1:  Vision and Values

Introduction

Greatham Church of England Primary School’s Single Equality Scheme brings together action plans for Race, Gender and Disability equality. We are committed to responding to all diversity related legislation and feel that a single equality scheme is the best way to do this. As well as delivering high quality teaching and learning, the school is also committed to being a good employer.

Our Mission Statement:

“We are a Christian School committed to providing a secure, welcoming, happy, stimulating and challenging environment.

The needs and abilities of each individual child will be addressed through a high quality, broad and balanced curriculum.

We encourage all children to value success and excellence, developing their skills, abilities, confidence and self-esteem, so that they may grow into independent and responsible members of society.

We promote a sense of belonging to a Christian school in which mutual care, respect and partnership with the home and the community are very important.”

 

2:  School Context

 

Characteristic	Total	Breakdown (number and %)
Number of pupils	56 54	Female Male
Number of staff	20	100% Female  0% Male
Number of governors	14	8 Female         6 Male
Religious character		Church of England
Pupils eligible for FME	17
Disabled staff	0
Disabled pupils (SEN/LDD)	16	2 with statements, 4 with school action and 10 with school action plus
Disabled pupils (no SEN)	0
BME pupils	0
BME staff	0
Pupils who speak English as an additional language	0
Average attendance rate	95%
Significant partnerships, extended provision, etc.		Breakfast Club, After School Club, Wrap Around child care and Springwell Special School.
Awards, accreditations, specialist status		Healthy School, Clean Air Award, Sports Mark, Active Mark. Green Flag, International Award, Sports England.

 

 

3:  Legal Background

General duties

Disability general duty – Disability Discrimination Act 2005

We have a statutory duty to carry out our functions with due regard to the need to:

●      promote equality of opportunity

●      eliminate unlawful discrimination

●      eliminate disability-related harassment

●      promote positive attitudes towards disabled people

●      encourage disabled people’s participation in public life

●      take steps to take into account people’s disabilities

 

Gender general duty – Sex Discrimination Act as amended by the Equality Act 2010

We have a statutory duty to promote gender equality with due regard to the need to:

●      eliminate unlawful sex discrimination; and

●      promote equality of opportunity and good relations between women and men, girls and boys

 

Race general duty – Race Relations Amendment Act 2000

We have a statutory duty to promote race equality with due regard to the need to:

●      eliminate unlawful discrimination

●      promote equality of opportunity; and

●      promote good relations between people of different racial groups

 

Community cohesion duty – Education and Inspections Act 2006

In addition to addressing the duties outlined above, our school will also work hard to meet the duty to promote community cohesion. We will increase our focus on helping children and young people to learn to understand others, to value diversity whilst also promoting shared values, to promote awareness of human rights and to apply and defend them, and to develop the skills of participation and responsible action. We are committed to following DfES guidance in providing:

●      teaching and curriculum provision that supports high standards of attainment, promotes common values, and builds pupils' understanding of the diversity that surrounds them

●      lessons across the curriculum that promote common values and help pupils to value differences and challenge prejudice and stereotyping

●      a programme of curriculum-based activities whereby pupils' understanding of community and diversity is enriched through fieldwork, visits and meetings with members of different communities

●      support for pupils for whom English is an additional language to enable them to achieve at the highest possible level in English

Specific duties: disability, gender and race

The specific duties ask schools to prepare and publish their policies and plans for meeting the general duties. All the specific duties have informed the production of our single equality scheme. Action relevant to disability, gender, race and community cohesion is specifically identified in the Action Plan.

 

4:  Roles and Responsibilities

The Board of Governors, supported by the Headteacher and staff, is responsible for ensuring the implementation of this scheme.

Commitment to implementation

The Headteacher retains overall responsibility for ensuring that the action plan is delivered effectively.

Every term, managers and key staff will report to the Headteacher on actions and progress.

Every 12 months there will be a report on equality and diversity to the Governors meeting.

All staff are responsible for delivering the scheme both as employees and as it relates to their area of work.

Commitment to review

The implementation of this single equality scheme will be monitored within the school’s self-evaluation and other review processes as well as being updated at least annually. The whole equality scheme will be reviewed at least every three years.

Commitment to publish

We are committed to sharing information about our single equality scheme as broadly as appropriate. To this end, we will publish an annual update the results of a full scheme review every three years – in which we will make proposals for future action.

 5: Stakeholder Involvement

 

Our school is committed to encouraging everyone to contribute to the life of the school and its impact within the wider community. We have involved a number of staff, pupils, parents and others with particular interests in the development of this scheme. We will continue to consult various stakeholders on this scheme and on our policies.

Questionnaires:- pupils and parents, staff and Governors

Parent Consultation Evenings

Transition Meetings

Consultation on Village Safe Travel Scheme

Policy Consultation e.g. SRE Evenings.

Curriculum Meetings.

Governing Body Meetings – minutes made available

Committee Meetings

Events with other faith schools in town.

6:  Impact Assessment

Impact assessment statement

All school policies will be equality impact assessed with regard to disability, gender and race at the time of review and issues arising will be carried forward into the equality action plan. A full report of outcomes will be sent to the governors on an annual basis.

Priorities 2011/12 – 2013/14

The following policies will be reviewed and impact assessed over the next 3 years:

·    Anti-Bullying

·    Behaviour

·    PSHCE