CONTENTS

 

1. Mission statement
2. Mainstreaming equality into policy and practice
3. Equal Opportunities for Staff
4. Equality and the law
5. Race
6. Disability
7. Gender
8. Sexual orientation
9. Neuro- diversity
10. Community cohesion
11. Consultation
12. Roles and Responsibilities
13. Tackling discrimination
14. Review of progress and impact
15. Publishing the plan
16. Action Plan

 

 1. Mission statement

At Stoke Primary School, we are committed to providing equality of opportunity and education for all pupils, staff, parents and carers, and to creating an inclusive school community in which everyone is valued and treated with dignity and respect.

We will not discriminate against or disadvantage anyone on the basis of the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010. These include age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We will also consider other factors which may affect a person's experience of school, including socio-economic circumstances.

We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all members of our school community feel safe, respected, valued and proud of their identity, and are able to participate fully in school life.

At Stoke Primary, we recognise that equality does not always mean treating everyone in exactly the same way. We aim to identify and remove barriers to participation, learning and achievement and, where appropriate, provide additional support or reasonable adjustments to enable individuals to access the same opportunities.

We believe that diversity is a strength. Through our curriculum, relationships and wider school life, we will promote respect for difference, challenge prejudice and stereotypes, and prepare our pupils to live positively and respectfully in a diverse society.

The achievement, attendance, behaviour and participation of different groups of pupils will be monitored where appropriate. We will use this information to identify barriers, address any inequalities and ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to achieve their potential.

We will take a proactive approach to preventing discrimination, bullying and harassment and will respond promptly and appropriately when concerns or incidents arise.

 

2. Mainstreaming Equality into Policy and Practice

Equality and inclusion are embedded throughout the life of Stoke Primary School. They are not considered as separate from our day-to-day work but form an integral part of our approach to teaching, learning, behaviour, relationships, leadership and school improvement.

We will consider equality when developing and reviewing school policies, procedures and practices and will seek to identify any potential barriers or unintended disadvantage.

Teaching and Learning

We aim to provide all pupils with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. To achieve this, we will:

• Use relevant contextual information and assessment data to identify barriers to learning and improve the support provided to individuals and groups of pupils.
• Monitor achievement, progress, attendance, behaviour and participation where appropriate, considering relevant pupil groups and protected characteristics, and take action where inequalities are identified.
• Take account of the needs and achievements of all pupils when planning learning and setting appropriately challenging expectations.
• Ensure equality of access to the curriculum and to opportunities within school life.
• Provide an inclusive curriculum which prepares pupils for life in a diverse society.
• Use teaching materials and resources which reflect the diversity of our school, local community and wider society, avoiding stereotypes and promoting positive representation.
• Promote attitudes and values which challenge prejudice, discrimination and stereotypical assumptions.
• Provide opportunities for pupils to learn about and appreciate their own identities, cultures, faiths and experiences, while developing respect for those of others.
• Ensure that pupils with disabilities and additional needs are supported through appropriate adaptations and reasonable adjustments where required.
• Ensure that teaching approaches and classroom practice are inclusive and responsive to the individual needs of pupils.
• Encourage respectful discussion about equality, diversity, identity and difference in an age-appropriate way.
• Challenge discriminatory language, attitudes and behaviour whenever they arise.
• Work in partnership with parents and carers to support every child's education, wellbeing and inclusion.
• Ensure that all pupils have opportunities to participate in enrichment activities, trips, clubs, leadership opportunities and wider school life, making reasonable adjustments where necessary.

Admissions and Exclusions

Our admissions arrangements are fair, transparent and compliant with relevant legislation. The school does not unlawfully discriminate against pupils on the basis of a protected characteristic.

Admissions to the school are coordinated by the Local Authority admissions team in accordance with the school's published admission arrangements.

Any exclusion or suspension will be managed in accordance with current statutory guidance and the school's Behaviour Policy. We will monitor suspensions and exclusions to identify any patterns or disproportionate impact on particular groups of pupils and will take appropriate action where concerns are identified.

Accessibility and Participation

Stoke Primary School is committed to removing barriers which may prevent pupils, parents, carers, staff or visitors from participating fully in school life.

We will consider accessibility when planning the school environment, curriculum, activities, communication and events. Where an individual is disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010, we will consider and make reasonable adjustments where required.

We recognise that barriers are not always physical and will consider the individual circumstances and needs of members of our school community.

Curriculum and Wider School Life

Equality and diversity will be promoted through the curriculum and through the wider life of the school, including assemblies, PSHE, relationships and health education, literature, celebrations, school events and opportunities for pupil voice.

We will ensure that pupils are taught to respect others and to recognise and challenge prejudice and discrimination in an age-appropriate way.

We will seek to ensure that the experiences, contributions and achievements of people from a diverse range of backgrounds are represented positively throughout school life.

 

3. Equal Opportunities for Staff

This section deals with aspects of equal opportunities relating to staff at Stoke Primary School.

We are committed to the implementation of equal opportunities principles and the monitoring and active promotion of equality in all aspects of staffing and employment.

All staff appointments and promotions are made on the basis of merit and ability and in compliance with the law. However, we are concerned to ensure wherever possible that the staffing of the school reflects the diversity of our community.

 

Employer duties

As an employer we need to ensure that we eliminate discrimination and harassment in our employment practice and actively promote equality across all groups within our workforce.

 

Equality aspects such as gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender re-assignment and faith or religion are considered when appointing staff and particularly when allocating Teaching and Learning Responsibilities (TLR) or re-evaluating staff structures, to ensure decisions are free of discrimination.

Actions to ensure this commitment is met include:

• Monitoring recruitment and retention including bullying and harassment of staff
• Continued professional development opportunities for all staff
• Senior Leadership Team support to ensure equality of opportunity for all

4. Equality and the Law

Stoke Primary School is committed to meeting its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination, harassment and victimisation and requires schools to have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

The protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010 are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Stoke Primary School will consider these characteristics when developing and reviewing our policies, practices and procedures and when making decisions that affect pupils, staff, parents, carers and visitors.

The school will also consider other factors which may create barriers or disadvantage, including socio-economic circumstances, and will seek to ensure that these do not prevent individuals from participating fully in school life.

The equality objectives and action plan set out in Section 10 of this policy identify the key actions Stoke Primary School will take to promote equality, remove barriers and address identified inequalities.

4a. Race Equality

Stoke Primary School is committed to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

We will:

• Challenge and respond appropriately to racist behaviour, language, stereotyping and prejudice.
• Promote positive representations of different racial and ethnic groups through the curriculum and wider school life.
• Ensure that teaching and learning resources reflect the diversity of our school, local community and wider society.
• Monitor relevant information and data to identify any differences in achievement, attendance, behaviour, participation or experience between racial and ethnic groups.
• Take appropriate action where inequalities or barriers are identified.
• Promote understanding, respect and positive relationships between pupils, staff, families and members of the wider community.

4b. Disability

This section should be read in conjunction with the school's Special Educational Needs Policy and Accessibility Plan/Strategy.

Stoke Primary School recognises that disabled pupils, staff, parents, carers and visitors may experience barriers to participation and achievement. We are committed to identifying and removing these barriers wherever possible.

Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is considered disabled where they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Stoke Primary School will:

• Promote equality of opportunity for disabled pupils, staff, parents, carers and visitors.
• Take steps to prevent disabled people from being placed at a substantial disadvantage.
• Make reasonable adjustments where required to enable disabled pupils, staff, parents, carers and visitors to participate fully.
• Challenge and respond appropriately to disability-related discrimination, harassment, bullying and prejudice.
• Promote positive attitudes towards disability through the curriculum and wider school life.
• Ensure that disabled pupils have appropriate access to learning, school activities and wider opportunities.
• Consider accessibility when developing policies, practices, communication, activities and the physical environment.
• Monitor relevant information to identify barriers or inequalities affecting disabled pupils and take appropriate action.

4c. Sex, Gender Reassignment and Gender Equality

Stoke Primary School is committed to promoting equality and preventing unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sex or gender reassignment.

We will:

• Ensure that pupils and staff are not unlawfully discriminated against because of their sex or gender reassignment.
• Challenge sexist behaviour, language, stereotypes and prejudice.
• Promote equality of opportunity for girls and boys and for women and men.
• Ensure that curriculum materials and wider school opportunities do not reinforce harmful or limiting gender stereotypes.
• Monitor relevant information and data to identify any inequalities between pupils based on sex and take appropriate action where necessary.
• Support pupils and staff in accordance with relevant legislation, school policies and current statutory guidance.

4d. Sexual Orientation

Stoke Primary School is committed to preventing discrimination, harassment and bullying on the grounds of sexual orientation.

We will:

• Challenge homophobic, biphobic and other discriminatory language and behaviour.
• Promote respect for different families, relationships and identities in an age-appropriate way.
• Ensure that pupils and staff are treated fairly and with dignity and respect.
• Take reports of discrimination, harassment or bullying seriously and respond in accordance with the school's Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policies and other relevant procedures.
• Promote an inclusive environment in which all members of our school community feel safe and valued.

4e. Neurodiversity

Stoke Primary School recognises and values neurodiversity and understands that pupils and staff may have a range of neurodevelopmental differences and learning profiles.

Neurodiversity itself is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. However, some neurodevelopmental conditions may meet the legal definition of disability under the Act, depending on their impact on the individual.

The school will seek to understand and respond to individual needs and will work to remove barriers to learning, participation and employment.

Where appropriate, Stoke Primary School will provide reasonable adjustments and appropriate support to enable pupils and staff to participate fully and achieve their potential. Support for pupils will be coordinated through the school's inclusion and SEND arrangements, while support for staff may include advice from Occupational Health and other appropriate services.

We recognise that inclusive practice benefits all members of our school community and will promote an environment in which individual differences are respected and valued.

4f. Religion or Belief and Community Cohesion

Stoke Primary School recognises the importance of respecting different religions, beliefs and non-religious beliefs within our school and wider community.

We will:

• Challenge religious discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes.
• Provide opportunities for pupils to learn about and understand different faiths, beliefs and worldviews.
• Ensure that pupils are encouraged to respect the beliefs and practices of others while being able to express their own views appropriately.
• Promote positive relationships between pupils and families from different faith, belief, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Support pupils to understand and value diversity within our local, national and global communities.
• Promote a sense of belonging and shared values across our school community.

Through our curriculum, assemblies, PSHE and wider school life, we will promote respect, understanding and positive relationships and prepare pupils for life in a diverse society.

 

5. Consultation and involvement

It is a requirement that the development of this plan and the actions within it have been informed by the input of staff, pupils and parents and carers. We have achieved this by using the following to shape the plan:

• Feedback from parent questionnaires and parents' evening
• Input from staff surveys or through staff meetings
• Feedback from the school council, PSHE lessons, whole school surveys on children's attitudes to self and school
• Issues raised in annual reviews or reviews of progress on Individual Education Plans/Personalised Provision Maps, mentoring and support
• Feedback at Governing body meetings

 

6. Roles and Responsibilities

The role of Governors

• The governing body has set out its commitment to equal opportunities in this plan and it will continue to do all it can to ensure that the school is fully inclusive to pupils, and staff and responsive to their needs based on race, gender and disability.
• The governing body seeks to ensure that people are not discriminated against when applying for jobs at our school on grounds of race, gender or disability.
• The governors take all reasonable steps to ensure that the school environment gives access to people with disabilities and also strive to make school communications as inclusive as possible for parents, carers and pupils.
• The governors welcome all applications to join the school, whatever a child's socio-economic background, race, gender or disability.
• The governing body ensures that no child is discriminated against whilst in our school on account of their race, sex or disability. 

 

The role of the Headteacher (or senior leader responsible for Equalities)

• It is the headteacher's role to implement the school's Equality Plan and s/he is supported by the governing body in doing so
• It is the Headteacher's role to ensure that all staff are aware of the Equality Plan, and that teachers apply these guidelines fairly in all situations
• The Headteacher ensures that all appointments panels give due regard to this plan, so that no-one is discriminated against when it comes to employment or training opportunities
• The Headteacher promotes the principle of equal opportunity when developing the curriculum, and promotes respect for other people and equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of school life
• The Headteacher treats all incidents of unfair treatment and any incidents of bullying or discrimination, including racist incidents, with due seriousness

 

The role of all staff: teaching and non-teaching

• All staff will ensure that all pupils are treated fairly, equally and with respect, and will maintain awareness of the school's Equality Plan
• All staff will strive to provide material that gives positive images based on race, gender and disability, and challenges stereotypical images
• All staff will challenge any incidents of prejudice, racism or homophobia, and record any serious incidents, drawing them to the attention of the headteacher
• Teachers support the work of ancillary or support staff and encourage them to intervene in a positive way against any discriminatory incidents

7. Tackling discrimination

Harassment on account of race, gender, disability or sexual orientation is unacceptable and is not tolerated within the school environment.

All staff are expected to deal with any discriminatory incidents that may occur. They are expected to know how to identify and challenge prejudice and stereotyping; and to support the full range of diverse needs according to a pupil's individual circumstances.

Racist and homophobic incidents and other incidents of harassment or bullying are dealt with by the member of staff present, escalating to a class teacher / Headteacher where necessary. All incidents are reported to the Headteacher and racist incidents are reported to the governing body and local authority on a termly basis.

 

What is a discriminatory incident?

Harassment on grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or other factors such as socio-economic status, can take many forms including verbal or physical abuse, name calling, exclusion from groups and games, unwanted looks or comments, jokes and graffiti.

A racist incident is defined by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report (1999) as: 'any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person'.

 

Types of discriminatory incident

Types of discriminatory incidents that can occur are:

• Physical assault against a person or group because of their colour, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or gender
• Use of derogatory names, insults and jokes
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory graffiti
• Provocative behaviour such as wearing racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory badges or insignia
• Bringing discriminatory material into school
• Verbal abuse and threats
• Incitement of others to discriminate or bully due to victim's race, disability, gender or sexual orientation
• Discriminatory comments in the course of discussion
• Attempts to recruit others to discriminatory organisations and groups
• Ridicule of an individual for difference e.g. food, music, religion, dress etc
• Refusal to co-operate with other people on grounds of race, gender, disability or sexual orientation

 

Responding to and reporting incidents

It should be clear to pupils and staff how they report incidents. All staff, teaching and non-teaching, should view dealing with incidents as vital to the well-being of the whole school.