Support and Report
At Exeter College, we are committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive community for all students. This page outlines how we protect and support students in line with the Office for Students (OfS) registration condition E6, which requires universities and colleges to take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to harassment and sexual misconduct.
Exeter College has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. We are committed to creating an environment where all members of our community feel safe, respected, and able to study, work, and live free from harm. We recognise that these issues can occur in any part of society—including higher education—and can affect anyone, regardless of age, background, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics.
If you are a student or a staff member who has been affected by harassment or sexual misconduct, this webpage offers information about the support and reporting options available inside and outside of Exeter College.
Our Approach to Preventing Harassment and Sexual Misconduct
Exeter College has established and robust policies and procedures to address the prevention and management of harassment and sexual misconduct. Considering the OfS request to all higher education provision, we have developed some key enhancements to our approach and would like to draw your attention to these and all the safeguards we currently have in place:
- Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy provides details of our approach to managing any allegations of harassment or misconduct. This includes the roles and responsibilities of our staff, including those with designated safeguarding responsibility and our teaching and support staff. The policy details the reporting and investigation procedures, and the support offered to all our students to ensure their safety whilst at college. The Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be accessed here.
- In addition to the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, Exeter College also has a separate Anti-Bullying Policy. This policy provides key definitions of what constitutes bullying and the college’s response to reporting and tackling, bullying and harassment. The college adopts a zero -tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and has nominated staff who have designated responsibility to uphold the college’s approach.
- There are always staff you can talk to should you wish to raise any concerns about bullying and harassment. In addition, the College provides an Anonymous Reporting system. Students and staff can use the anonymous reporting system to disclose bullying, discrimination, harassment, hate crime and sexual misconduct. The following page provides some additional guidance on what you can do if you are concerned about a bullying or harassment issue: Safeguarding at Exeter College – Exeter College
- All staff are expected to undertake mandatory training on safeguarding including bullying and sexual harassment. This training is renewed and delivered every two years. Completion of the mandatory training including dates for renewal are recorded by our People function. To support the additional requirements of OfS, all staff who deliver university programmes will be required to attend a bespoke Bystander Training programme.
- All students are expected to complete training on sexual harassment and healthy relationships to meet the requirements of the OfS E6 conditions. This training will be delivered as part of our WRAAP programme with online materials and interactive quizzes to track completion and assess understanding.
Reporting – We are Listening
If you are worried about yourself or someone else, there are always staff you can talk to should you wish. The College will always offer support to any student that may have been affected by these concerns.
We prefer people to provide their name and some information so that we can contact them, provide support and look into the concern properly . If you choose to talk to an advisor, they will be able to talk through the reporting options and support available to you, in confidence, but we recognise that there may be occasions when you feel you can only report something anonymously, and to do that the College provides this Anonymous Reporting system.
Available support
A range of support is available within and outside the College for students and staff who have experienced harassment and sexual misconduct.
We are listening – Students and staff can disclose how they have been affected by bullying and harassment using the College’s Report system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support from an advisor. If you choose to talk to an advisor, they will be able to talk through the reporting options and support available to you, in confidence.
Counselling at the College – We have professional counsellors who are experienced in working with psychological and emotional issues. They abide by the Ethical Framework set out by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy and provide confidential support within a brief therapy model.
We understand that sometimes people feel more comfortable accessing external support services. Please don’t feel limited by the services listed below, and if you think that you cannot find a support service that is applicable to you – please ask to Speak to an Advisor and the safeguarding team will be happy to search for additional services.
Citizens Advice – These pages provide information around bullying and harassment at work.
ACAS -The ACAS helpline is for anyone who needs employment law or workplace advice, including employers, employees and workers.
Exeter College is not responsible for the content of external sites. If you believe that any of these support services should not be promoted or you have a suggestion for an additional support service, please let us know.
Our EXpectations of Staff and Students
To support staff with expectations of professional behaviours and conduct the college provides a staff code of conduct, the details of which can be found here:
To support our student community with expectations of behaviours and conduct we share “Our EXpectations of you” and a list of behaviours the college will not tolerate which you can find here:
Our Approach to Protecting and Promoting Academic Freedom & Freedom of Speech
Exeter College has always focused on the promotion and protection of academic freedom and freedom of speech. Recently the OfS have asked universities and higher education providers to align their approaches to national guidance and legislation on freedom of speech. Exeter College has reviewed its policies and approach to ensure compliance in this area.
It is important that students understand, support, and are aware of the following principles:
- Exeter College has a legal duty to promote and protect academic freedom and freedom of speech exercised within the Law.
- Exeter College, its staff, and its students, must recognise the importance of freedom of speech and expression across all staff, students, and visitors, within the Law, even where the ideas and views expressed may be unpopular, controversial, and contested.
- Where Exeter College members have concerns that the views expressed under the auspices of academic freedom or freedom of speech are harassment, including concerns where they promote or support hatred or violence towards a section of society, particularly those that share a protected characteristic, it is always important that these are raised, by talking to your teacher or a member of staff in the Adult Hub. Please refer to our Equality, Diversity and Commitment statements on our website for more information about Exeter College’s approach to EDI.
Non-Disclosure Agreements
We do not and never have used Non-Disclosure Agreements.
Thank you for your continued support in making Exeter College a safe and inclusive place for all.