This section of our website provides essential information for higher education students about the policies, procedures, and requirements that guide your academic journey and ensure we meet our legal and regulatory obligations. Here, you’ll find details on student conduct, assessment regulations, complaints and appeals processes, terms and conditions and more. These frameworks are designed to uphold quality, fairness, and transparency across our provision, while aligning with standards set by regulatory bodies such as the Office for Students (OfS).
We also share insights from the National Student Survey (NSS), including our latest results, to demonstrate how your feedback informs continuous improvement and helps us maintain high standards. Whether you’re seeking guidance or reassurance, this area is your go-to resource for understanding your rights, responsibilities, and the support available to you.
The Higher Education and Skills Strategy sets out our college’s vision and priorities for delivering high-quality, inclusive, and future-focused higher education over the next five years. This strategic document provides a clear framework for how we will meet the evolving needs of students, employers, and communities – aligning our provision with national policy, regulatory requirements, and local economic goals. It outlines key commitments around curriculum development, access and participation, student support, and partnerships, offering valuable insight for students, stakeholders, and staff into how we plan to shape and strengthen our higher education offer.
Trafford and Stockport College Group is governed by a variety of laws and regulations, which often result in policies and procedures that set out what we do. Those that apply to all students across the Group can be located here:
Policies and procedures that apply solely to our students on Higher Education courses can be found below:
The Access and Participation Plan (APP) is our college’s formal commitment to promoting fairness and inclusion in higher education. Required by the Office for Students (OfS), the APP outlines how we support students from underrepresented backgrounds – such as those from low-income households, minority communities, or with disabilities – to access, succeed in, and progress beyond their studies. Through targeted outreach, financial support, inclusive teaching practices, and ongoing evaluation, the APP helps us create a more diverse and equitable learning environment where every student can thrive.
The National Student Survey (NSS) collects students’ views on the quality of the courses they study. This feedback plays an important role in shaping the student experience and serves several key purposes:
Here you will see our latest results, demonstrating how your feedback informs our continuous improvement and helps us maintain high standards.
Trafford College Group has been awarded a Bronze rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023.
This means our student experience and student outcomes are typically high quality, with some very high-quality features.
The TEF is a national scheme that assesses excellence in teaching and student outcomes across UK higher education providers.
These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
At Trafford and Stockport College Group (TSCG), we are committed to upholding freedom of speech and academic freedom as core principles of a vibrant educational community. In line with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 and other statutory obligations, we protect the right of students, staff, and visitors to express lawful views—even when those views may be controversial or unpopular. Academic staff and students are free to question received wisdom, explore new ideas, and present challenging perspectives without fear of reprisal, provided this is done within the law.
Our Freedom of Speech Code of Practice ensures that speech is assessed solely on legality and risk, not on alignment with institutional values or reputational concerns. Stakeholders can be assured that TSCG will take all reasonably practicable steps to secure freedom of speech and academic freedom, while maintaining safety, order, and respect for others.
All members of our community are expected to support this principle and follow the procedures outlined in our Code, which includes clear guidance, safeguards, and an appeals process to ensure transparency and accountability.
Trafford and Stockport College Group (TSCG) is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students, staff, and stakeholders. In line with our legal and regulatory obligations, including the Office for Students (OfS) requirement to maintain and publish a comprehensive source of information, we have developed clear policies and procedures to address incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct.
This section of our website outlines how concerns can be raised, the support available to those affected, and the steps we take to investigate and respond to such incidents. Our approach prioritises dignity, fairness, and transparency, ensuring that all members of our community are protected and that appropriate action is taken when standards of conduct are breached.
We are firmly committed to fostering an environment where freedom of speech and academic freedom are upheld as essential pillars of scholarly inquiry and personal expression. At the same time, we take seriously our duty to prevent and address harassment, bullying, and sexual misconduct. These responsibilities are not in conflict; rather, they work together to ensure that all members of our community can engage in open, respectful dialogue and pursue academic excellence in a safe and inclusive setting. In determining whether behaviour amounts to harassment or sexual misconduct, TSCG will consider its duties to secure freedom of speech and academic freedom.
The ‘rebuttable presumption’ requires that academic content and discussion, such as course materials or scholarly debate, are unlikely to constitute harassment. This supports lawful freedom of speech and academic freedom.
This single source of information has been informed by, and is consistent with, the following policies and procedures which can be found at:
Unwanted behaviour or conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment, because of or connected to one or more protected characteristics. This may be verbal, non-verbal, written, physical or online. Examples include:
Defined under the Equality Act 2010 as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. This includes behaviour that occurs as a result of someone rejecting or accepting sexual advances. The Office for Students adopts this legal definition and further recognises sexual harassment as a form of sexual misconduct, encompassing any unwanted or attempted unwanted sexual behaviour, including sexual assault and rape. In assessing whether sexual harassment has occurred, both the perception of the person affected, and the context of the behaviour must be considered, alongside whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have had the described impact. Examples include:
Refers to any unwanted or attempted unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which includes but is not limited to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape. The term encompasses a wide range of behaviours that violate personal boundaries, dignity, and consent, whether occurring in person or through digital means. Under UK law, sexual misconduct may involve offences defined in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, such as non-consensual sexual touching or penetration, and is also informed by the Equality Act 2010’s provisions on sexual harassment. TSCGs treat these behaviours seriously, recognising that they may constitute criminal offences and have a significant impact on individuals’ safety and wellbeing. Examples include:
As part of our commitment to meeting the requirements of Condition E6 set by the Office for Students, it is recognised that intimate personal relationships between staff and students can present risks to student wellbeing, academic integrity, and institutional accountability. For the purposes of this condition, an intimate personal relationship is defined as one that involves physical intimacy, such as; isolated or repeated sexual activity and/or romantic or emotional intimacy. To safeguard our community and uphold professional boundaries, TSCG has implemented measures to identify, manage, and where appropriate, restrict such relationships. These steps are designed to prevent conflicts of interest, protect students from potential abuses of power, and ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all.
Occurs when someone is treated unfairly or badly because they reported harassment or sexual misconduct, supported another person’s complaint or participated in an investigation. It includes situations where a complaint has not yet been made but someone is victimised because it is suspected that they might make one.
This refers to how a person witnesses or becomes aware of harmful behaviour. A proactive bystander is someone who safely intervenes, supports the victim or reports the behaviour. The expectation of all employees, students and visitors is to be active bystanders.
In line with our responsibilities under Condition E6 of the Office for Students, TSCG is committed to taking credible and significant steps to prevent harassment and sexual misconduct and to protect students from harm. We have implemented a range of preventative and responsive measures, including mandatory training for staff and students, clear and accessible reporting procedures, and dedicated support services for those affected. Our policies also address intimate personal relationships between staff and students, ensuring appropriate boundaries are maintained to prevent conflicts of interest or abuse of power. These actions are designed to foster a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive.
Communication of information and guidance to raise awareness, adherence to policies and procedures, completion of staff and student training, make a significant and credible difference in protecting students from, and reducing the likelihood of, behaviour that may amount to harassment and/or sexual misconduct.
TSCG has developed a fair and confidential reporting and complaints procedure with safe and accessible options for raising and resolving concerns, which prioritises complainants’ wellbeing. All members of the College community have a responsibility to do or say something if they witness harassment or sexual misconduct and it is safe to intervene. In the event of an incident taking place or being raised, staff will follow the Incident Procedure.
Disclosure refers to when a student or staff member shares information about an incident of harassment or sexual misconduct, often informally or in confidence. This might be with a trusted individual, support service, or advisor, and does not necessarily trigger a formal investigation. Students and staff should feel confident to disclose concerns about harassment and sexual misconduct. We ensure that no student is ever restricted from sharing their experiences; we do not use of non-disclosure agreements.
Reporting, on the other hand, involves formal notification of an incident through designated procedures. We have established clear, accessible, and well-publicised reporting routes, supported by trained staff and dedicated services to guide individuals through the process and provide appropriate support. A report will initiate a formal response, which may include investigation, decision-making and potential disciplinary action.
All reports of sexual harassment and misconduct will be taken seriously. Members of the College community found to be behaving in this way will be dealt with under the appropriate internal disciplinary procedure.
Anyone that makes a disclosure or report can expect that:
Any student that has a concern around safeguarding, harassment or sexual misconduct should report their concern by:
TSCG ensures that all information relating to harassment and sexual misconduct is collected, handled, and disclosed sensitively and in a way that is lawful, transparent, and protective of individual’s rights. This includes:
Students affected by harassment or sexual misconduct have access to dedicated support services including emotional support, academic arrangements, and guidance through the reporting and investigation process. The Reporting Party, the Responding Party and any Witnesses will be treated fairly, with dignity and confidentiality throughout any process and may access relevant support services on campus.
Support resources are available to any member of TSCG and information about this and external support services can be found on the Safeguarding tile on Sharepoint. You can access support irrespective of whether you choose to report what has happened to you, by reporting anonymously or with your contact details online through the safeguarding email safeguarding@tscg.ac.uk. You can decide if you would like to contact the Police or not. There is advice available on what that process will involve, in the Safeguarding tile on Sharepoint.
Investigations undertaken and decisions made will be credible, fair and reflect principles of natural justice. The Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Procedure applies to all members of the Group and sets out in detail the circumstances in which TSCG will initiate and manage an investigatory or decision-making process against a student or staff-member.
Once a report of harassment or sexual misconduct is received, the appropriate employee will meet with the individual(s) concerned to discuss the circumstances and severity, and how TSCG intends to proceed. A safeguarding referral form will be completed by the staff member who receives the initial complaint.
Where an employee is found to have committed a serious act of harassment or sexual misconduct, this will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure which and may be viewed as gross misconduct, which could result in summary dismissal. Where a student is found to have harassed or conducted an act of sexual misconduct, this will be dealt with under the student disciplinary procedure.
If the person making the allegation is dissatisfied about how it has been dealt with, they have the right to appeal through the TSCG Complaints Procedure and may choose to submit a complaint.
TSCG is committed to protecting students from harm and upholding professional boundaries. In line with OfS Conditions E6.5 and E6.6, we have clear policies to manage intimate personal relationships between staff and students, including requirements to declare such relationships and actions to prevent conflicts of interest. These measures are proportionate to our college context and designed to make a credible difference in safeguarding students and maintaining trust across our community.
It is recognised that relationships between staff and students can involve inherent power imbalances, and that these may lead to the risk of undue influence, coercion, or abuse of trust. We are committed to safeguarding students by maintaining clear boundaries, implementing policies that manage or restrict intimate personal relationships, and ensuring that all staff understand their responsibilities. Our approach is designed to protect students from harm, uphold professional standards, and foster a safe and respectful learning environment. Social contact with students should be positively avoided, staff should not have unnecessary physical contact with students and staff guidance exists to provide safeguards for one-to-one situations.
TSCG’s Staff Safeguarding Code of Conduct strictly forbids personal relationships, of any duration with students under the age of 18. Close personal relationships between staff, and students over the age of 18, are discouraged by the Group. Staff should not enter into a personal relationship of any duration, with an individual whilst undertaking their role for the Group or whilst the student concerned is studying at the Group. Staff must follow a disclosure procedure where a relationship already exists or develops outside of the Group with a student of 18 years or more. Close personal relationships with learners who are vulnerable adults are prohibited. The disciplinary procedure which applies to all staff in the Group, identifies inappropriate physical and/or sexual relationship with a learner as gross misconduct.
TSCG has the capacity and resources to meet the requirements of OfS Condition E6 through a dedicated safeguarding and wellbeing team, trained staff, financial resources, access to specialist services and robust systems for reporting, investigation and support. We have clear policies, accessible guidance, and a centralised source of information to ensure transparency and accountability.
Organisational Capability standards to support our positive duty obligation, are met by role modelling of respectful behaviour and by encouraging and supporting bystanders to act safely to respond to harassment and sexual misconduct. The responsibilities of leaders and managers, employees and students are outlined in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
This information is published publicly and prominently on our website and links to this page will be included in student handbooks, the student portal and staff handbooks and onboarding materials.
The potential needs of different groups of students will be considered, and data will be collected, monitored and published, where this will inform effective action. The EDI Committee will analyse data pertaining to harassment and sexual misconduct, make recommendations and will undertake and publish an annual report to reflect on performance.
Our policies and procedures are transparent and regularly reviewed. (E6 s.30)
This page will be reviewed and updated periodically. Any changes to the information shared here and/or contained within the policies and procedures that underpin this, will be recorded. Historical versions will be made accessible.
Version 1 August 2025 Review Aug 2026
