Equality of Opportunity

AIMS AND VALUES

Beaver Road Primary School is a welcoming school where everyone is valued highly and where tolerance, honesty, co-operation and mutual respect for others are fostered.

We are committed to the development of the whole person within a supportive, secure and creative environment.

A broad, balanced and appropriate curriculum provides equal opportunity for all pupils to maximise their potential regardless of age, sex, race, colour, religion or disability.

We endeavour to promote positive relationships with parents, governors and members of the wider community.

At Beaver Road Primary School we aim to promote equality and tackle any form of discrimination and actively promote harmonious relations in all areas of school life.

We seek to remove any barriers to access, participation, progression, attainment and achievement.

We take seriously our contribution towards community cohesion.

We strive to achieve our aims in the firm belief that every child should enjoy attending our School.

AS A SCHOOL:

• We believe that each member of the School community deserves respect and care.
• We endeavour to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential.
• We value good relationships between the different members of our School community.

WE STRIVE TO:

• Provide a secure environment in which all our children can flourish and achieve all five outcomes of Every Child Matters – be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and enjoy economic well-being.
• Provide a learning environment where all individuals see themselves reflected and feel a sense of belonging.
• Prepare children for life in a diverse society in which children are able to see their place in the local, regional, national and international community.
• Include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of quality and diversity.
• Provide positive non-stereotyping information about different groups of people regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and age.
• Plan systematically to improve our understanding and promotion of diversity.
• Actively challenge discrimination and disadvantage.
• Make inclusion a thread which runs through all our activities.

TO ACHIEVE THIS AIMS WE WILL:

• Involve whole School community in the development, review, evaluation, and impact assessment of all relevant improvement plans, policies and procedures.
• Publish and share our policies and impact assessments with the whole community.
• Collect and analyse data to ensure all groups are progressing well and no group is subject to disadvantage.
• Use all available information to set suitable learning challenges for all, respond to pupils’ diverse needs and overcome any potential barriers to learning.
• Ensure that the wider School curriculum makes explicit and implicit provision to promote and celebrate diversity.
• Have high expectations of behaviour which demonstrates respect to

POLICY PLANNING AND REVIEW

Whilst we have a duty to develop and publish equality schemes in relation to both gender and disability, at Beaver Road we are considering all aspects of diversity and equality in this comprehensive policy, including a specific equality and diversity action plan in relation to access, gender and race equality.

POLICY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Improvement plans will be designed with an element of impact assessment built in to monitor the success of each activity.
There will be a systematic review of the impact of all policies and procedures on equality and diversity to address any areas of inequality.
Our target-setting processes ensure appropriate, challenging targets are set in relation to identifiable groups as well as individual pupils/cohorts.

MONITORING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

Each pupil’s progress is monitored and tracked. The resulting data is analysed in respect of gender, race, ability or additional needs, looked-after status.
In addition to monitoring to rule out any potential disadvantage, quality assurance procedures ensure our School meets its duty to positively promote diversity.
The data collected is used to inform further School planning, target-setting and decision-making.

LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

Beaver Road Primary School is committed to:

• Being proactive in promoting good relationships and equality of opportunity across all aspects of School life and the wider community.
• Encouraging, supporting and enabling all pupils and staff to reach their potential and make a positive contribution.
• Working in partnership with families, the local authority (LA) and the wider community to establish, promote and disseminate inclusive practice and tackle discrimination ensuring that our School policies are followed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the Governing Body’s responsibility to:

• Ensure that the School complies with equality legislation.
• Meet requirements to publish equality schemes.
• Ensure that the School’s policy and its procedures and strategies are carried out and monitored with appropriate impact assessments informing future plans.
• Scrutinise the recording and reporting procedures at least annually.
• Follow the LA’s admissions policy, which is fair and equitable in its treatment of all groups.
• Monitor attendance and take appropriate action where necessary.
• Have equal opportunities in staff recruitment and professional development and membership of the Governing Body.
• Provide information in appropriate, accessible formats.
• Be involved in dealing with serious breaches of the policy.
• Be pro-active in recruiting high-quality applicants from underrepresented groups.

It is the Headteacher’s responsibility to:

• Implement the policy and its strategies and procedures.
• Ensure that all staff receive appropriate and relevant continuous professional development.
• Actively challenge and take appropriate action in any cases of discriminatory practice.
• Deal with any reported incidents of harassment or bullying in line with LA guidance.
• Ensure that all visitors and contractors are aware of, and comply with, our School’s equality and diversity policy.

It is the responsibility of all staff to:

• Be vigilant in all areas of the School for any type of harassment and bullying.
• Deal effectively with all incidents from overt name-calling to the more subtle forms of victimisation caused by perceived differences.
• Identify and challenge bias and stereotyping within the curriculum and in our School’s culture.
• Promote equality and good relations and not discriminate on grounds of race, gender, religion, age and sexual orientation.
• Promote an inclusive curriculum and whole School ethos which reflects our diverse society.
• Keep up to date with equality legislation, development and issues by attending relevant training and accessing information from appropriate sources.

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