Public Sector Equality Duty, Equality Information and Objectives
Public Sector Equality Duty, Equality Information and Objectives
The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to:
Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct 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 between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
Summerhill Primary School is an inclusive school where we focus on the well-being and progress of every child and where all members of our community are of equal worth.
We believe that the Equality Act provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships between people. It also ensures that we continue to tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups.
Our approach to equality is based on the following key principles:
All learners are of equal value
We recognise and respect difference
We foster positive attitudes and relationships and a shared sense of cohesion and belonging.
We observe good equalities practice in staff recruitment, retention and development.
We aim to reduce and remove inequalities and barriers that already exist.
We have the highest expectations of all our children.
Information on pupils by protected characteristics
The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. Every person has several of the protected characteristics, so the Act protects everyone against unfair treatment. We are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, religion or socio-economic background. In order to ensure that all pupils are protected from discrimination, the school collects information on protected characteristics.
Information on other groups of pupils
In addition to pupils with protected characteristics, we gather further information on the following groups of pupils:
Pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM)
Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Looked after children
Other vulnerable groups
Eliminating discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the Act
The information provided here aims to demonstrate that we give careful consideration to equality issues in everything that we do at Summerhill Primary School. ‘Due regard’ ensures that we work towards eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act.
We are committed to working for equality for all our staff, parents/carers and children to meet our duties under the Equality Act 2010.
We eliminate discrimination by:
Adoption of the single Equality Scheme
Our Anti-Bullying and Attitude, Behaviour and Discipline policies ensuring that all children feel safe at school and addresses prejudicial bullying
Reporting, responding to and monitoring all racist incidents
Regularly monitoring the curriculum to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of our pupils and that it promotes respect for diversity and challenges negative stereotyping
Teaching is of the highest quality to ensure children reach their potential and all pupils are given equal entitlement to success
Tracking pupil progress to ensure that all children make rapid progress, and intervening when necessary
Ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to access extra-curricular provision
Listening to and monitoring views and experiences of pupils and adults to evaluate the effectiveness of our policies and procedures.
Advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
We advance equality of opportunity by:
Using the information we gather to identify underachieving groups or individuals and plan targeted intervention
Listening to parents/carers
Listening to pupils at all times
Fostering good relations across all characteristics - between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
We foster good relations by:
Ensuring that Summerhill Primary School is seen as a community school within our local community
Ensuring that equality and diversity are embedded in the curriculum and in assemblies.
British Values
Through our vision, curriculum, extra-curricular activities, teaching and learning, Summerhill Primary School will promote British values. By doing so, we will ensure that all learners understand the values that have traditionally underpinned British society. The implicit and explicit teaching of these values will promote cohesiveness within our school and community. As a UNICEF Rights Respecting school, we believe this equality statement reflects the following articles:
Unicef Articles
Article 2: (non-discrimination)
The Convention applies to every child without discrimination, whatever their ethnicity, sex, religion, language, abilities or any other status…..
Article 3: (best interests of the child)
The best interests of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children.
Article 8: (protection and preservation of identity)
Every child has the right to an identity. Governments must respect and protect that right, and prevent the child’s name, nationality or family relationships from being changed unlawfully.
Article 28: (right to education)
Every child has the right to an education. Primary education must be free and different forms of secondary education must be available to every child. Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity and their rights. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.
Article 29: (goals of education)
Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and their environment.
Equality Objectives
At Summerhill Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers, irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, religion or socio-economic background.
In order to further support pupils, raise standards and ensure inclusive teaching, we have set the following objectives:
Objective 1
● To promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through all appropriate
curricular and extracurricular opportunities.
Why we have chosen this objective:
● We believe that children benefit from a wide range of opportunities that will promote their SMSC development
To achieve this objective, we plan to:
● We aim to meet this objective with particular reference to issues of equality and diversity – see PSHE scheme of work and Picture News
Progress we are making towards this objective:
● The school has a clear curriculum in place and a clear outline of SMSC opportunities within the curriculum.
● Extra Curricular activities promote SMSC for example trips to the Cathedral
Introduction of Picture News
Objective 2
● To reduce prejudice and increase understanding of equality through direct teaching across the curriculum – Black history month, Rights respecting, charity work, Picture news.
Why we have chosen this objective:
● We believe that it is imperative to staff and children’s development to understand what equality is so that everyone is treated fairly and equally
To achieve this objective, we plan to:
● This will be taught through all aspects of the curriculum and will be enhanced further through visits and visitors.
Progress we are making towards this objective:
● The curriculum clearly supports equality and diversity and teaching is embedding this with the children.
Objective 3
● Ensure that the school promotes role models and heroes that young people positively identify with, who reflect and broaden the school’s diversity in terms of race, gender and disability.
Why we have chosen this objective:
● We want all children to achieve well, no matter their background or circumstances
To achieve this objective, we plan to:
● Share books based on diversity and achievement
●Share video clips and use Picture News Resources
Progress we are making towards this objective:
● Purchase of Picture News and Books
Objective 4
To promote cultural development and understanding through a rich range of experience, both in and beyond the school.
Why we have chosen this objective:
● We want all children to achieve well, no matter their background or circumstances and to benefit from a rich variety of experiences that promote wider learning.
To achieve this objective we plan to:
● Offer carefully planned trips and experiences
●Offer a range of free after school clubs encompassing a range of learning opportunities (ie) sports, crafts, mindfulness etc
Progress we are making towards this objective:
● All children are accessing a wider range of trips and experiences
● All staff leading a club afterschool so that there is a good range on offer.
Objective 5
● To eradicate prejudice related bullying in relation to the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act 2010.
Why we have chosen this objective:
● We want no children to be discriminated against and no bullying to occur, and if it does that it is dealt with quickly
To achieve this objective we plan to:
● A clear behaviour policy, anti-bullying policy
● Teach children about bullying through the PSHE curriculum, workshops and anti-bullying week.
Progress we are making towards this objective:
● We have clear procedures in place to report and deal with bullying incidents.
We have trained Anti-Bullying Ambassadors
Pupil voice was consulted in order to write the Behaviour Policy.
We are very proud of our commitment to treating all at Summerhill with dignity, humanity, understanding and respect. Each day we dedicate ourselves to this mission and it is one we commit to anyone and everyone in our school community.