We want our students, staff and visitors to value not only what we have in common, but also what makes us different
A diverse Academy is an Academy with a rich culture of creativity and innovation. We want this to be a place where everyone feels like they belong.
We have therefore brought together our work in the areas of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) under the umbrella of Belonging. You can read more about our Belonging Scheme here.
Inspiring Change
Twice a year our Dean of Students, Elizabeth Kenny, provides a report on the Academy's diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging work. Read the updates:
Work with Blueprint for All
In 2020 we invited Blueprint for All to undertake a thorough review of Belonging at the Academy. After conducting in-depth interviews with staff and students, and an audit of all our policies and procedures, they recognised our commitment to change. They identified areas for improvement and they have supported us in working towards our goals.
In 2024 they returned and noted a marked sense of progress and optimism as well as achievement, within our community. Read their new report below.
ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION
We know that not everyone has the same opportunities.
We are committed to making our educational programmes, facilities and expertise available to people from ethnically, economically and socially diverse backgrounds, and we are investing heavily in our widening participation and community-focused activity. Read our full Access and Participation plan here.
DISABILITY, LEARNING DIFFICULTIES AND NEURODIVERSITY
We want every student to participate fully in Academy life.
A wide range of support is in place for disabled students and students with specific learning difficulties.
MENTAL HEALTH
The new challenges of living away from home and studying in an intensive environment can affect your mental health.
A strong pastoral care system and confidential in-house counselling service are in place to support you throughout your studies. You can also report wellbeing concerns via our Report + Support portal (see section below).
The Students’ Union page has details of peer-led support.
SAFEGUARDING
All students, irrespective of age, are treated equally and provided with the same support facilities, both academic and pastoral. However, where it is felt that special arrangements need to be put in place for students under 18, the Academy will ensure that these are provided.
REPORT + SUPPORT
No student, member of staff or visitor to the Academy should ever be subject to any form of harassment, bullying or discrimination. Such behaviour is at odds with our values and the standards expected of our community.
You can report an incident that you have experienced or witnessed via the Report + Support portal. You can do this anonymously, or with contact details so that you can be supported.
LANGUAGE
And finally, a few words about language.
We are having open conversations about the terminology we use. We regularly review and refresh our language to ensure that it reflects the experiences of different groups and respects every individual’s identity.
We might not get it right every time, but we are listening and learning.