Equality and Diversity
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY AT WESTMINSTER NURSERY SCHOOL
As a school we welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010 (updated June 2018) and our compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The general duties are to:
- Eliminate Discrimination
- Advance equality of opportunity
- Foster good relations
Westminster Nursery School understands the principles of the act and the work needed to ensure that those with protected characteristics are not discriminated against and are given equality of opportunity.
A protected characteristic under the act covers the groups listed below:
- Age (for employees only)
- Disability
- Race (includes ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality)
- Gender (including issues of transgender)
- Gender reassignment
- Maternity and pregnancy
- Religion and belief (includes lack of belief)
- Sexual identity
- Marriage and Civil Partnership (for employees)
To meet our general duties, listed above, the law requires us to do some specific duties to demonstrate how we meet the general duties. These are to:
- Publish equality information – to demonstrate compliance with the general duty across its functions
We will not publish any information that can specifically identify any child
- Prepare and publish equality objectives
To do this we will collect data related to the protected characteristics above and analyse this data to determine our focus for our equality objectives. The data will be assessed across our core provisions as a school. This will include the following functions:
- Admissions
- Attendance
- Attainment
- Exclusions
- Prejudice related incidents
Our objectives will detail how we will ensure equality is applied to the services listed above however where we find evidence that other functions have a significant impact on any particular group we will include work in this area.
We also welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion.
We recognise that these duties reflect international human rights 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.
In fulfilling our legal obligations, we will:
- Recognise and respect diversity
- Foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of belonging
- Observe good equalities practice, including staff recruitment, retention and development
- Aim to reduce and remove existing inequalities and barriers
- Consult and involve widely
- Strive to ensure that society will benefit
Our Ethos/Mission
- In accordance with our values and principles statement, we pledge to respect the equal human rights of all our pupils and to educate them about equality.
- We will also respect the equal rights of our staff and other members of the school community.
- We will comply with relevant legislation and implement school plans in relation to race equality, disability equality and gender equality.
Responsibility
We believe that promoting Equality is the whole school’s responsibility:
|
School Community |
Responsibility |
|
Governing Body |
Involving and engaging the whole school community in identifying and understanding equality barriers and in the setting of objectives to address these. |
|
Head teacher |
As above including: Promoting key messages to staff, parents and pupils about equality and what is expected of them and can be expected from the school in carrying out its daily duties. Ensure that staff have appropriate skills to deliver equality, including pupil awareness. Ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. |
|
Lead Teacher |
To support the Headteacher Ensure fair treatment and access to services and opportunities. Ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. |
|
Teaching Staff |
Help in delivering the right outcomes for pupils. Uphold the commitment made to pupils and parents/carers on how they can be expected to be treated. Design and deliver an inclusive curriculum Ensure that you are aware of your responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. |
|
Non Teaching Staff |
Support the school and the governing body in delivering a fair and equitable service to all stakeholders Uphold the commitment made by the head teacher/principal on how pupils and parents/carers can be expected to be treated Support colleagues within the school community Ensure that you are aware of your responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents |
|
Parents |
Take an active part in identifying barriers for the school community and in informing the governing body of actions that can be taken to eradicate these. Take an active role in supporting and challenging the school to achieve the commitment given to the school community in tackling inequality and achieving equality of opportunity for all. |
|
Pupils |
As appropriate to their age and understanding - Supporting the school to achieve the commitment made to tackling inequality. Uphold the commitment made by the head teacher on how pupils and parents/carers, staff and the wider school community can be expected to be treated. |
|
Local Community Members |
Take an active part in identifying barriers for the school community and in informing the governing body of actions that can be taken to eradicate these. Take an active role in supporting and challenging the school to achieve the commitment made to the school community in tackling inequality and achieving equality of opportunity for all. |
We will ensure that the whole school community is aware of the Single Equality Policy and our published equality information and equality objectives by publishing them on the school website, and through the Governing Body.
