The context of admissions in the college sector in Scotland is changing. The Post-16 Education (Scotland) Act 2013 and the process of regionalisation mean the size of colleges is increasing, as are the numbers of applicants per college as well as college staff and sites involved in admissions processes. The Equality Act 2010 requires colleges to take an anticipatory approach to address any potential discrimination that might arise during the admissions process, for those with protected characteristics.
This guidance focuses on equality considerations of college admissions processes, pointing to other relevant guidance on general admissions policies and practices where appropriate. It aims to provide a tool for colleges to review their admissions policies and practices from an equalities perspective. Through the reflective questions at the end of each section, it presents a framework to enable college staff to think about their current practice and identify areas that may be discriminatory in favour of or against particular groups, and may therefore require review.
