Public Sector and Equality Duty

Intent

The Equality Act (2010):

·        makes it unlawful for the responsible body of a school to discriminate against, harass or victimise a pupil or potential pupil:

·        in relation to admissions,

·        in the way it provides education for pupils,

·        in the way it provides pupils access to any benefit, facility or service, or

·        by excluding a pupil or subjecting them to any other detriment.

At Bryn Peter’s CE, we are a fully inclusive school which focuses on the well-being and progress of every child and does not discriminate against any pupil, parent/carer, staff member or visitor with regard to the 9 protected characteristics.

·        Age

·        Disability

·        Sex

·        Marriage and Civil Partnership

·        Race

·        Pregnancy and Maternity

·        Sexual orientation

·        Religion of belief

·        Gender reassignment
 

At Bryn Peter’s CE we are committed to ensuring that all members of our community are of equal worth and as such, we believe that the Equality Act (2010) provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships. In doing so, we recognise that these duties reflect the international human righs 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.  

Implementation

At Bryn Peter’s CE we ensure that the 9 protected characteristics are taught, respected and promoted in school by:

·        Our Mission statement and core values which teaches children the importance of loving one another, learning together in a Christian community.

·        Recognising and celebrating when children show good citizenship within the community.

·        Delivering PSHE to explore current and relevant topics in Modern Britain, encouraging discussions in a respectful matter.

·        Ensuring that our History curriculum explores the past in a way that we can learn from it in the future.

·        Exploring other faiths to ensure that our children understand the importance of respecting the religious and none religious beliefs of others.

·        Promoting and celebrating the individuality of us all.

·        Setting clear guidelines regarding pupil and adult behaviour towards each other in a range of policies.

·        Ensuring that the school’s Admissions and Recruitment policy are fully inclusive.

·        Ensuring that vulnerable groups of pupils are not discriminated against and provided with the necessary support to be able to access the full curriculum and achieve their potential.

·        Dealing with any incidents of discrimination as set out in policies such as Anti-Bullying, Staff Disciplinary etc.

·        Reporting any action of prejudice behaviour to the Local Authority and seeking further advice when dealing with these incidents.

·        Working with outside agencies to support the promotion of equality and what this means in society

·        Ensure that all visitors to the school, including parents/carers support the school’s commitment to equality and comply with the guidelines set out in this policy.

Impact

At Bryn Peter’s CE, we believe that a welcoming and respectful environment, enriched by strong moral values and teachings, enhances both the educational and pastoral experience of every individual within our school community. We are committed to enabling all stakeholders to develop into well-rounded individuals, with the ambition to reach their full potential.

We recognise and respond to the unique needs of each child, supporting the development of the whole child in an inclusive and nurturing setting. As a result, the impact of this policy will be reflected in attainment data that demonstrates equitable progress and achievement across all groups, including those identified as vulnerable.

Behaviour and suspension data will show no disproportionate patterns linked to any specific group of pupils, and incidents of prejudice-based behaviour will be minimal or non-existent. Pupil and parent voice will indicate that all pupils feel valued, respected, and supported equally, while staff voice will reflect a culture in which all staff feel treated fairly and equitably within their roles.