Equalities Policy
Christian values
The specific Christian Values of Love, Respect and Courage underpin, and are intrinsic to the ethos and belief of Saint James Church of England Primary School.
Our vision
At Saint James we accept challenges, take risks and work to make to make positive change in ourselves and our community. We focus on building resilience and compassionate relationships allows everyone to flourish.
Using our Christian values to guide us, we develop skills to navigate rough seas and transform our world.
Be strong and courageous and do it
1 Chronicles 28:20
Introduction
Saint James Church of England Primary School is a place where everyone should be able to flourish in a loving and hospitable community. The Christian faith teaches us that every person in our school community has been made in the image of God and is loved unconditionally by God. Everyone is equal and we treat each other with dignity and respect.
Each person in all their unique difference should be able to thrive, irrespective of physical appearance, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic background, academic ability, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.
We are committed to promoting the understanding of the principles and practices of equality – treating all members of our school community as individuals, according to their needs, with an awareness of our diverse society and appreciating the value of difference. We actively seek to challenge discrimination and we promote an anti-bullying stance which makes clear the unacceptability of racist, disablist and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and language.
We appreciate that a culture which promotes equality will create a positive environment and a shared sense of belonging for all who work, learn and use the services of our school. We recognise that equality will only be achieved by the whole school community working together – our pupils, staff, governors and parents/carers.
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:
- age,
- disability,
- race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin,
- religion and belief,
- sex and gender,
- gender reassignment,
- sexual orientation,
- marital status,
- and pregnancy or maternity status.
We welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion.
We recognise that these duties 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.
We recognise our duty to protect people who have (or are perceived to have) a protected characteristic, as well as those who are associated with somebody who have a protected characteristic or who complain about discrimination or support someone else’s claim.
We recognise that these obligations apply to our school as a provider of education, as an employer, and as a provider of facilities for community use.
Guiding principles
Our approach to equality is based on our school values of Love, Respect and Courage.
Love: We will show love through the acknowledgement, understanding and celebration of people’s differences.
Respect: We will treat others as we would wish to be treated ourselves, regardless of our differences or similarities.
Courage: We will stand up against discrimination, we will challenge inequality of opportunity, and we will encourage others to do so, too, when in school and outside of it. We will have the courage to reflect on our own beliefs and behaviour, so that we can recognise and change when we fail to treat others with love and respect.
We recognise that treating people fairly and equally does not necessarily involve treating them all the same, and requires us to acknowledge and take account of diversity and the different kinds of barriers and disadvantage that members of the school community may face in relation to their protected characteristics.
Development of the policy
This policy was developed using guidance from the Church of England [1], guidance from Educate & Celebrate [2], and taking in account the school’s previous School Equalities Policy (based on the Hampshire Schools model policy). It was approved by the governing body in January 2020.
[1] Valuing all God’s Children (Second Edition), Summer 2019, Church of England. Available: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-07/Valuing%20All%20God%27s%20Children%20July%202019_0.pdf
[2] Policy Guidance, Accessed January 2020, Educate and Celebrate. Available: https://www.educateandcelebrate.org/policy-guidance/
Links to other polices and documentation
We ensure that the principles listed above apply to all of our policies and practice including those that are concerned with:
- Pupils’ progress, attainment and achievement
- Pupils’ personal development and wellbeing
- Teaching styles and strategies
- SMSC and PSHE
- Admissions and attendance
- Staff recruitment, retention and professional development
- Care, guidance and support
- Special educational needs
- Behaviour, discipline and exclusions
- Bullying and addressing prejudice related bullying
- Working in partnership with parents, carers and guardians
- Working with the wider community
We also ensure that information about our responsibilities under the Equality Act are included in our school development plan, self-evaluation review, the school prospectus, school web site and newsletters.
A list of relevant policies will be maintained in Appendix A, Equality and Diversity Data. See also: Appendix A, Equality and Diversity Data
Our actions
We will take positive actions to ensure that our school meets its legal duties and lives out our guiding principles.
To eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
We meet our legal duty and live out our guiding principles listed above by:
- Fostering a culture of equality and diversity among our staff and pupils through our principles of Love, Respect and Courage.
- Tackling prejudice and prejudice-related bullying through our anti-bullying policy, ensuring that they are recorded, and using incidents as opportunities to challenge prejudiced or discriminatory beliefs. See also: Anti-bullying Policy
- Creating opportunities to tackle discrimination, harassment and victimisation by including appropriate elements in the curriculum.
- Ensuring that the resources we use in school are free from stereotypes.
- Acknowledging that some groups may have specific needs and making reasonable adjustments to accommodate those needs.
- Taking account of how the ways we provide services might impact upon equality of access, including through appropriate consultation and listening to concerns.
- Making it clear that members of our school community can raise equality concerns with us using informal channels or via our complaints procedure. See also: Complaints Policy
To advance equality of opportunity between different groups
We meet our legal duty and live out our guiding principles listed above by:
- Monitoring the performance and progress of pupils with regard to their and their families’ protected characteristics where such data is available.
- Setting ourselves specific and measurable equality and diversity objectives based on evidence that we have gathered, in consultation with the school community, and will publish those objectives as an appendix to this policy. See also: Appendix B, Equality and Diversity Objectives.
- Reviewing and revising our equality and diversity objectives at least once every four years.
- Having high aspirations for all of our staff and pupils, and setting targets based on their individual talents and capabilities.
- Applying our policies and processes fairly, including those relating to admissions and recruitment, except insofar that (as a Church of England school) we may (in limited circumstances) consider whether parents are active members of the Church of England in our admissions policy. See also: Admissions policy
- Being alert to the impact that incidents of prejudice could have on particular pupils or groups of pupils, or other members of the school community, and taking appropriate pastoral measures to ensure that people who have been victims, or witnessed, prejudice are made to feel safe, supported and valued.
- Ensuring that the resources we use in school do not limit pupils aspirations on the basis of protected characteristics. For instance by ensuring that, within the mix of resources used in school, we do not portray some occupations as being exclusively “for boys” or “for girls”.
To foster good relations
We meet our legal duty and live out our guiding principles listed above by:
- Encouraging our pupils to share their diverse experiences with staff and one another.
- Encouraging our pupils to consider issues from perspectives other than their own and teaching them skills such listening and empathising.
- Ensuring that our curriculum and resources reflect a diverse range of people, situations, and experiences. Although our school has a Church of England ethos, we will foster an understanding and appreciation of other faiths and beliefs. See also: Religious Education Policy, Collective Worship Policy
- Encouraging our pupils to challenge prejudice and discrimination when they encounter it.
- Maintain a Community Cohesion Policy See also: Community Cohesion Policy
Other ways we address equality issues
We meet our legal duty and live out our guiding principles listed above by:
- Considering how other school policies relate to equality and diversity when those policies are reviewed.
- Where necessary, including specific equality and diversity actions in our School Development Plan.
- Being proud of Saint James School as a place where all the members of our community are loved and respected.
Disseminating the policy
We ensure that this policy is known to all staff and governors, parents and carers and, as appropriate, to all pupils. This policy, our equality objectives and data are all available on our school website.
Roles and responsibilities
The governing body is responsible for ensuring that the schools complies with legislation, and that this policy is implemented, and that arrangements are in place to deal with any concerns or unlawful action that arises. Regular monitoring is the responsibility of the resources committee. The curriculum committee is responsible for ensuring that equality and diversity is integrated into the curriculum, as required by this policy.
The headteacher and senior leadership team will take day to day responsibility for implementing this policy in school, and for taking appropriate action in any cases of unlawful discrimination, discrimination or harassment, and will report to the governing body as required.
Teaching and support staff will be familiar with this policy and abide by its principles. In particular, they will: promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in their practice; deal with prejudice-related incidents that may occur; plan and deliver curricula and lessons; support pupils in their class that have additional needs.
Pupils will apply our principles of love, respect and courage when they are in school and outside of it.
Parents and carers will know about our commitment to equality and diversity, and will know how to raise concerns if they have them.
Visitors will be able to see our values of love, respect and courage through our displays in school and in their interactions with our staff and pupils, and will be expected to act in accordance with the principles of this policy.
Staff development and training
Promoting equality and diversity requires the participation of all our staff. We ensure that all staff, including support staff, receive appropriate training and opportunities for professional development, both as individuals and as groups or teams.
Breaches of the policy
Breaches of this policy will be dealt with in the same way that breaches of other school policies are dealt with, as determined by the headteacher and governing body.
Monitoring and evaluation
We will monitor and evaluate our equality and diversity objectives by having regard to a range of evidence, including:
- SATs results
- Internal assessment
- Playground/classroom interaction
- Displays in school
- Perceptions of Governors and Parents
- Teaching styles
- Differentiated work on offer to parents
- Use of resources
- Teacher assessment
Headteacher’s Report
The headteacher will include a section on equality and diversity within their regular report to governors. This report will summarise any feedback received that relates to equality and diversity, note any incidents of prejudice-related bullying, and overview actions taken to promote equality and diversity.
Publishing Data
We will track quantitative and qualitative data relating to equality and diversity annually, and will publish that data as an appendix to this policy. See also: Appendix A, Equality & Diversity Data
Appendix
You can read the appendix in the downloadable PDF file which you can access from the sidebar (or from the bottom of the page on a mobile device).
Download original document
Policy document (PDF, includes appendices)
Request a printed version
You can request a printed version of any online document by emailing our school office.