students in receipt of our financial support fund can access stationery in college and help with the cost of trips, meals and transport. Each year, we aim to have financial support in place for as many students as possible before the start of term, helping to lessen the financial burden of starting college.
• We understand that budgeting requirements evolve year on year. So, to counteract this, staff and students can attend training and awareness sessions, including support groups. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding equality, diversity and inclusion, please contact email the EDI Team: Gavin.lofts@franklin.ac.uk and Mark.gill@franklin.ac.uk

Ramadan 2023

We are supporting our students during Ramadan.

Ramadan is a huge part of the Islamic faith and we wish to do everything we can to make the time as comfortable as possible for our Muslim students, especially with regards to fasting and prayers. We have a timetable with a classroom dedicated to our students fasting for Ramadan. This classroom can be used to pray and find some quiet space away from the dining areas. Along with this, we will be continuing to meet the students to discuss how we can further support and look to celebrate the religion. We look forward to raising money for charity, a very important part of Ramadan, something that our students are passionate about.

You can find our Ramadan prayer and room timetable here. 

You can view our EDI Policy and Report and Action Plan here.