1:      Ethos and Values

At Summercroft, we aim to:

• provide an inspiring environment where children are, through a broad curriculum, encouraged to learn, be curious about the world and develop the desire to improve themselves in order to fulfil their potential;
• build self-esteem, confidence and resilience so that every individual is able to make their own choices and rise to a challenge;
• develop tolerance and respect for other people and their opinions or beliefs, and an understanding of how actions can affect others;
• ensure pupils recognise their roles and responsibilities in society - school, local and global - so that they may make a positive contribution;
• teach pupils the skills they need to adapt to a world with ever-changing technology and methods of working and communicating.

To achieve this we:

• Respect the equal rights of all pupils, staff and other members of the community
• Educate pupils about equality
• Work to promote positive attitudes to all in our school community
• Create an environment where respect and tolerance for all mean that pupils are able to reach their full potential
• Promote equality in all aspects of school life by challenging stereotypes and self limiting aspirations
• Take account of difference and help to overcome any barriers to learning in order to promote achievement and fulfilment in all our pupils
• Work together to close achievement gaps.

Our whole school values, called learning powers with pupils are reinforced in daily school life and discussed in assemblies.  They are adaptation, challenge, collaboration, connection making, determination, persistence, problem solving, resilience, resourcefulness and risk taking.

2:      Legal Background

Summercroft is committed to meeting its public sector statutory duties as detailed below. We understand that the duties apply to service delivery and employment and staff management as well as policy development and implementation.

General Duty under the Equality Act 2010:

The purpose of this policy is to set out how our practice and policies have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The Specific Duties of the Act enable schools to meet their obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)

The specific duties require schools to:

• Publish annually information, quantitative and qualitative, showing compliance with clause 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
• To set every four years one or more specific measurable equality objectives that further the aims of the equality duty.

Protected Characteristics

The Equality At 2010 protects pupils from discrimination and harassment based on protected characteristics.  The protected characteristics for school provisions are:

• age (for staff only)

• disability
• ethnicity and race
• gender (sex)
• gender identity and reassignment
• pregnancy, maternity and breast feeding
• religion and belief
• sexual orientation

Summercroft is committed to ensuring equality of access to a high class education for all pupils. We work collaboratively with other agencies and parents/carers of children with protected characteristics to achieve this. Incidents of harassment, bullying or discrimination will not be tolerated. The attitude of tolerance and respect for difference and diversity will be communicated to parents, pupils and visitors, alongside all staff groups.

Disability

At Summercroft, we implement accessibility plans which are aimed at:

• increasing the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in

            the curriculum;

• improving the physical environment of schools to enable disabled

pupils to take better advantage of education, benefits, facilities and services  provided;

• improving the availability of accessible information to disabled pupils.

Provision for disabled pupils is closely linked with the existing provisions for pupils with special educational needs. These are the same duties as previously existed under the DDA and have been replicated in the Equality Act 2010.

3:        Community Cohesion

Community Cohesion supports good practice in educating pupils/students about equality and diversity. It contributes to the school’s efforts to provide a broad, balanced curriculum. Through extending our links into the local community, the children experience the impact of equality legislation first hand.

4:         Roles and Responsibilities

Commitment to implementation

The Headteacher retains overall responsibility for ensuring that equality is part of routine discussion between senior leaders and all staff who report to the Headteacher on actions and progress.

All staff are responsible for delivering equality both as employees and as it relates to their area of work. We are transparent in our decision making and in reporting our achievements in fulfilling the aims of the Equality Duty.

Commitment to action

5:      Engagement

Engagement – Participation and Involvement

We consult and engage both with people affected by our decisions - parents, pupils, staff, members of the local community – and with people who have special knowledge which can inform the school’s approach, such as disability equality groups and other relevant special interest organisations.

6:      Using information

7:         Our School’s Equality Objectives

(see separate plan)

Interpretation

Any reference to a statute, statutory guidance and any other document shall be construed as a reference to that statute as amended or re-enacted and to the current edition or replacement of that statutory guidance or other document