We know that we are all different and we celebrate and respect diversity.

The Equality Act 2010 combined nine separate pieces of legislation into one single Act simplifying the law and strengthening it in important ways to help tackle discrimination and inequality.

The Act introduced 9 protected characteristics;

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Marriage and civil partnership

Race

Religion and belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

Pregnancy and maternity

The Act also specifies particular areas of protection e.g. in employment and within education and set out general and specific duties which schools must meet.

The public sector Equality Duty consists of a general duty and some specific duties that are designed to help organisations like ours, meet their general duty.

Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)

The General Duty has three aims;

it requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act

• advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it; and

• foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not.

Compliance with the general duty is a legal obligation to provide services which meet the diverse needs of our pupils, parents and staff.

Specific Duties require public bodies to:

• publish relevant, proportionate information demonstrating compliance with the Equality Duty. Subsequently, the information must be published at least annually; and

• set and publish first equality objectives which are specific and measurable. Subsequent objectives must be published at least every four years.

Publishing Data

The information published must show that you have consciously thought about the three aims of the Equality Duty as part of the decision-making process. The Information should include the effects that policy and practice have had on people who share a protected characteristic e.g. Race, disability, gender and age breakdown Indication of likely representation on sexual orientation and religion or belief.

Ofsted

Ofsted within its inspections also looks for evidence of adhering to statutory requirements and how effective our school is in promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination. In particular they are looking for evidence of how:

• E&D is promoted among staff, learners, employers, parents and other partners

• The impact of its E&D work is assessed and takes appropriate action in response to findings

• Effective training so that at all levels people are able to understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to E&D

• All learners are protected from harassment, bullying and discrimination, including those based with employers

• It manages incidents and complaints related to E&D

• Targets are set and data is used to monitor, analyse and improve performance by different groups of learners

• Action is taken to reduce significant variation between different groups of learners

Key features for outstanding  equality and diversity would include:

• High success rates for all learners
• Equality has a strategic prominence and is integral to self –assessment and planning
• Equality is understood by all and is evident in daily activities
• Clear and decisive evaluation and monitoring of performance and outcomes of different groups of learners and appropriate action taken to narrow gaps
• Managing attendance and absences and how this can have an impact upon achievement
• Well planned curriculum meets needs of individual learner with good referrals to other providers where provider is unable to do this
• Inappropriate behaviour, comments and bullying is challenged
• Strong community involvement
• Employers actively engaged and promote commitments and benefits of diversity
• Frequent and effective staff training at all levels
• E&D is embedded across all areas of teaching, training, learning

The Equality Act - 2010

• Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf

Progammes current running at our school...

• United Against Bullying (UAB)The United Against Bullying programme is the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s new whole-school anti-bullying programme. It supports schools to reduce bullying and improve the wellbeing of all children, focusing on those most at risk, including children and young people with SEND, children and young people who experience racist and faith-targeted bullying, sexual bullying, homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, looked-after children, young carers and those on free school meals. The overall aim of the programme is to establish United Against Bullying Schools. These are schools that have evidenced their work to reduce bullying and improve the wellbeing of all pupils.

• Celebrating Anti-Bullying week together

• https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/anti-bullying-week-2021-one-kind-word

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