Alderman Payne Primary School - Equality and Diversity Policy

At Alderman Payne Primary School, we believe that all children should be guaranteed equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, culture, religion, social class, disability or special educational need. Both children and adults should expect to be treated fairly and have the same entitlement as every other child or person. They know this by what is said and what happens at an operational level.

Equality and diversity issues are integral to all we do. Everyone in the school knows that, if they think/feel that they are being treated unfairly and they think it may be to do with their gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, social class, disability or special educational need, they should say so, and they should expect this to be investigated and that any issues that emerge to be addressed.

Adults should expect employment practices to be are fair and transparent (see Equalities Policy for staff employment. The school works within the expectations set out by the local authority (LA) as well as what is set out in the ‘Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy’ of the LA.

Although the governing body and the head teacher are ultimately responsible for ensuring that discrimination doesn’t occur, ALL employees ‘have a responsibility to carry out their duties in accordance with this policy and work within statutory requirements’ (Equality and Diversity policy LA, December, 2008)

VALUING DIVERSITY

At Alderman Payne Primary we believe that valuing diversity means actively recognising the strengths, talents and needs of every individual and every community. We nurture the potential of all and maximise the opportunities for all. We know that, despite legislation e.g. Disability Discrimination, Human Rights, Race Relations Act etc., discrimination still exits and it is for us to strongly address this, when and if it does.

We give our children and adults strategies to deal with it, to know how to address discrimination if they hear it in others and how to know that discrimination is completely unfair and, as such should not be tolerated.

AIMS OF THE EQUALITIES AND DIVERSITY POLICY

• to provide an environment in which all our children/adults feel comfortable and at ease about their gender, sexual orientation, race, culture, religion, social class, disability, special educational need and/or background

• to instil in our children a tolerance, understanding and respect of all cultures, faiths, disabilities and ways of life and living

• to nurture cultural, religious and linguistic diversity

• to be aware of and support positively the languages and dialects spoken by our children and the adults in the school and at home

• to ensure that programmes of work cater for the individual needs of our children and that the curriculum is modified appropriately whenever appropriate

• to ensure that the needs of children with additional needs, including gifted children are catered for – and those of adults

• to ensure members of the senior leadership team are made aware of any issues which contravene the policy in order that the Head, or the assistant head teacher can tackle the issue appropriately

  EQUALITY ISSUES IN RELATION TO RACE/CULTURE

  At Alderman Payne Primary we believe it is important that the children feel proud of their culture, language, religion and skin colour, and respect those of their peers. The books and resources, such as dolls, jigsaws, cooking equipment, used in our school are chosen to reflect the ethnic diversity of the school and to show all communities and individuals within communities in a positive light. Festivals and customs associated with cultures are explained and celebrated and the children’s ethnic backgrounds and interests used wherever possible in our delivery of our curriculum.

   

  EQUALITY ISSUES IN RELATION TO RELIGION

  At Alderman Payne Primary we teach our children/adults to understand and value the religions and religious beliefs and practices of their peers. We visit a variety of places of worship (Church, Gurdwara, Mandir, Mosque, Synagogue, Temple as part of our RE work, we learn songs in a range of other languages to celebrate cultural diversity.

   

  EQUALITY ISSUES IN RELATION TO GENDER/SEXUAL ORIENTATION

  At Alderman Payne Primary we are aware that in life and in our society many areas have been stereotyped e.g. boys and football, girls and cookery. We provide a curriculum where girls as well as boys have EQUAL access to ALL areas of the curriculum we offer. In order to support the above, our resources are audited to see that they address stereotyping. Children and adults (for example at times of recruitment for adults) are not discriminated against and recruitment practices are fair and transparent.

   

  EQUALITY ISSUES IN RELATION TO CHILDREN/ADULTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES

  As members of staff we realise that it is important to identify the needs of children with special educational needs or disabilities at the earliest opportunity so that suitable learning programmes and strategies can be devised and the curriculum modified so that that they can be effectively used in meeting the above needs. Individual pupil progress is monitored and assessed regularly and strategies are modified accordingly to support individual children with learning needs. Close links with the parents/carers of children with special educational needs are maintained and the expertise of our staff; and of the relevant outside agencies such as the Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist and Speech and Language Therapist etc. are utilised to assist us in meeting the needs of our children.

   

  We assess our curriculum in order to ensure it is accessible to pupils with a disability/disabilities and seek professional advice and training to support both our teaching and pupil learning. We actively seek advice and support from the LA and access a range of appropriate resources to aid pupils with a disability in their learning.

   

  We make reasonable adjustments where possible to ensure children and parents with disabilities are able to access the school. Any new building work is DDA compliant.

   

  CROSS-CURRICULAR ISSUES

  We follow the International Primary Curriculum which gives our children the opportunity to learn about other cultures and different ways of living as part of the National Curriculum. We ensure that issues of equality and diversity are central to the curriculum as well as reflecting the interests and backgrounds of all the children, for example through “Fenland week” and visiting local farming shows.

  At Alderman Payne Primary we monitor this carefully in order to ensure our policy is working at the operational level.

   

  LIAISON WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY

  We involve the community in the following ways:

• we invite and encourage speakers who come from a variety of cultures, and communities to visit our school

• we take children on school trips where they are able to appreciate the community in which they/we live and they can experience places and visit places they may not have the opportunity to visit outside school e.g. local places of worship

• our children take part in “School Pride” part of the community action group “Street Pride” which aims to develop the outdoor environment.

• our Pre School runs a Parent/Toddler group every Friday and these are well attended by the local community members.

   

  PARENTAL\VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT

  Alderman Payne Primary is an open and welcoming school and parents/carers are encouraged to become involved. We value the contributions parents/volunteers make to our curriculum.  

   

  We have an Early Intervention Family Worker who can support parents with their children and also difficulties that they might be experiencing at home.

   

  Home School liaison and communication have recently benefited greatly from the school’s website. Parents/carers can access information of events etc. more easily as well as school policies and practices. Open afternoons are held every half term in order that the parents can see what the children are learning about. Parent Council meetings are well attended as are parent’s evenings and school events.

   

  STAFFING

  We encourage applications from staff from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. All members of staff have fair access to training and development opportunities. Equal pay legislation is adhered to at Alderman Payne Primary. All staff and volunteers are expected to be aware of this policy and the procedures related to it. Any member of staff is expected to challenge and report inappropriate behaviour to the Senior Leadership Team who will follow this up.

   

  WHISTLEBLOWING

  Any issues of which contravene this policy, or which an individual does not feel has been properly addressed by the Senior Leadership Team can be reported using the steps in the Whistleblowing policy.

   

  EVALUATION AND REVIEW

  The evaluation and review of our Equalities and Diversity Policy takes place annually, as well as on a day-by-day basis.

   

  Further information and guidance on equalities can be found in the following school policies:

• Equalities Statement

• Whistleblowing Policy

• Equality of employment policy