Equality Policy Ratified by Governors: October Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 1 of

Transcription

1 Equality Policy 2015 Reviewed: September2015 Ratified by Governors: October 2015 Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 1 of

2 We believe that: Equality of opportunity at Cypress Primary School is about providing equality and excellence for all in order to promote the highest possible standards of achievement. Equality of opportunity applies to all members of the school community pupils, staff governors and parents. Aims and values Aims and values Cypress Primary School welcomes its duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act These duties are reflected in the core aims and values in this policy. This policy is also reflective of The Cypress Vision and Values ( We listen to and value each other ). Vision: At Cypress Primary School, we all work effectively and enthusiastically together so that every child wants to be the best that they can be. Values: Every day we... Create, Innovate, Communicate, Assert. We promote... Confidence, Independence, Self-esteem, Good health. In our work we... Try, Persevere, Adapt. Our attitude towards others is... Polite, Kind, Open, Positive. As a community we... Listen, Respect each other, Include, Celebrate. We aim to: create a positive atmosphere where everyone feels proud to contribute and work together in making our school a happy and safe place; ensure that every child receives the best possible education by providing broad and balanced teaching and learning opportunities and develop the children as active learners; support individuals in being responsible for their own actions, to learn acceptable behaviour and understand right from wrong; encourage individuals to respect and value other points of view in preparation for living in an ever-changing diverse society; deliver the best possible education through inspiring and challenging every individual s potential to feel motivated in achieving their best; Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 2 of

3 work in partnership with parents and others, to encourage the excitement of continued lifelong learning for all; Identify, nurture and celebrate every individual s strengths so that they are confident in building on their achievements and sharing them with others. recognise adults within the school as learners and provide appropriate support to allow them to develop as professionals In addition, we are committed to: promoting equality of opportunity for all promoting good relations between members of different racial, cultural and religious groups and communities eliminating unlawful racial discrimination or discrimination of any kind Leadership and Management The governing body and school management set a clear ethos which reflects the school s commitment to equality for all members of the school community. The school promotes positive approaches to valuing and respecting diversity, creating an environment which respects and values cultural, linguistic and religious differences. All staff contribute to the development and review of policy documents. The school ensures the involvement of governors and takes account of the views of a variety of stakeholders. Teaching and curriculum development are monitored to ensure high expectations of all pupils and appropriate breadth of content in relation to the school and the wider community. The school works with parents and guardians, and with the wider community, to help challenge and eliminate racial discrimination and to follow and promote good practice. The leadership team monitor attainment and progress to ensure that equality of opportunity exists for all, and ensures that pupil s performance is consistent across the school. Staffing Cypress Primary School adheres to recruitment and selection procedures which are fair, equal and in line with statutory duties and LA guidelines. Steps are taken to ensure that everyone associated with the school is informed of the contents of this policy, which is available on the schools website. Equality of opportunity forms part of the induction programme for new staff. The skills of all staff within school are recognised and valued. Performance Management meetings and reviews take place for all staff and give opportunities for staff to discuss further professional development opportunities. All staff are given status and support and are encouraged to share their knowledge, the school promotes this aspect by allowing time for professional development and the sharing of good practice. Staff and visitors provide a wide range of role models and reflect the diversity of the local and wider community. Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 3 of

4 Responsibilities All members of the school community have a responsibility to comply with this policy and its procedures and behave in a manner which respects and values racial, cultural and linguistic diversity. The Governing Body is responsible for ensuring that: the school fulfils its legal responsibilities and this policy and its related procedures and strategies are implemented, monitored and reviewed. The Headteacher is responsible for ensuring that: this policy is communicated and made readily available to staff, parents and guardians the policy is implemented staff are aware of their responsibilities, staff are given appropriate training and support appropriate action is taken in any cases of unlawful discrimination there is a member of staff responsible for co-ordinating work on racial equality and dealing with reported incidents of racism. All staff are expected to: deal with racist incidents that may occur according to school policy be able to recognise and tackle racial bias and stereotyping promote equal opportunities and good race relations acting as role models within the school community incorporate principles of race equality and diversity into all aspects of their work provide appropriate support to children in their class for whom English is an Additional Language. Curriculum Cypress Primary School believes that every child is entitled to a broad, balanced and coherent curriculum. The curriculum builds on pupils starting points and is differentiated to ensure the inclusion of: boys and girls pupils learning English as an additional language pupils from minority ethnic groups pupils who are gifted and talented (refer to Gifted and talented policy) pupils with special educational needs (refer to special educational needs policy) pupils who are at risk of disaffection and exclusion Careful monitoring and tracking of these pupils is carried out to ensure good progress and attainment is made. Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 4 of

5 Each area of the curriculum is planned to incorporate the principles of equality and to promote positive attitudes to diversity. All subjects contribute to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils. We cater for the interests and capabilities of all pupils and take account of parental preferences related to religion and culture. Our curriculum aims to promote pupils : Spiritual development by: Developing the ability to be reflective about their own beliefs, religious or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life and their interest in and respect for different people s faiths, feelings and values Promoting a sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them Helping them to use of imagination and creativity in their learning Encouraging their willingness to reflect on their experiences. Moral development by : Ensuring they learn the ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and to readily apply this understanding in their own lives, recognise legal boundaries and, in so doing, respect the civil and criminal law of England Teaching them to understand the consequences of their behaviour and actions Developing in them an interest in investigating and offering reasoned views about moral and ethical issues and ability to understand and appreciate the viewpoints of others on these issues. Social development by : Helping the to use of a range of social skills in different contexts, for example working and socialising with other pupils, including those from different religious, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds Encouraging a willingness to participate in a variety of communities and social settings, including by volunteering, cooperating well with others and being able to resolve conflicts effectively Teaching acceptance and engagement with the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs; they develop and demonstrate skills and attitudes that will allow them to participate fully in and contribute positively to life in modern Britain. Cultural development by: Developing their understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage and those of others Embedding their understanding and appreciation of the range of different cultures within school and further afield as an essential element of their preparation for life in modern Britain Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 5 of

6 Teaching them the knowledge of Britain s democratic parliamentary system and its central role in shaping our history and values, and in continuing to develop Britain Encouraging their willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, musical, sporting and cultural opportunities Promoting an interest in exploring, improving understanding of and showing respect for different faiths and cultural diversity and the extent to which they understand, accept, respect and celebrate diversity, as shown by their tolerance and attitudes towards different religious, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the local, national and global communities. Through these approaches we can also build pupils resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping them to understand how they can influence and participate in decision-making. Schools are already expected to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and, within this, fundamental British values. Teaching and Learning (Refer to Teaching and Learning Policy) Teachers ensure that the classroom is an inclusive environment in which pupils feel all contributions are valued and positive steps are taken to allow all pupils to participate. Teaching is responsive to pupil s different learning styles and takes account of their experiences and starting points, in order to engage all pupils. Pupil grouping in the classroom is planned and varied. Teaching styles include collaborative learning so that pupils appreciate the value of working together. All pupils are encouraged to question, discuss and collaborate in problem solving tasks. Teachers challenge stereotypes and foster pupil s critical awareness and concepts of fairness, enabling them to detect bias and challenge inequalities. Resources and displays reflect the experience and backgrounds of pupils, promote diversity and challenge stereotypes in all curriculum areas. They are reviewed regularly to ensure that they reflect the inclusive ethos of the school. Assessment, Pupil Achievement and Progress (Refer to Planning and Assessment policy) Pupil performance is monitored by formal and informal procedures and is analysed termly by ethnicity, special educational needs and gender. Any pattern of underachievement of a particular group is addressed through targeted curriculum planning, teaching and support. The school ensures, where possible, that assessment is free of gender, cultural and social bias. Staff use a range of methods and strategies to assess pupil progress, applying strategies that are appropriate to individual children. Staff have very high expectations of all pupils and their families and they continually challenge them to reach higher standards. The school recognises and values all forms of achievement. Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 6 of

7 Self-assessment provides all pupils with opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning through regular reflection and feedback on their progress. Behaviour, Discipline and Exclusion (Refer to Behaviour Policy) The school expects high standards of behaviour from all pupils. The school s procedures for disciplining pupils and managing behaviour are fair and applied equally to all. Where a child has a Special Educational Need in regard to their behaviour, a suitable individual support plan is put in place to ensure that they can maintain appropriate behaviour. All staff follow the school behaviour policy which promotes consistent systems of rewards and discipline. Pupils, staff and parents are aware of policies and procedures for dealing with harassment. They know that any language or behaviour, which is racist, sexist or potentially damaging to any minority group, is always unacceptable. Admissions and Attendance (Refer to Attendance Policy) Steps are taken to ensure that the school s admissions process is fair and equitable to all pupils. Comprehensive information about pupil s ethnicity, first language, religion, physical needs, diet etc. is included in all admissions forms. The school and families are aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to pupil attendance and absence is always followed up by appropriate personnel who are aware of community issues. Provision is made for leave of absence for religious observation which includes staff as well as pupils. Attendance is monitored by gender, ethnicity, special educational need and background and action is taken in order to address any disparities between different groups of pupils. Breaches of the policy All racist incidents will be regarded as a serious matter and be reported directly to the Headteacher or Head of School. Sanctions for children are set out in the school s behaviour policy. Any example of racism by a member of staff will be treated as a serious disciplinary matter and dealt with in accordance with the school s HR procedures. Policy, planning and review We will ensure that the principles and procedures listed above apply to the full range of our policies and practices, including those that are concerned with: children s progress, attainment and assessment behaviour, discipline and exclusions children s personal development and pastoral care teaching and learning Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 7 of

8 admissions and attendance the content of the curriculum staff recruitment and professional development partnerships with parents and communities In addition the school will: monitor racist incidents, take appropriate preventative action and provide support, and report such incidents to the Local Authority and provide nil return as appropriate annually. This policy will be regularly monitored and reviewed annually to ensure that it does not disadvantage particular sections of the community. The head teacher will evaluate the effectiveness of the policy. Cypress Primary School; Equality Policy 8 of