Interview Process

Phase 1:

As part of our process Shades of Noir runs a guaranteed group interview stage. We use this opportunity to meet everyone and to allow space for all applicants to contribute to group discourse. The conversation will focus on the pre-task activities that are part of the application process.

The group stage will happen on 28th June (timings TBC based on application numbers)

Phase 2:

If you are selected to continue through to the panel interview phase your interview will be with a small panel of the Shades of Noir team and will consist of two parts.

Part A: You will be tasked to deliver a 15-minute micro-teaching session. In this session, you will be expected to cover an area you are interested in and centre this within a teaching context. The brief is very open and some examples of topics you may wish to touch upon or include student experience, racism, intersectionality, antiracism, object-based learning, industry skills, barriers to learning … This publication may provide additional support Inclusive Practice Terms of Reference.

Part B: A series of three questions will be asked by the team. We have included them below so that you will be well prepared for this stage. There will also be an opportunity to ask the team a question if you would like.

The following questions will be asked:

• What do you know about the Teaching Within Programme and why do you want to be a part of the Programme? • How do you define antiracism and social justice? • Can you share a time when you have had to deal with conflict and what you learnt about yourself?

After you deliver the micro-teach and panel interviews, there will be an opportunity for you to receive some feedback on another day.

Key Dates:

18 June - Application Deadline

21 - 23 June - Interview information to be shared with applicants

28 June - Group Interviews with AM & PM slot (times TBC depending on application numbers)

29 & 30 June - Panel Interview stage with allocated 45m slots (times TBC after the group interview)

All sessions will happen online through Google Meets and will be delivered under our netiquette agreement.

Please ensure you are available and flexible on all interview days.

Introduction

This Admissions Policy (this “Policy”) provides the basis for admissions practice for Shades of Noir (SoN).

SoN offers the Teaching Within programme and is committed to making lecturing at HE level, an achievable option for a wider range of people and seeks to recruit students from diverse socio- economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. In order to support this commitment SoN is dedicated to the production and use of appropriate policies and procedures of which this Policy is a key component.

This Policy is intended to inform the actions of staff when carrying out the admissions functions of the University ensuring that fairness and consistency are embedded within the admissions process. It is also intended to inform prospective students, applicants/agents of the details of the admissions process to help them through the process and also manage their expectations of the programme.

Enrolment

Selection and initial decision All applications will be considered on an individual basis against the selection criteria published in the prospectus: in most cases, this will involve an interview, submission review, or a combination of these. In a small number of cases selection of applicants is made on the basis of references, portfolios or tests, without the need for an interview. Selection processes will vary between cohorts and are at the discretion of Shades of Noir. Once the selection process has been concluded an offer or an unsuccessful decision will be made.

Accepting an Offer

If the applicant wishes to accept the offer of a place to study with us and has considered the terms and conditions of becoming a student this must be done by the required deadline which will have been notified to the applicant as part of the offer. A contract will only come into force when the Applicant has accepted the SoN’s offer.

By accepting our offer of admission, applicants are accepting the SoNs decision in relation to their course placement, timetable and additional commitments. This decision is made on the basis of the available information or evidence that you provided at the time. Once students have enrolled with SoN, decisions on the above can only be changed in respect of subsequent academic years in certain specific and exceptional circumstances, all at the discretion of Shades of Noir.

Withdrawal of an offer or termination of enrolment

The offer of a place within the Teaching Within Programme is made on the basis that actions or statements by or on behalf of an applicant for entry are honest and accurate. The discovery of false information on the application form or in supporting information such as supporting statements or portfolios, any actions or omissions may lead to the offer of a place being withdrawn, or in the case of enrolled students to their enrolment being terminated (subject to the enrolment terms and conditions).

Applicants should not omit any requested or relevant information, make any misrepresentation (for example, through plagiarism) or give false or misleading information at any point of the application process including after an offer is made.

Shades of Noir shall have the right to investigate any allegation of misconduct by an applicant or student and may take disciplinary or other appropriate action where it decides that an act of misconduct has been committed.

An offer may also be withdrawn if it is no longer possible to accept the student owing to changes in government regulations, such as amendments to the immigration rules. Shades of Noir may also withdraw the applicant’s offer if the applicant does not provide confirmation of their results within the specified time period.

Privacy:

Non disclosure

All successful applicants will be obliged to adhere to a non disclosure agreement, in relation to the programme content and function. Shades of Noir intends to disclose information to the academics for the purpose of working with Shades of Noir and Teaching Within.

The Recipient undertakes not to use the Confidential Information for any purpose except for Teaching Within, without first obtaining the written agreement of Shades of Noir. The Recipient also undertakes to keep the Confidential Information secure and not to disclose it to any third party except to its employees and professional advisers who need to know the same for the Purpose, who know they owe a duty of confidence to the Disclosure and who are bound by obligations equivalent to those outlined above.

Data protection

Data protection legislation places a responsibility on the University to control the processing of personal data, including sensitive personal data and applicants’/students’ personal data.

We will use the applicant’s/student’s personal data in accordance with our privacy policy and we will not enter into discussions with anyone about an application other than the applicant, unless the applicant has given the Shades of Noir written permission to discuss the application with a named person. Further information on data protection can also be found on the Information Commissioner’s website https://ico.org.uk.