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To comply with the OfS Condition E6 (Condition E6: Harassment and sexual misconduct - Office for Students), this webpage is a comprehensive source of information detailing our policies and procedures related to harassment and sexual misconduct. The information here is designed to inform all members of our College community about the steps we take to protect students and the processes that are in place for reporting and addressing incidents.

  • Scope

    Our policies cover all incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct affecting students including conduct by staff towards students and conduct between students. Many of the linked policies listed apply to all students at Northampton, and all linked polices apply to students and apprentices on courses at level 4 and above.

  • What is harassment and sexual misconduct?

    Harassment is defined under Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 and Section 1 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and includes unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic (such as sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, etc.) that has the effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

    Sexual misconduct includes any unwanted or attempted unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, including, but not limited to unwanted sexual comments, sexual touching / assault without consent, and rape.

  • How to report harassment and sexual misconduct

    The College has a zero tolerance of harassment and sexual misconduct. Any student wanting to report such behaviour can do so by:

    • Contacting or talking to any member of College staff
    • Call in to Student Services at any campus.

    Telephoning or emailing the Safeguarding Team (https://www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk/student-support/child-protection-and-safeguarding)

    We are committed to removing any actual or perceived barriers to reporting harassment or sexual misconduct, including concerns about

    confidentiality, fear of retaliation, or uncertainty about the process, so that all students feel safe and supported in coming forward.
    Please note - If a student is in an emergency and dangerous situation, they should call 999. Students have the right to contact the police at any time if they feel a crime has been committed.

  • Support for anyone affected by harassment and sexual misconduct

    There is a range of support available for students affected by harassment and sexual misconduct including

    • Student Services and the Safeguarding Team
    • Contacting the Health Assured Student Assistance Programme – you will need a unique College code to access this which will be given to you during induction and is available on posters around College and on the student intranet.
    • The College’s Wellbeing and Mental Health Team who are based on the 2nd floor of the DARC in the Support Hub at Booth Lane. This team can make referrals to external agencies.
    • The College’s Wellbeing SharePoint resource – this provides selfcare help and signposts to other support services.
    • Academic and Study Skills Support from teachers and the DARC to ensure that students’ academic experiences are not adversely affected.
    • Signposting to external services and organisations such as:
      • The Samaritans – 116 123, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
      • Rape Crisis – 0808 500 2222, https://247sexualabusesupport.org.uk/
      • The Men’s Advice Line – 0909 901 0327, www.mensadviceline.org.uk, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
      • Galop – 0800 999 5428, www.galop.org.uk, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Students who are facing allegations and who may have been suspended, will be provided with a named contact at the College who will keep them updated on the investigation process and be available to answer any questions.

  • Investigating complaints

    The investigation procedures of our polices are designed to be credible, fair and reflective of the established principles of natural justice.

    Incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct are likely to be carried out under the Compliments, Concerns and Complaints Policy, the Student Behaviour and Intervention Policy or the Disciplinary Policy (staff). These policies outline how incidents will be investigated, the expected timelines for investigations and decisions, and the mechanisms for appealing decision.

  • Handling information

    Ensuring confidentiality when making a report of harassment or sexual misconduct is key to creating a culture where students feel safe to make disclosures. All information related to reports of harassment and sexual misconduct is handled sensitively and in compliance with data protection legislation.

  • Training and raising awareness

    Students:

    • Receive training through the induction period on harassment and sexual misconduct, including what constitutes harassment, sexual misconduct, and sexual consent, the College’s zero tolerance policy and how to report any concerns that they may have.
    • Awareness is regularly raised around College about the topics of harassment and sexual misconduct, the College’s zero tolerance policy, and how to report any concerns that they may have.

    Staff:

    • Safeguarding
    • Carrying out investigations
    • Child on Child Sexual violence and harassment training
    • Building a respectful workplace – sexual harassment awareness and prevention

  • Intimate personal relationships

    The College has polices regarding intimate personal relationships between staff and students, these policies protect students from possible conflicts of interest and abuse of power. Under the Personal Relationships at Work Policy, staff are prohibited from entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with a Northampton College student. It is recognised that such relationships may already exist when a member of staff is appointed or a student enrols, in such instances, staff must complete a ‘Declaration of an Existing Personal Relationship’ form which is submitted to, and held by, Human Resources.

  • Non-disclosure agreements

    Northampton College does not use non-disclosure agreements in relation to complaints, sexual misconduct, or other forms of abuse.

  • Communication and accessibility

    Our comprehensive source of information is prominently published and easily accessible on our website. We commit to:

    • Regular communication: inform staff and students in writing about our policies at least once every calendar year.
    • Key documents: feature information about our policies in key College documents such as university level prospectuses and handbooks.
    • Version transparency: ensure that it is clear where content has changed and provide access to historical versions of policies.

  • Associated policies

    • Code of Professional Conduct
    • Compliments, Concerns and Complaints Policy
    • Data Protection Policy
    • Disciplinary Policy
    • Freedom of Speech Policy
    • Personal Relationships at Work Policy
    • Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy (previously Child Protection Policy)
    • Student Behaviour and Intervention Policy
    • Whistleblowing Policy

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