Discrimination is contrary to the Equality Act 2010 , the Student Dignity and Respect Policy and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy.
Discrimination occurs when an individual or a group of people are treated less favourably than others based on a protected characteristic such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership (in employment), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (including lack of belief), gender and sexual orientation.
The Equality Act (2010) sets out three types of unlawful discrimination: direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, and discrimination arising from a disability.
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination occurs when you treat a person less favourably than you would treat another person because of a protected characteristic such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership (in employment), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (including lack of belief), gender and sexual orientation. This could be refusing to give someone a job because of their race or not admitting them on to a course because of their religious beliefs.
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination occurs when you apply a provision, criteria or practice in the same way for everyone, but this has the effect of putting people sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage. It doesn’t matter that you did not intend to disadvantage that group. What does matter is whether your action does or would disadvantage that group in some way.
Discrimination arising from disability
Discrimination arising from disability is a type of discrimination. It means discriminating because of something that results from a disability, not because of the disability itself. Things that result from someone's disability could include: absence from work because of regular hospital appointments.