At Stanhope Primary School we are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination and harassment, valuing diversity and promoting positive relationships. We provide an inclusive education which enables all pupils to develop their full potential meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
At Stanhope Primary School, we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.
This Equality Statement is concerned with all pupils’ access to the curriculum and the recruitment and opportunity of all staff.
The Equality Act of 2010 introduced a single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) that applies to schools and all public bodies.
In common with all public bodies, Stanhope Primary School will have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate discrimination.
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
- Foster good relations across all characteristics, between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
In practise, due regard means that the governing body and the leadership team will:
- Be aware of the duty to have due regard when making decisions or taking action and will assess whether it may have implications for people with particular protected characteristics.
- Consider equality implications before and at the time that they develop policies and take decisions, not as an afterthought and keep them under review on a continuing basis.
- Integrate PSED into the implementation of all school functions and ensure that the analysis necessary to comply with the duty is carried out seriously, rigorously and with an open mind.
- It is unlawful to discriminate in the following areas, termed as protected characteristics: age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.
Aims and Objectives
- Stanhope Primary School will comply with the legislation of the Equality Act 2012.
- Continue to maintain the school’s position as a provider of the high quality education and as a good employer, providing development opportunities for all staff.
- Ensure all staff work together with a shared sense of purpose to meet the needs of every pupil.
- Ensure that pupils and staff contribute towards a happy and caring environment by showing respect for and appreciations of one another and individuals.
- Ensure that complaints or evidence of failure to comply with the school’s equality statement will be dealt with promptly and fully investigated according to the relevant procedure.
Curriculum
We seek to provide a broad and balanced curriculum in which the basic skills in literacy and numeracy are taught progressively and systematically. Furthermore, the school’s aim is to provide for all pupils according to their needs, irrespective of gender, ability or ethnic origin. The curriculum avoids stereotypes and provides good role models for all pupils. The school seeks to ensure that the curriculum is not delivered in a discriminatory way.
For example:
- Children from all ethnic backgrounds are called upon to express their view.
- Girls and boys have equal access to all areas of the curriculum.
Equality in Teaching and Learning.
We provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. We do this by:
- Ensuring equality of access for all pupils and preparing them for life in a diverse society.
- Encouraging pupils to respect the fundamental British Values of democracy.
- Using materials that reflect the diversity of the school population and local community without stereotyping.
- Promoting attitudes and values that challenge any discriminatory behaviour or prejudice.
- Provide opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of other cultures.
- Seeking to involve all parents in supporting their child’s education.
- Utilising teaching approaches appropriate for the while school population which are inclusive and reflective of our pupils.
Equality of Admissions and Exclusions.
Our admissions arrangements are adopted from South Tyneside Local Authority, they are fair and transparent and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, religion, belief, disability and or socio-economic background.
All members of the school community are responsible for promoting the school’s equality statement and are obliged to respect and act in accordance with it.
For further information please see the school’s Equality and Diversity Policy.