1. General

1.1 In accordance with Equalities Law, The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that individual learners have fair access to its qualifications and assessments in two ways:

• (a) By recognising the diverse needs of learners at the stage where qualifications and assessments are designed and developed. The aim is to provide the same access for all learners by seeking to remove barriers which may place people of different religions and beliefs, racial backgrounds, ages, ability, sexual orientation, gender, political beliefs, or any other status at a disadvantage.
• (b) By making appropriate reasonable adjustments to standard assessment arrangements wherever this is required to enable access. We provide the opportunity for a range of adjustments. The nature of any special arrangements allowed depends largely upon the qualifications and / or standards being followed, and the assessment methods employed and in conjunction with the awarding body providing the qualification or assessment

1.2 At all times we seek to ensure that the application of such arrangements does not give an unfair advantage over other learners or diminish the validity of the assessment process.

1.3 We have effective policies and procedures in place to identify learner needs and to comply with the requirements of all equalities legislation

2. What are reasonable adjustments:

2.1 A reasonable adjustment is any action that helps to reduce the effect of any barriers or difficulty that places the learner at a substantial disadvantage in an assessment situation

2.2 The general principles which are applied to our decisions about reasonable adjustments are as follows:

2.2.1. The nature of the reasonable adjustment is determined according to the assessment needs of the individual learner

2.2.2. Account is taken of the learner’s usual method of working

2.2.3. Arrangements are such that they accurately reflect the learner’s achievement and competence to work in a sector, and do not give a misleading picture of the learner’s ability

2.2.4. Arrangements do not reduce the validity of / or reliability of the assessment, and do not compromise the integrity of the assessment.

2.2.5. No unfair advantage accrues to the learner where reasonable adjustments are applied.

3. Quality assurance:

3.1 This policy is reviewed annually to ensure it continues to meet our needs and those of our learners, customers and regulators.