Church Lane Primary School and Nursery

Equality and Diversity Policy 

At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery, we believe that all children should be guaranteed equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, culture, religion, social class, disability or special educational need. Both children and adults should expect to be treated fairly and have the same entitlement as every other child or person.They know this by what is said and what happens at an operational level.

Equality and diversity issues are integral to all we do. Everyone in the school knows that, if they think/feel that they are being treated unfairly and they think it may be to do with their gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, social class, disability or special educational need, they should say so, and they should expect this to be investigated and that any issues that emerge to be addressed.

Adults should expect employment practices to be are fair and transparent. The school works within the expectations set out by the local authority (LA) as well as what is set out in the ‘Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy’ of the LA. Although the governing board and the head teacher are ultimately responsible for ensuring that discrimination doesn’t occur, ALL employees ‘have a responsibility to carry out their duties in accordance with this policy and work within statutory requirements’ (Equality and Diversity policy LA, December, 2008)

VALUING DIVERSITY

At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery, we believe that valuing diversity means actively
recognising the strengths, talents and needs of every individual and every community. We nurture the potential of all and maximise the opportunities for all. We know that, despite legislation e.g. Disability, Discrimination, Human Rights, Race Relations Act etc., discrimination still exits and it is for us to strongly address this, when and if it does.

We give our children and adults strategies to deal with it, to know how to address discrimination if they hear it in others and how to know that discrimination is completely unfair and, as such should not be tolerated.

Aims

Our school aims to meet its obligations under the public sector equality duty by having due regard to the need to:
• Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is 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 across all characteristics – between people who share a protected
characteristic and people who do not share it.

We aim to:

• provide an environment in which all our children/adults feel comfortable and at ease about their
gender, sexual orientation, race, culture, religion, social class, disability, special educational need
and/or background;
• instil in our children a tolerance, understanding and respect of all cultures, faiths, disabilities and
ways of life and living;
• nurture cultural, religious and linguistic diversity;
• be aware of and support positively the languages and dialects spoken by our children and the adults in the school and at home;
• ensure that programmes of work cater for the individual needs of our children and that the curriculum is modified appropriately whenever appropriate;
• ensure that the needs of children with additional needs, including gifted children are catered for – and those of adults;
• ensure members of the senior leadership team are made aware of any issues which contravene the policy in order that the Head teacher, or the deputy head teacher can tackle the issue appropriately.

Legislation and guidance

This policy meets the requirements under the following legislation:

• The Equality Act 2010, which introduced the public sector equality duty and protects people from discrimination
• The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011, which require schools to publish
information to demonstrate how they are complying with the public sector equality duty and to
publish equality objectives. This document is also based on Department for Education (DfE) guidance: The Equality Act 2010 and schools.

Roles and responsibilities

The governing board will:

• Ensure that the equality information and objectives as set out in this statement are published and communicated throughout the school, including to staff, pupils and parents, and that they are
reviewed and updated at least once every four years
• Delegate responsibility for monitoring the achievement of the objectives on a daily basis to the
headteacher

The headteacher will:

• Promote knowledge and understanding of the equality objectives amongst staff and pupils
• Monitor success in achieving the objectives and report back to governors

All school staff are expected to have regard to this document and to work to achieve the objectives as set out in section 14.

Eliminating discrimination

The school is aware of its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and complies with non-discrimination provisions. Where relevant, our policies include reference to the importance of avoiding discrimination and other prohibited conduct. Staff and governors are regularly reminded of their responsibilities under the Equality Act, for example during meetings. Where this has been discussed during a meeting it is recorded in the meeting minutes.

New staff receive training on the Equality Act as part of their induction, and all staff receive refresher training every year. The school has a designated member of staff for monitoring equality issues, and an equality link governor. They regularly liaise regarding any issues and make senior leaders and governors aware of these as appropriate.

Equality Issues in Relation to Race/Culture

At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery, we believe it is important that the children feel proud of their culture, language, religion and skin colour, and respect those of their peers. The books and resources, such as dolls, jigsaws, cooking equipment, used in our school are chosen to reflect the ethnic diversity of the school and to show all communities and individuals within communities in a positive light. Festivals and customs associated with cultures are explained and celebrated and the children’s ethnic backgrounds and interests used wherever possible in our delivery of our curriculum.

Equality Issues in Relation to Religion

At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery, we teach our children/adults to understand and value
the religions and religious beliefs and practices of their peers. We visit a variety of places of worship as part of our RE work, we learn songs in a range of other languages to celebrate cultural diversity.

Equality Issues in Relation to Gender/Sexual Orientation

At Church Lane Primary School and Nursery, we are aware that in life and in our society many areas have been stereotyped e.g. boys and football, girls and cookery. We provide a curriculum where girls as well as boys have EQUAL access to ALL areas of the curriculum we offer. In order to support the above, our resources are monitored to see that they address stereotyping. Children and adults (for example at times of recruitment for adults) are not discriminated against and recruitment practices are fair and transparent.

Equality Issues in Relation to children/adults with Special Educational

Needs and Disabilities

As members of staff, we realise that it is important to identify the needs of children with special educational needs or disabilities at the earliest opportunity so that suitable learning programmes and strategies can be devised and the curriculum modified so that that they can be effectively used in meeting the above needs.

Individual pupil progress is monitored and assessed regularly and strategies are modified accordingly to support individual children with learning needs. Close links with the parents/carers of children with special educational needs are maintained and the expertise of our staff; and of the relevant outside agencies such as the Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapist etc. are utilised to assist us in meeting the needs of our children.
We assess our curriculum in order to ensure it is accessible to pupils with a disability/disabilities and seek professional advice and training to support both our teaching and pupil learning. We actively seek advice and support from the LA and access a range of appropriate resources to aid pupils with a disability in their learning.

We make reasonable adjustments where possible to ensure children and parents with disabilities are able to access the school. Any new building work is DDA compliant.

Advancing equality of opportunity

As set out in the DfE guidance on the Equality Act, the school aims to advance equality of opportunity by:

• Removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people which are connected to a particular
characteristic they have (e.g. pupils with disabilities, or gay pupils who are being subjected to
homophobic bullying)
• Taking steps to meet the particular needs of people who have a particular characteristic (e.g. enabling Muslim pupils to pray at prescribed times)
• Encouraging people who have a particular characteristic to participate fully in any activities (e.g.
encouraging all pupils to be involved in the full range of school societies)

In fulfilling this aspect of the duty, the school will:
• Publish attainment data each academic year showing how pupils with different characteristics are performing
• Analyse the above data to determine strengths and areas for improvement, implement actions in response and publish this information
• Make evidence available identifying improvements for specific groups (e.g. declines in incidents of homophobic or transphobic bullying)
• Publish further data about any issues associated with particular protected characteristics, identifying any issues which could affect our own pupils

Recruitment

We encourage applications from staff from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. All members of staff have fair access to training and development opportunities. Equal pay legislation is adhered to at Church Lane Primary School and Nursery. All staff and volunteers are expected to be aware of this policy and the procedures related to it. Any member of staff is expected to challenge and report inappropriate behaviour to the Senior Leadership Team who will follow this up.

We will include equality of opportunity in all our employment practices, from advertising and recruitment, through to professional development and terms and conditions of employment. In delivering our aims for equal opportunities in employment, we are making commitments, which we will observe in our policies and day-to-day operations.

Recruitment
• Advertising vacancies in such a way as to promote applicants from all groups in the community.
• Including only the skills and experience actually needed in job descriptions and person specifications(essential criteria).
• Including in all contracts of employment, a requirement to implement and observe equality.
• Providing application packs, and accepting applications, in alternative formats wherever practicable to the position that is vacant.
• Recognising additional skills and competences gained through less formal routes such as voluntary work.
• Ensuring that all applicants for vacancies demonstrate their skills and competence pursuant to the vacancy advertised.
• Monitoring those applying for vacancies, and those appointed, by race, gender, disability, age,
religion or belief, and work-status (full/part-time).
• Supporting our employees by providing opportunities for learning and development.
Work Environment
• Constantly reviewing and developing policies and procedures for employment, which reflect equality legislation and modern working practices.
• Ensuring that the work environment is safe and free from harassment, victimisation and bullying.

•Making adaptations, where appropriate, to support staff in post.

• Communicating our Equality and Diversity Policy to all employees and clarifying everyone’s role in delivering them.
• Dealing with all breaches of policy in a transparent, supportive and fair manner.
• Monitoring personnel activities to ensure discrimination does not take place.

Positive Action

Church Lane Primary School and Nursery is committed to:

• Interviewing all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a vacancy and consider them on their abilities.
• Making every effort to ensure that employees who become disabled can remain in employment.
• Ensuring that all employees are aware of disability issues pertinent to their work.
• Making sure that there is an annual (minimum) review with disabled employees with regard to their specific development needs.
• Reviewing these commitment and achievements annually, planning future improvements and
reporting to the Employment Service.

Fostering good relations

The school aims to foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it by:
• Promoting tolerance, friendship and understanding of a range of religions and cultures through
different aspects of our curriculum. This includes teaching in RE, citizenship and personal, social,
health and economic (PSHE) education, but also activities in other curriculum areas. For example, as part of teaching and learning in English/reading, pupils will be introduced to literature from a range of cultures
• Holding collective worship dealing with relevant issues. Pupils will be encouraged to take a lead in such assemblies and we will also invite external speakers to contribute
• Working with our local community. This includes inviting leaders of local faith groups to speak at
assemblies, and organising school trips and activities based around the local community
• Encouraging and implementing initiatives to deal with tensions between different groups of pupils within the school. For example, our learning council has representatives from different year groups and is formed of pupils from a range of backgrounds. All pupils are encouraged to participate in the school’s activities, such as sports clubs. We also work with parents to promote knowledge and understanding of different cultures

Equality considerations in decision-making

The school ensures it has due regard to equality considerations whenever significant decisions are made.
The school always considers the impact of significant decisions on particular groups. For example, when a school trip or activity is being planned, the school considers whether the trip:
• Cuts across any religious holidays
• Is accessible to pupils with disabilities
• Has equivalent facilities for boys and girls

Equality objectives

Objective 1: To improve pupil progress and attainment for identified groups of pupils e.g. gender, ethnic minority groups, English as an additional language, SEND, pupil premium (including FSM,
Ever 6 and Forces) and looked after children

Actions:
• Plan effective quality first teaching
• Introduce pre learning tasks and specific intervention
• Enrich curriculum through visits/visitors and experiences
• Staff training into effective teaching of SEN children
• Provide interventions/resources
• Identify barriers to learning
• Identify specific groups for teachers’ performance management.

Objective 2: To monitor pupil attendance and provide support to address low attendance rates and
persistent absence.

Actions:
• Termly analysis of attendance data to identify pupils falling below 90% attendance
• Attendance data published on website and regular reminders in weekly newsletter
• A clear attendance policy in place for dealing with absence which states how this will be managed;
• Apply the policy fairly and consistently to all pupils
• Early intervention when individual pupil absence gives cause for concern
• Reward and celebrate good and improved attendance;
• Make best use of additional support for pupils and parents with the greatest need;
• Effective systems in place for monitoring attendance, including first day calling, analysis of data and follow up by class teacher/member of SLT;

Objective 3: To promote understanding of and respect for differences.

Actions:

• Teach a broad and balanced Curriculum
• Participate in Anti Bullying week
• Develop PSHE curriculum accessibility/curriculum for:

- Wheelchair access
- Visual impairments

Monitoring arrangements
The head teacher will update the equality information we publish, at least every year.
This document will be reviewed by the governing board at least every 4 years.
This document will be approved by the full governing board.