EQUALITY and DIVERSITY POLICY

EQUALITY and DIVERSITY POLICY 2017

Every attempt is made to base our practices and procedures on the fundamental belief that all the children have the same rights irrespective of their current educational attainment, race, sex or social class status. Excellence in Education This policy should be read in conjunction with Inclusion, Safeguarding, Intimate Care, Behaviour, Anti bullying and Curriculum policies Agreed by the Trust on: January 2017 Presented to Staff: January 2020 3

PHILOSOPHY AND AIMS Excellence in Education has a wide and diverse population of both students and staff and this very diversity is one of our greatest strengths. In order to consolidate and build upon this diversity, it is essential that equality of opportunity and the absence of unfair discrimination be at the core of all the trust s activities. The trust will not unfairly discriminate in the recruitment or general treatment of staff or students on the basis of race, colour, ethnicity, ethnic origin, national origin, gender, marital status, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or any other factor. Excellence in Education believe that the overall ethos of its schools, through the hidden and overt curriculum, plays an important role in developing children and staff awareness of equal opportunity issues. We believe that through lifelong learning we develop our and our children s personal and cultural identity and celebrate diversity. We aim to ensure that children develop respect for themselves and others in order that they will become fully active and thoughtful participants in society. We aim to ensure the highest quality of education and opportunity for all. PRINCIPLES Excellence in Education is committed to promoting and developing equality of opportunity in all their functions and seek to do this by: communicating their commitment to equality and diversity to all members of their community communicating where responsibility lies for equality issues providing training for decision-makers, and briefing for staff and students developing mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review of the policy in practice in partnership with all stakeholders taking positive action to redress any gender, racial or other imbalances in the workforce treating acts of discrimination as a disciplinary offence consulting with trades unions, interested groups and individuals, internal and external POLICY STATEMENT A. In accordance with our philosophy and principles we pledge: To respect the rights of all our pupils To educate them about equality To challenge prejudice and stereotypes To respect the equal rights of our staff and other members of the school community B. We will assess our current schools practices and implement all necessary resulting actions in relation to: Ethnicity Religion or belief Gender reassignment Disability Sex and sexual orientation Pregnancy and maternity Age C. We will promote community cohesion at school, local, national and global levels, comparing our school community to its local and national context and implementing all necessary actions in relation to: Ethnicity Religion or belief 2

D. We will promote equality of opportunity for all to achieve success and skills through: Curriculum development Training for our staff ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES This policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved and connected with the school, so that each individual knows what is expected of them. Promoting Equal Opportunities and raising the achievement of all pupils is the responsibility of the whole school staff, including support staff. The EiE Trust Board will: Be committed to and seek to ensure equal opportunities for all in our schools. Continue to do all it can to ensure that all members of the school community are treated fairly and with equality and that no one is discriminated against whilst in our schools on account of their gender, race, sexual orientation or religion. Ensure that the school complies with all relevant legislation for equality and diversity. Receive progress reports from the Executive Headteacher and other school staff on a termly basis, as part of the head teacher's report to trustee s. One member of the trust will have responsibility for monitoring this policy, acting as the designated trustee for Equality and Diversity. Trustee appointed to this role will attend appropriate training to ensure that they are up to date with any relevant legislation. The Trust will adopt the LA s guidance on dealing with racist incidents. The Executive Head teacher, in partnership with Head of school, will: Implement the Equality and Diversity Policy in the schools. Ensure that all staff are aware of the policy and understand their role and responsibility in relation to this policy and that teachers apply these guidelines fairly in all situations. Ensure that all appointments panels give due regard to this policy, so that no one is discriminated against when it comes to employment or training opportunities. Ensure that the school complies with all relevant legislation for Race Equality and Diversity. Monitor the impact of the policy and report outcomes to the trustees. Return statistical information to the relevant local authority officer or DFE. Uphold the principle of equal opportunity when developing the curriculum, and promote respect for other people in all aspects of school life, for example, in the assembly, where respect for other people is a regular theme, and in displays shown around the school. Treat all incidents of unfair treatment and any racist incidents with due seriousness. The Senior Leadership Teams will: Ensure that all policies reflect a commitment to promoting equality and opportunity. Ensure that all staff are expected to deal with racist incidents which may occur. Know how to identify and challenge racial, sexual and cultural bias and stereotyping. Support pupils in their class for whom English is an additional language. Incorporate principles of equality and diversity into all aspects of their work. 3

The Inclusion Leader, SEN Leader and the EAL Leader will: Be involved in action planning and policy development and monitoring and evaluation. The role will also include keeping up to date with current thinking, being familiar with literature and resources, attending appropriate training courses and feeding back to colleagues. All teachers will: Familiarise themselves with this policy and know what their responsibilities are to ensure that the policy is implemented. They will know the implications of the policy for their planning, teaching and learning strategies as well as for behavioural issues. Ensure that all pupils are treated fairly, equally and with respect. We do not discriminate against any child. When selecting classroom material, pay due regard to the sensitivities of all members of the class and do not provide material that is racist or sexist in nature. Strive to provide material that gives positive images of ethnic minorities and that challenges stereotypical images of minority groups. When designing schemes of work, use this policy to guide us, both in our choice of topics to study, and in how to approach sensitive issues. Challenge any incidents of prejudice or racism. Record any serious incidents, and draw it to the attention of the Head of School. Administrative and support staff will: Familiarise themselves with this policy and know what their responsibilities are and ensure that it is implemented. Pupils will: Share in the development of the Equal Opportunities policy and be made aware of how it applies to them. They will learn to treat each other with respect and report incidents of a racist nature to an adult. PUPIL ADMISSION AND ATTENDANCE Steps will be taken to ensure that all selection methods are fair and equitable to pupils from all ethnic groups. Information about pupils' ethnicity, first language, religion, physical needs, and diet etc., is recorded when pupils are admitted. The school monitors pupil attendance by ethnic group and uses the data to develop strategies to address poor attendance. Provision is made for pupils to take time off for religious observance, leave of absence and authorised absence. The school and families will be aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to pupil attendance, with absence being followed up appropriately. 4

BEHAVIOUR, DISCIPLINE AND EXCLUSIONS Social inclusion will be the responsibility of every member of staff in the school, with high standards and expectations for all, to enhance the educational experience of every pupil. All staff will operate consistent systems in accordance with the school behaviour policy. The trust expects high standards of behaviour from all pupils with fair application of school procedures for behaviour management, which are equally applied to all, whilst recognising that cultural backgrounds may affect pupil behaviour. The school will have early intervention strategies, particularly for those who may be at risk of disaffection. Pupils who experience difficulties in managing their behaviour will be offered support, usually through a behaviour or EHC Plan, to meet their needs. Sanctions will be applied fairly in accordance with the trust s guidelines with exclusion only being used as a last resort or when no other alternatives are available. Language and behaviours that are racist, sexist, homophobic or potentially damaging to minority groups will not be tolerated. For more details on behaviour and discipline, please refer to the trust s Behaviour Policy. RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF The school and trustee s will adhere to the recruitment and selection procedures that are fair and equal, in line with the statutory duties and Equality Act 2010, as well as Local Authority guidelines. The skills of all staff will be recognised and valued; staff will be encouraged to share individual skills and knowledge within the school community. The school acknowledges and values the need for staff and those within the whole school community, reflect the diversity of the local, wider community. Steps will be taken to encourage members from under-represented groups to apply for positions at all levels within the school by extensively advertised vacancies to attract the widest pool of applicants. Individual schools will monitor applications, appointments, training opportunities and promotion by ethnicity and gender. All new staff members will be familiarised with the policy as part of their induction programme. The school takes active steps to ensure that any selection for redundancy avoids racial discrimination. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE If anyone in the trust feels that this policy is not being followed then they should raise the matter with the Head of School or Executive Head teacher who will facilitate the appropriate action, which may include an investigation and report on the issue. If there is a formal complaint then the trust s complaints procedure will be used. 5

PROCEDURES -THE PASTORAL CURRICULUM Equalities issues implemented and monitored through: Providing opportunities for pupils to take a holistic view of their own learning, progress, behaviour and development. Instilling a sense of pride, aspirations and respect for fundamental British values. Covering interpersonal behaviour amongst pupils, including racist and abusive namecalling and bullying within the curriculum and linking this with the wider issue of learning for citizenship. Building opportunities into the curriculum where by pupils' views, concerns and suggestions of their learning and of general school organisation are valued and are being formalised through the forum of the School Council. Pupils having opportunities, appropriate to their maturity, to contribute to reviews and discussions of the school's behaviour management policies, including discipline, sanctions and rewards, customs and conventions, and codes of behaviour. Staff development programmes referring to issues in cross-cultural communication and interaction in order that misperceptions and misunderstandings are minimised. Ensuring that there are structures and procedures to share relevant information about pupils' personal and home circumstances, while safeguarding confidentiality. Teachers diligently providing comprehensive information on end of year forms and receiving teachers acting on this information. All staff developing shared views and standards in relation to pupils' behaviour and being aware of ways in which their own expectations and actions may influence the behaviour and learning of pupils. Staff and other adults at the school always acting as positive role models in their interactions and relationships with each other. Pupils having opportunities to take responsibility for administrative tasks in classrooms and in school organisation, including responsibilities for younger pupils and welcoming visitors to the school. Measures being taken to monitor and deal with disaffection amongst pupils before it is expressed as unacceptable behaviour and truancy. The school analysing and adopting relevant and appropriate mentoring programmes, with special reference to the mentoring of boys. PROCEDURES TEACHING AND LEARNING This will be achieved within CLASSROOMS and around the SCHOOLS by: Pupils achieving the highest outcomes, for attainment and achievement, for their ability. Pupils knowing that staff have the highest expectations of them and they are continually challenged to reach higher standards. A range of teaching styles being used both effectively and appropriately in order that pupils motivation and sense of personal worth is fostered. 6

Teachers effectively managing the classroom situation and environment so that all pupils feel engaged in learning and are motivated to persevere and contribute. Staff promoting a positive atmosphere of mutual respect and trust amongst pupils, where all pupils feel affirmed, safe and valued. The appropriate use of quality practical tasks and activities, objects, artefacts, pictorial and visual materials. Access to specific software programmes to aid children and staff in dealing with inequality issues and resolutions. Displays and resources, including displays of pupils' work, reflecting a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society and world. Displays and general cross curricular resources, including ICT and internet resources, containing positive, non-stereotypical and challenging images in relation to gender, ethnicity, nationality, culture, disability, age, ability and religion. Displays and resources reflecting the school, local and international populations and issues. Pupils working collaboratively in groups and learning from each other s perspectives, viewpoints and cultural diversity. Pupils learning from a diversity of experiences, perspectives and viewpoints during class outings and from receiving guest speakers. Support staff working in collaboration with the teacher to ensure a high standard of classroom management. Staff having information on pupils' home and community languages. Staff following agreed procedures for dealing with racist, inadvertent or insensitive comments made by pupils. Staff ensuring that no ethnic minority pupil is disadvantaged by the content or method of assessments. This will be achieved through ASSESSMENT at the school: Being committed to improving teaching and learning in order to raise standards. (Outline of the assessment philosophy, principles and procedures to be found in the Assessment, Marking and Feedback Policy.) Taking a variety of forms, uses and purposes e.g. diagnosing difficulties, providing feedback to pupils, setting objectives and targets, improvement of teaching, informing parents, providing paper qualifications, forming teaching groups, determining specialists provision, assisting with record-keeping and contributing to accountability. Contributing to teacher s awareness that their own expectations of pupils may and can influence their own practice and pupils' motivation. Ensuring that pupils, both as individuals and collectively, are never described and categorised in ways, which may unfairly restrict their opportunities. Stereotypical assumptions are not made about the aptitudes or interests of any ethnic group. Enabling staff to avoid forming fixed expectations of individual pupils on the basis of the teaching group to which they have been assigned. Monitoring the understanding, knowledge and skills in English, Mathematics and oral 7

communication. Staff using a range of methods for recording and reporting the results of assessment, including profiles and Records of Achievement as well as tests. Being shared in a meaningful and relevant form with pupils and parents, in order that this information is fully understood. Having an agreed marking policy amongst staff that is made known to pupils and parents. Ensuring that pupils' attainments are monitored by ethnicity and gender, in order that positive steps may be taken to ensure equal access for all. Using tests and other assessment measures that are culturally inclusive and sensitive. Constantly referring to equality issues and improving the standards reached by all. 8