Schools can have a major influence on the attitudes of society and of those we educate. We are in a powerful position to bring about change for the good. We aim to give confidence and promote awareness of the valuable contributions of all members of our society. Within the philosophy of the school it is recognised that all children are entitled to full access to the curriculum regardless of any of the nine protected characteristics.

Legal framework

We welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations in relation to any of the nine protected characteristics. We welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion. We recognise these duties are essential for achieving the five outcomes of the Every Child Matters framework, and that they reflect international human rights standards as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Guiding principles

In fulfilling the legal obligations cited above, we are guided by nine principles:

Principle 1

All learners are of equal value.

We see all learners and potential learners, and their parents and carers, as of equal value:

whether or not they have a disability
whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status
whatever their gender and/or gender identity
whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background
whatever their sexuality and/or identity.

Principle 2

We recognise and respect difference.

Treating people equally (Principle 1 above), does not necessarily involve treating them all the same. Our policies, procedures and activities must not discriminate but must nevertheless take account of differences of life-experience, outlook and background, and in the kinds of barrier and disadvantage which people may face, in relation to:

prejudices being recognised
gender, so that the different needs and experiences of girls and boys, and women and men, are recognised
religion, belief or faith background
sexuality
Race and ethnicity

Principle 3

We foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of cohesion and belonging.

We intend that our policies, procedures and activities should promote:

positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, good relations between disabled and non-disabled people, and an absence of harassment of disabled people
positive interaction, good relations and dialogue between groups and communities different from each other in terms of ethnicity, age, culture, religious affiliation, national origin or national status, and an absence of prejudice-related or judgement
mutual respect and good relations between boys and girls, and women and men, and an absence of sexual and/or homophobic harassment or bias.

Principle 4

We observe good equalities practice in staff recruitment, retention and development

We ensure that policies and procedures should benefit all employees and potential employees, for example in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development:

whether or not they have a disability
whatever their ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, age, national origin or status
whatever their gender and sexual identity, and with full respect for legal rights relating to pregnancy and maternity.

Principle 5

We aim to reduce and remove inequalities and barriers that already exist.

In addition to avoiding or minimising possible negative impacts of our policies, we take opportunities to maximise positive impacts by reducing and removing inequalities and barriers that may already exist between:

disabled and non-disabled people
people of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
girls and boys, women and men
different age pupils

Principle 6

We consult and involve widely people affected by a policy or activity should be consulted and involved in the design of new policies, and in the review of existing ones.

We aim to consult and would involve as much as is practically possible in our setting:

People with disabilities, as well as those without
people from a range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
both women and men, and girls and boys
extending fully to people who represent any of the nine protected characteristics within the community

Principle 7

Society as a whole should benefit

We intend that our policies and activities should benefit society as a whole, both locally and nationally, by fostering greater social cohesion, and greater participation in public life of:

People with disabilities, as well as those without
people of a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
both women and men, girls and boys
People who are gay, as well as those who are straight

Principle 8

We base our practices on sound evidence

We maintain and publish quantitative and qualitative information about our progress towards greater equality in relation to:

disability
ethnicity, religion and culture
gender.

Principle 9

We set ambitious objectives in pursuit of improving Equality

Each year we formulate and publish specific and measurable objectives, based on the evidence we have collected and published, in relation to:

disability
ethnicity, religion and culture
gender.

We recognise that the actions resulting from a policy statement such as this are what make a difference.

Every three years, accordingly, we draw up an action plan within the framework of the overall school improvement plan and processes of self-evaluation, setting out the specific equality objectives we shall pursue. The objectives which we identify take into account national and local priorities and issues, as appropriate. We keep our equality objectives under review and report annually on progress towards achieving them.

The curriculum

We keep each curriculum subject or area under review in order to ensure that teaching and learning reflect the nine principles set out above. Our environment reflects the school's commitment to a policy of equal opportunities for all. Displays reflect a positive image of the protected characteristics whenever possible. We aim to provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed, and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. To do this, teaching and learning will:

ensure equality of access for all pupils and prepare them for life in a diverse society;
use materials that reflect a range of cultural backgrounds, without stereotyping;
promote attitudes and values that will challenge prejudice related behaviour;
provide opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of other cultures;
provide educational visits and extra-curricular activities that reflect the diversity in our society.

Staff expectations are the same for all groups of pupils. Extra curricular activities are open to all students who self select by aptitude, ability and personal preference.

In our school, we aim to tackle discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations across all aspects of school life. We do this by:

creating an ethos in which all pupils and staff feel valued and secure; building self esteem and confidence in our pupils, so that they can then use these qualities to influence their own relationships with all others respecting their differences;
removing or minimising any barriers to learning, so that all pupils can achieve;
ensuring that our teaching takes into account the learning needs of all pupils actively tackling discrimination and promoting equality and inclusion through our website, social media presence,, school rules, Letters to parents and displays of work;
making clear to our pupils what constitutes aggressive and prejudice related behaviour;
identifying clear procedures for dealing quickly with incidents of prejudice related behaviour;
making pupils and staff confident to challenge prejudice related behaviour.

Ethos and organisation

We ensure the principles listed above apply to the full range of our policies and practices, including those that are concerned with:

pupils' progress, attainment and achievement
pupils' personal development, welfare and well-being
teaching styles and strategies
admissions and attendance
staff recruitment, retention and professional development
care, guidance and support
behaviour, discipline and exclusions
working in partnership with parents, carers and guardians
working with the wider community.

The school building has been inspected for access and the plans have been accepted by the governing body. Children and all staff are encouraged to value each other and build up and maintain cooperative working relationships both within school and in the community, such relationships being based on mutual respect for each other.

Staffing - Recruitment, Training and Professional Development

The school is committed to attracting and developing a workforce on a basis of merit, and equipped to meet the needs of the student population and wider community. The recruitment process will be monitored to ensure that there is no bias based on the protected characteristics. No teaching and support staff posts are sex specific; both men and women are encouraged to work with all age groups. All staff have equal access to inservice training and posts of responsibility.

Addressing prejudice and prejudice-related bullying

The school is opposed to all forms of prejudice:

prejudices around disability and special educational needs;
prejudices around racism and xenophobia, including those that are directed towards religious groups and communities, for example antisemitism and Islamophobia, and those that are directed against Travellers, migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum;
and prejudices reflecting sexism and homophobia.

Incidents will be dealt with in a sensitive manner. The PSHCE curriculum will be used to help promote a positive image of all members of society, with particular reference to the protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, gender, race, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief).

The following is guidance on the procedure for dealing with prejudice-related incidents:

The school will follow the Local Authority Guidelines in dealing with prejudice related incidents as these are unacceptable in our school. Any adult witnessing an incident or being informed about an incident must follow these agreed procedures:

stop the incident and comfort the person who is the victim; if appropriate, reprimand the aggressor and inform the victim what action has been taken; if the incident is witnessed by other pupils, tell them why it is wrong;
report the incident to the head teacher or Safeguarding Lead and inform him/her of any action taken inform the class teacher(s) of both the victim and the aggressor when the incident relates to a child in school
record what happened in the pupils’ incident book; inform both sets of parents, if appropriate.

All prejudice related incidents will be recorded and reported to the governing body by the head teacher. We take seriously our obligation to report regularly to the local authority about the numbers, types and seriousness of prejudice-related incidents at our school and how they are dealt with.

Roles and responsibilities

The governing body is responsible for ensuring that the school complies with legislation, and that this policy and its related procedures and action plans are implemented. A member of the governing body has a watching brief regarding the implementation of this policy. The head teacher is responsible for implementing the policy; for ensuring that all staff are aware of their responsibilities and are given appropriate training and support; and for taking appropriate action in any cases of unlawful discrimination. A senior member of staff has day-to-day responsibility for coordinating implementation of the policy. All staff are expected to:

promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in their classroom
deal with any prejudice-related incidents that may occur
plan and deliver curricula and lessons that reflect the principles in above
support pupils in their class for whom English is an additional language
keep up-to-date with equalities legislation relevant to their work.

Information and resources

We ensure that the content of this policy is known to all staff and governors and, as appropriate, to all pupils and their parents and carers. All staff and governors have access to a selection of resources which discuss and explain concepts of equality, diversity and community cohesion in appropriate detail.

Religious observance

We respect the religious beliefs and practice of all staff, pupils and parents, and comply with reasonable requests relating to religious observance and practice. The Trust’s Leave policy allows for time off for religious observance, including provision for Hajj for muslim colleagues.

Staff development and training

We ensure that all staff, including support and administrative staff, receive appropriate training and opportunities for professional development as required, both as individuals and as groups or teams. When planning professional development, the academy

Single Equality Policy