Single Equality Policy

This single policy supersedes the school’s previously separate policies on ethnicity, disability and gender equality. The school’s statutory duties and responsibilities are outlined in Appendix 1.

Our policy refers to all members of our school community and, in formulating objectives for each equality duty, considers the needs of young people in our community who may, so far, have found it difficult to join our school.

The purpose of the policy is:

• to state clearly how this school is fulfilling its statutory duties with regard to promoting ethnicity, disability and gender equality and with promoting community cohesion
• to set out how specific duties are addressed through objectives within the three year timescale
• to set out how the impact of these objectives are monitored, evaluated and reported on annually, pending the three yearly review of this policy

Through the implementation of this policy we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that every adult, child or young person will have access to the necessary support required to enable them to reach their highest potential and that the school’s procedures for management of staffing, learning and behaviour are fair, effective and equitable.

To do this, the school’s leadership will, in the cycle of monitoring and self– evaluation highlight possible and actual inequalities in standards, provision and leadership and management, investigate why they take place and remove any unfairness and disadvantage.

When drawing up and reviewing this policy, governors and staff at this school have discussed and understood disability to be an experience rather than a condition. The proposed actions set out as objectives, and the terminology used, reflect this understanding.

The objectives drawn up should be specific, measurable and realistic with accountability and timescales made clear. We will take action to ensure that, where possible, the adults and volunteers (including governors) working in our school reflect the diversity of the communities that the school serves.

The school also recognises:

• that some people hold negative attitudes, stereotypes and myths about youth, ageing, younger and older people that can lead to people becoming socially and economically disadvantaged, excluded or marginalised
•  that some members of our society have stereotypes for both women and men and both can lose opportunities because of these stereotypes
• that people can face discrimination because of the attitudes of some parts of society towards the faith communities to which they belong
• the need to protect workers and learners from unlawful discrimination and harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation
• that all forms of bullying and discrimination are unacceptable and will not be tolerated
• that community cohesion is a process that should take place in all communities to ensure that different groups and individuals work and get on well together and promotes the capacity of new and existing residents to adapt to each other

In promoting equality we are committed to:

• challenging stereotypes and prejudice within and beyond the school
• acquiring or managing resources to guarantee effective implementation of this policy
• making the whole school environment welcoming to all
• spreading expertise among the staff
• providing opportunities for all adults and children to learn and to establish strong and positive relationships with their peers
• establish and maintain links between the school and its local and wider communities

The single equality policy will be considered alongside our other school policies, but specifically Collective Worship, Behaviour for Learning, Admissions, Anti Bullying. The school’s vision statement also reflects our aim to promote equality.

The context of our school The staff and governors are committed to make reasonable adjustments to equality objectives as our intake and community changes. Distinctive features of our school or significant partnerships that are aids to promoting equality, as well as any known barriers, are recorded on the SEF.

Our improvement priorities are developed taking account of our community and breakdown of our pupil/student intake by ethnicity, disability, gender, religious belief and social and economic background.

Reporting and reviewing this policy

In line with requirements we will produce an annual report on the progress of any plans and review and revise the single equality policy every three years. All information regarding equality will be included in the Headteacher’s reports to governors and the Headteacher will report any breaches of this policy, and the steps taken to deal with any breaches, to governors at least termly.

Complaints

Complaints by staff will be dealt with under the Staff Codes of Conduct for all school based staff agreed and implemented by the Governing Body in November 2015. A copy of this policy is available on request from the school.