Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at London Design and Engineering UTC
We would like to introduce ourselves as London Design and Engineering UTC’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion officers, we will undertake this role alongside our main college role:
Gill Lois- Apprenticeship Business lead Denise Saunders - Finance Officer
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Update 2025/26 – LDE UTC
LDE UTC continues its journey of transformational change in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, building on the momentum sparked by the global response to the tragic death of George Floyd. A full staff meeting led to the formation of a Black Lives Matter steering group, which catalysed the creation of a permanent EDI Lead role.
We’re thrilled to welcome Denise Saunders to the EDI Team. Denise brings her passion for change to this role alongside her work in finance, collaborating with Gill Lois, who also leads on Apprenticeships at the college. Together, they are driving forward our mission to foster an inclusive, compassionate, and culturally rich environment.
Our Mission
We aim to:
Promote social justice and diversity across race, ethnicity, culture, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, nationality, origin, class, religion, and professional status.
Provide leadership in coordinating programs that promote awareness and understanding of differences.
Create opportunities for engagement, education, and open discourse.
Build partnerships with individuals and organisations that share our values.
Strategic Actions
Renew our Gold Equality Award in partnership with Equaliteach.
Continue our involvement with Newham Citizens, Women Leading in Education, and Stonewall.
Continue to collaborate with the multi-faith Chaplaincy.
Develop both Learner and Parent EDI Steering Groups, with half-termly meetings to ensure ongoing engagement:
Continue the Learner EDI society – meeting weekly over breakfast
Participate in the Education for Change (E4C) program, supporting schools in their EDI efforts.
Align with the NAHT EDI calendar to celebrate key events and encourage whole-school participation.
Engage with external networks, speakers, and organisations to deliver workshops, talks, and training sessions that promote awareness and understanding of EDI across the school community.
Work collaboratively with the HR Lead to ensure EDI principles are embedded throughout the recruitment and selection process, supporting current recruitment policies.
Both Gill and Denise have completed advanced training:
CMI Level 7: Strategic Approaches to EDI
Equaliteach’s “Leading the Way” course
Their expertise will be instrumental in embedding a whole-school approach to EDI and ensuring that LDE UTC remains a safe space for expression, growth, and community building.
Please do feel free to contact us at: [email protected]
Key reference links:
