Theory assignment 2
T2 - Summarise the key aspects of current legislative requirements and codes of practice relevant to your subject and type of organisation within which you work.
Task Notes
To be able to complete this task you need to know which legislative requirements and codes of practice are relevant to your teaching. Some of these will be generic – they will be relevant for all teachers, regardless of their subject or type of teaching organisation – and some will be subject or organisation specific.
Legislation and Codes of Practice:
You need to know what the difference is between a legislative requirement and a code of practice:
- Legislative requirement: A duty to act according to the law as defined in an Act of Parliament and usually enforceable through the courts.
- Code of Practice: A set of rules outlining how a person in a particular profession or situation is expected to behave.
- Statutory code of practice: A Code of Practice approved by Parliament and admissible as evidence in any legal action.
Generic Legislation and Codes of Practice
These are some examples of generic legislation and codes of practice you need to be aware of:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
- Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005 (DDA).
- Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (designed to bring education within the remit of the DDA through the addition of Part 4 DDA 1995).
- Equality Act 2006.
- Data Protection Act 1998.
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003).
- IfL Code of Practice for Teachers (2008).
- Safer practice, safer learning (2007) – responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults in the learning and skills sector – published by NIACE and DES.
There are several health and safety codes of practice and statutory instruments (additions to Acts of Parliament), which may impact on your teaching role. Some examples are:
- Manual handling. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.
- Control of substances hazardous to health (5th edition): the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
- Work with display screen equipment: Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002.
Common Risks in ordinary classrooms may include:
- Trailing electricity cables from projectors etc.
- Fire exits blocked.
- Fire exit notices not clearly displayed.
- Learners rocking on chairs.
- Bags, briefcases not tucked under tables, so creating trip hazards.
- Risk of tutor’s eyesight being damaged by looking into the beam of a data projector (which is why it’s best to use a laser pointer, so you don’t have to stand in front of the screen).
- But laser pointers are a potential hazard too! Only use Class 1 or 2 laser pointers.
The LSC Single Equality Scheme 2007-10: Our Strategy for Equality and Diversity (LSC, 2007) identifies their strategy for ensuring legal requirements are met and is relevant to all organisations funded by the LSC (Learning and Skills Council), link http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-singleequalityscheme-30apr07.pdf 
Although mainly relevant for teachers working with learners under 19 or vulnerable adults under 25 years of age, you should also look at:
- Protection of Children Act 1999.
- Every Child Matters.
Are there any Codes of Practice or legislation specifically relevant to your teaching area?
References:
Safer practice, safer learning (2007) Responsibilities for safeguarding vulnerable adults in the learning and skills sector, NIACE and DES.
LSC (2007) Single Equality Scheme: Our Strategy for Equality and Diversity Online: http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-singleequalityscheme-30apr07.pdf
Topics to research/review:
You now need to consider the following through research and further reading:
- Codes of practice and legislation relevant to your own subject or organisation.
- The key features of the generic legislation and codes of practice listed.
Activities
Assessment task
Weblinks
