Equality
Waverley School is committed to advancing and achieving equality of opportunity for all students, parents/carers / associated persons, staff, governors, and visitors. We believe that all people are of equal value and are entitled to equality of opportunity and that our diversity enriches our community.
We see all learners and potential learners, and their parents and carers, as of equal value, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Our policies, procedures, and activities must not discriminate but must nevertheless take account of differences of life-experience, outlook and background, and in the kinds of barrier and disadvantages which people may face in relation to their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
Waverley School will promote race equality and have due regard to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations between people of different racial groups.
Waverley School will promote disability equality throughout the school, ensuring the equality of opportunity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, eliminating disability-related harassment and encouraging participation by disabled people in public life.
Waverley School will promote gender equality by eliminating unlawful discrimination and harassment, and promote the equality of opportunity between men and women, girls and boys.
Transgender people are explicitly covered by the gender equality duty. For the purposes of this policy, the term ‘transgender’ refers to an individual whose gender expression or identity is different from that traditionally associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. This school will respect the confidentiality of those seeking gender re-assignment and will provide a supportive environment within the social community.
Waverley School is opposed to all forms of prejudice and recognises that children and young people who experience any form of prejudice related to discrimination may fare less well in the education system.
Waverley School will ensure that all staff comply with the appropriate equality legislation and regulations.
The School will:
- Ensure staff are aware of their responsibilities, are given necessary training and support, and report progress to the governing body.
- Ensure that the recording and reporting of equality and diversity is sufficiently scrutinised.
- Foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of cohesion and belonging, and ensure this is promoted in our policies, procedures, and activities.
- Observe good equalities practice in staff recruitment, retention, and development, and ensure that all policies and procedures benefit all employees and potential employees regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age, and will full respect for legal rights relating to pregnancy and maternity.
- Reduce and remove inequalities and barriers that already exist.
- Engage with a range of groups and individuals to ensure that those who are affected by a policy, procedure or activity are consulted and involved in the decision of new policies, and in the review of existing ones.
- Ensure that policies, procedures, and activities benefit society as a whole, both locally and nationally, by fostering greater social cohesion, and greater participation in the public life of everyone, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.
- Ensure staff promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in the school, challenging inappropriate language and behaviour, responding appropriately to incidents of discrimination and harassment, and showing appropriate support for pupils with additional needs, maintaining a good level of awareness of issues surrounding equalities.
Objectives
Whilst continuously aiming to improve the implementation of equality related policies and procedures,
Waverley School has established the following objectives:
- To monitor changes to the curriculum to ensure they result in good outcomes for pupils in all vulnerable groups, and to review the curriculum in light of new performance measures.
- To offer appropriate qualifications in English for pupils in all vulnerable groups.
- To implement effective strategies to support pupils in all vulnerable groups following linear exam courses.
- To improve the quality of support for pupils in all vulnerable groups in the classroom.
- To continue to explore the use of new technologies to support pupils in all vulnerable groups in accessing their learning. With special investigation taking place regarding the use of technology in modern foreign languages, internal exams, and group work.
Our approach
We seek to embed equality of access, opportunity, and outcome for all members of our school community, within all aspects of school life.
We actively seek out opportunities to embrace the following key concepts:
- Shared Humanity.Identifying commonality and shared values, aspirations, and needs underpins our approach to equality.We value our fundamental similarities and universality.
- Valuing difference and diversity.We appreciate the richness within our differences and look for ways of celebrating and understanding them better.
- Interdependence, interaction, and influence.We recognise that, as they evolve, distinct cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles will impact on and inform each other.
- Social cohesion within our school and within our local community.
- Personal and cultural identity.We will provide opportunities to explore and value the complexity of our personal and cultural identities.
- Fairness and social justice. We will develop our understanding of the inequality that exists in society and explore ways of individually and collectively promoting a more equitable society.
Values, principles, and standards
Equality of opportunity is fundamental to good practice in education, in which fairness of opportunity for all is a basic right.
This policy is therefore underpinned by the following values, principles, and standards:
- equality and social justice
- acknowledging and valuing diversity
- respect for others
- compliance with equality legislation
- elimination of all forms of prejudice and unfair discrimination
- active challenge to stereotypes, prejudiced attitudes and unfair discriminatory behaviour
- commitment to inclusive education which enables and supports all students to develop their full potential
- commitment to the positive development of all staff and governors
- accountability for compliance with this policy by all members of the school and others engaged in school business or activities.
Our duties
We recognise and accept our equality duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010
We will ensure we identify opportunities for promoting our ethos ‘learning through diversity’, the key concepts and our duties on equality legislation across all aspects of college life.
These opportunities are likely to include all or some of the following:
- The engagement, participation, and involvement of a broad and diverse range of children, young people, their parents and partner agencies
- Preparation for entry to the college
- School policies
- Breaks and lunchtimes
- The provision of college meals
- Interaction with peers
- Opportunities for assessment and accreditation
- Exam arrangements
- Behaviour management approaches and sanctions
- Exclusion procedures
- Clubs, activities and school trips
- The school's arrangements for working with other agencies
- Preparation of pupils for the next phase of education
- Learning and teaching and the planned curriculum
- Classroom/learning environment organisation
- Timetabling
- Grouping of pupils
- Homework
- Access to school facilities
- Activities to enrich the curriculum, for example, a visitor to the college
- College sports
- Employees’ and staff welfare
Communication of the Equality Policy
We will take active steps to communicate this Equality Policy to all pupils, parents/carers/associated persons, staff, governors, partners, stakeholders, contractors, and visitors to the College.
Responsibilities and responsibilities
The Governors are responsible for:
- Making sure the college follows all of its Equality Policy aims, and meets its legal responsibilities with respect to equality
The Head Teacher is responsible for:
- Giving a consistent and high-profile lead on equality and diversity
- Advancing equality and diversity inside and outside the College
- Ensuring policies and procedures are in place to comply with all equality legislation
- Ensuring that the College implements its Equality Policy and codes of practice
- Ensure that all parents, visitors, and contractors are aware of and are in compliance with the provisions of this policy
- Actively challenge and take appropriate action in any case of discriminatory practice
- Address any reported incidents of harassment or bullying in line with DfE guidance
Managers (for example senior, subject, pastoral leaders and administrative) are responsible for:
- Putting the College’s Equality Policy and codes into practice
- Making sure that all staff know their responsibilities for enforcing the Equality Policy and receive the support and training necessary to carry them out
- Following the relevant procedures and taking action in cases of unfair discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation
All staff (teaching and non-teaching) are responsible for:
- Promoting equality and diversity, and avoiding unfair discrimination harassment, bullying or victimisation
- Actively responding to any incidents of unfair discrimination harassment, bullying or victimisation, related to protected characteristics perpetrated by pupils, other staff or visitors
- Keeping up-to-date with the equality law and participate in equal opportunities and diversity training
Students/CC parents/carers are responsible for:
- Respecting others in their language and actions
- Obeying all of the Equality Policy and codes
- Actively encourage equality and diversity in the school by contributing their cultural experiences and values
- Report any incidents of bullying or harassment, whether to themselves or to others, to the Pastoral Team or to another member of the school staff