Equality Policy

Agreed by FGB: 14th March 2022

Review Date: March 2024

Mission Statement

At Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers, irrespective of race, gender, disability, faith or socio-economic background. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and able to participate fully in school life. We will ensure that all members of the school community will have the opportunity to improve their own understanding of race equality and understand their personal responsibility to promote race equality.  

The achievement of all pupils will be monitored and Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School will use this data to support pupils, raise standards and ensure inclusive teaching. We will tackle discrimination by the positive promotion of equality, challenging bullying and stereotypes and creating an environment which champions respect for all. At Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School we believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.   

Equality Act Statement

Since the Equality Act 2010 came into effect in April 2011 there has no longer been a requirement that schools should draw up and publish equality schemes or policies. It is still good practice, however, for a school to make a statement about the principles according to which it reviews the impact on equalities of its policies and practices, and according to which it gathers and publishes information, and decides on specific objectives.

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 (as appropriate), disability, ethnicity, gender (including issues of transgender, and of maternity and pregnancy), religion and belief, and sexual identity. 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.  

Mainstreaming equality into policy and practice

As well as the specific actions set out beneath this plan, the school operates equality of opportunity in its day to day practice in the following ways.   

Teaching and learning  

We aim to provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed, and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. To do this, we will:  

• Use contextual data to improve the ways in which we provide support to individuals and groups of pupils; 
• Monitor achievement data by ethnicity, gender and disability and action any gaps;  
• Take account of the achievement of all pupils when planning for future learning and setting challenging targets;  
• Ensure equality of access for all pupils and prepare them for life in a diverse society; 
•  Use materials that reflect the diversity of the school, population and local community in terms of race, gender and disability, without stereotyping;  
•  Promote attitudes and values that will challenge racist and other discriminatory behaviour or prejudice;  
•  Provide opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of other cultures;  
•  Seek to involve all parents in supporting their child’s education;  
•  Encouraging classroom and staffroom discussion of equality issues which reflect on social stereotypes, expectations and the impact on learning;  
• Including teaching and classroom-based approaches appropriate for the whole school population, which are inclusive and reflective of our pupils.

Curriculum

Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils. The school accepts the three principles in the statutory inclusion statement for the National Curriculum:  

• Setting suitable learning challenges for all pupils.
• Responding to pupils' diverse learning needs.  
• Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

We recognise that citizenship presents opportunities for encouraging respect for diversity. Our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and curriculum co-ordinators are responsible for ensuring their subject programmes/schemes of work raise awareness of multi-cultural issues and, where appropriate, challenge any stereotypical views of different racial groups or nomadic communities. Teachers will seek opportunities to introduce activities that demonstrate the value of other cultures and encourage our children to discuss race equality.  Resources bought by the schools and used to teach the various subjects, and provide the children with a range of images and messages about diversity e.g. posters, books, computer software, will promote equal opportunities and be free of prejudicial or stereotypical messages. Resources will be reviewed from time to time to ensure they are appropriate. Staff will be mindful that this may not be the case where children, parents or other well-intentioned sources have loaned resources to the school. Loaned material found to contain prejudicial, discriminatory or stereotypical messages will be used with discretion, not used at all, or used within the context of opportunities to discuss issues of equality and diversity.  Staff will be mindful of children with specific physical needs, such as partial sight or hearing, or those with restricted mobility, when considering classroom organisation, lesson planning and practice.  Staff will ensure both boys and girls have equal access to all aspects of the different curriculum subjects to ensure they are not seen as appropriate for only boys or girls, but for all children. This is especially important in those subjects that have historically been orientated to one gender.  In class discussions, all pupils should be given the opportunity to contribute and staff should not allow the more lively and/or knowledgeable children, irrespective of gender, to monopolise the discussion. Indeed, it may be necessary for staff to deliberately ask reluctant individuals to contribute not only for equal opportunity reasons but to enable the staff member to evaluate the child’s understanding or to facilitate the child’s learning and personal development.

Admissions and Exclusions

Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent, and do not discriminate on race, gender, disability or socio-economic factors.  Exclusions will always be based on the school’s Behaviour Policy. We will closely monitor exclusions to avoid any potential adverse impact and ensure any discrepancies are identified and dealt with. 

Equal Opportunities for Staff

We are committed to the implementation of equal opportunities principles and the monitoring and active promotion of equality in all aspects of staffing and employment.  All staff appointments and promotions are made on the basis of merit and ability and in compliance with the law. Staff appointments will be based on the applicant most able to demonstrate they best match the Person Specification and their ability to undertake the Job Description. Irrelevant characteristics such as gender, race, religion, etc. will not form part of the selection process.

Employer Duties

As an employer we need to ensure that we eliminate discrimination and harassment in our employment practice and actively promote equality across all groups within our workforce. Equality aspects such as gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender re-assignment and faith or religion are not considered when appointing staff and particularly when allocating Teaching and Learning Responsibilities (TLR) or re-evaluating staff structures, to ensure decisions are free of discrimination.   

Actions to ensure this commitment is met include:  

• Monitoring recruitment and retention including bullying and harassment of staff;  
• Continued professional development opportunities for all staff; 
• Senior Leadership Team support to ensure equality of opportunity for all.   

Equality and the Law

There are a number of statutory duties that must be met by every school in line with legislation from the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000), Disability Equality Duty (2005) and Equality Act (2006).  The action plan at the end of this Equality Plan outlines the actions Hawkhurst Church of England Primary School will take to meet the general duties detailed below. 

Race Equality

This section of the plan reflects the general and specific duties of schools as detailed in The Race Relations Act 1976 and as amended by The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.  The General Race Equality Duty requires us to have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate racial discrimination;  
• Promote equality of opportunity;  
•  Promote good relations between people of different racial groups.   
• Under our specific duty we will:  
• Prepare an Equality Plan which includes our written policy for race equality;  
• Assess the impact of our policies, including this Plan, on pupils, staff and parents by ethnicity including, in particular, the achievement levels of these pupils;  
• Monitor the impact our plans and policies have on such pupils, staff and parents towards raising the achievement of minority ethnic groups.   

Disability

The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial or long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities”.   

The DDA 2005 has also extended the definition of disability as follows:  

• People with HIV, multiple sclerosis and cancer (although not all cancers) are deemed disabled before they experience the long-term and substantial adverse effect on their activities;  
•  Section 18 has been amended so that individuals with a mental illness no longer have to demonstrate that it is “clinically well-recognised”, although the person must still demonstrate a long-term and substantial adverse impact on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.   

Legal Duties

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 placed a general duty on schools, requiring them to have due regard for the following when carrying out and delivering services:

• Promoting equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people; 
• Eliminating discrimination and harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability; 
•  Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people; 
• Encouraging participation in public life by disabled people;  
• Taking steps to meet disabled people’s needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment.  

Gender Equality

The Gender Equality Duty 2006 places a general and specific duty on schools to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment on the grounds of gender and to promote equality of opportunity between female and male pupils and between women and men and transgender people.  Under our general duty we will actively seek to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment on grounds of sex and gender reassignment;
• Promote equality between men and women.   

There are no specific duties or requirements on schools in relation to gender reassignment, beyond the requirement not to discriminate in terms of employment of staff.

Sexual Orientation

The Equality Act 2006 made provision for regulations to be introduced to extend protection against discrimination on grounds of religion or belief to sexual orientation.  The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 came into force on 30 April 2007, and they make discrimination unlawful in the area of goods, facilities and services on grounds of sexual orientation. For schools this means admissions, benefits and services for pupils and treatment of pupils.

Community Cohesion

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 inserted a new section 21(5) to the Education Act 2002, introducing a duty on the governing bodies of state schools to promote community cohesion. Community cohesion encompasses promoting good relations between pupils from different races, faiths / beliefs and socio-economic backgrounds. The duty came into force on 1 September 2007.

Consultation and Involvement 

It is a requirement that the development of this plan and the actions within it have been informed by the input of staff, pupils and parents and carers. We have achieved this by using the following to shape the plan:

• Feedback from the annual parent questionnaire, parents’ evening, parent-school forum meetings or governors’ parent-consultation meeting;  
•  Input from staff surveys or through staff meetings / INSET; 
• Feedback from the school council, PSHE lessons, whole school surveys on children’s attitudes to self and school;  
• Issues raised in annual reviews or reviews of progress on Individual Education Plans/Personalised Provision Maps, mentoring and support; 
• Feedback at governing body meetings.   

Roles and Responsibilities   

It is the responsibility of all members of the school community to:

• Promote race equality and supports the implementation of the Race Equality Policy including the Racial Incidents Reporting Procedure. 
• Behave in a manner which respects and values cultural and linguistic diversity. 
• Challenge and eliminate racial discrimination, racial harassment.  
• The governing body has set out its commitment to equal opportunities in this plan and it will continue to do all it can to ensure that the school is fully inclusive to pupils, and responsive to their needs based on race, gender and disability. 
• The governing body seeks to ensure that people are not discriminated against when applying for jobs at our school on grounds of race, gender or disability.  
• The governors take all reasonable steps to ensure that the school environment gives access to people with disabilities, and also strive to make school communications as inclusive as possible for parents, carers and pupils. 
• The governors welcome all applications to join the school, whatever a child’s socio-economic background, race, gender or disability. 
• The governing body ensures that no child is discriminated against whilst in our school on account of their race, sex or disability.  
• The governing body will support the Head Teacher in implementing any actions necessary.  

The Role of the Head Teacher

• It is the Head Teacher‘s role to implement the school’s Equality Plan and they are supported by the governing body in doing so.  
• It is the Head Teacher‘s role to ensure that all staff are aware of the Equality Plan, and that teachers apply these guidelines fairly in all situations. 
• The Head Teacher will ensure that all appointments panels give due regard to this plan, so that no-one is discriminated against when it comes to employment or training opportunities. 
• The Head Teacher promotes the principle of equal opportunity when developing the curriculum, and promotes respect for other people and equal opportunities to participate in all aspects of school life.  
• The Head Teacher treats all incidents of unfair treatment and any incidents of bullying or discrimination, including racist incidents, with due seriousness.  

The Role of all Staff both Teaching and Non-Teaching

• All staff will ensure that all pupils are treated fairly, equally and with respect, and will maintain awareness of the school’s Equality Plan.  
• All staff will strive to provide material that gives positive images based on race, gender and disability, and challenges stereotypical images.  
• All staff are role-models for equal opportunities and will challenge any incidents of prejudice, racism or homophobia, and record any serious incidents, drawing them to the attention of the head teacher. 
• All staff will support the work of ancillary or support staff and encourage them to intervene in a positive way against any discriminatory incidents.  
• All staff will support pupils for whom English is an additional language.  

The Role of Pupils 

• To refrain from engaging in discriminatory behaviour or any other behaviour that contravenes this policy.  
• To experience a curriculum and environment which is respectful of diversity and difference and to understand the importance of reporting discriminatory bullying and racially motivated incidents; 
• ensure the peer support programme within the school promotes understanding and supports pupils who are experiencing discrimination.  

The Role of Visitors and Contractors

All Visitors and Contractors are reminded of their obligations to refrain from engaging in discriminatory language or behaviour. Non-compliance on more than two occasions will result in visitors no-longer being welcome and their offer of help terminated.  Contractors will have their services terminated and be reported to the local authority if applicable for relevant sanctions to be imposed.

Tackling Discrimination

Harassment on account of race, gender, disability or sexual orientation is unacceptable and is not tolerated within the school environment.  All staff are expected to deal with any discriminatory incidents that may occur. They are expected to know how to identify and challenge prejudice and stereotyping; and to support the full range of diverse needs according to a pupil’s individual circumstances.  Racist and homophobic incidents and other incidents of harassment or bullying are dealt with by the member of staff present, escalating to a class teacher / Head Teacher where necessary. All incidents are reported to the Head Teacher and racist incidents are also reported to the governing body and local authority.

What is a Discriminatory Incident?

Harassment on grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or other factors such as socioeconomic status, can take many forms including verbal or physical abuse, name calling, exclusion from groups and games, unwanted looks or comments, jokes and graffiti.   

We endorse the recommendations of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report (1999). We accept their definition of racism and institutional racism.   

Racism – “Conduct or words that either advantages or disadvantages people on the basis of their colour, culture or ethnic origin.” Institutional racism – “The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people on the basis of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.”  

Types of Discriminatory Incident

Types of discriminatory incidents that can occur are:

• Physical assault against a person or group because of their colour, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or gender;  
• Use of derogatory names, insults and jokes; 
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory graffiti;  
• Provocative behaviour such as wearing racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory badges or insignia;  
• Bringing discriminatory material into school;  
• Verbal abuse and threats;  
•  Incitement of others to discriminate or bully due to victim’s race, disability, gender or sexual orientation;  
• Discriminatory comments in the course of discussion;  
• Attempts to recruit others to discriminatory organisations and groups;  
• Ridicule of an individual for difference e.g. food, music, religion, dress etc;  
• Refusal to co-operate with other people on grounds of race, gender, disability or sexual orientation.   

Responding to and reporting incidents  

It should be clear to pupils and staff how they report incidents. All staff, teaching and non-teaching, should view dealing with incidents as vital to the well-being of the whole school.

Procedure for responding and reporting is outlined below: