PUBLIC SECTOR Equality DUTY

Grangetown Primary School will abide by the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 and we have developed this Equality Statement to help us meet our Public Sector Equality Duty under the Act. The Equality Duty aims to make sure that public bodies play their part in making society fairer by tackling discrimination and providing equality of opportunity for all.

We are required to consider how our policies, practices and day-to-day activities impact on pupils and staff. Under the Equality Act, schools must have due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act.
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it.

Grangetown Primary School is an inclusive school where we focus on the well-being and progress of every child in a community where all members are of equal worth. The Equality Act provides a framework to support our commitment to promoting equality and diversity and to tackling issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups. We build the Equality Act objectives into our day to day professional practice, into the decisions we make and into the policies and procedures we devise and adopt.

We are committed to giving due regard to equal treatment and opportunity for all staff, pupils and members of the wider community. We do all that we can to eliminate discrimination and foster good relations amongst all groups connected with the school.

The Equality Act covers nine protected characteristics, which cannot be used as a reason to treat people unfairly. They are:

Age (employees)
Disability
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership (employees)
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion or belief
Sex
Sexual orientation.

We aim to eliminate discrimination by:

Adopting a School Behaviour Policy which enables all children to feel safe.
Adopting an Anti-Bullying Policy to ensure that children know that any prejudicial bullying is addressed.
Reporting, responding to and monitoring all prejudice related incidents.
Regularly monitoring the curriculum to ensure that it promotes respect for diversity and challenges negative stereotyping.
Ensuring teaching is consistently good so that all children can reach their potential.
Ensuring all children have opportunities to access extra-curricular provision.

We advance equality of opportunity by:

Identifying underachieving children and plan targeted support and interventions.
Ensuring participation of the whole school community in the ongoing development of the school.
Ensuring that children’s views and experiences are listened to and that they inform our policies and procedures.

We foster good relations by:

Ensuring that Grangetown Primary School is actively involved in and at the heart of our community and that we get to know our families well.
Ensuring that Equality and Diversity are embedded in the whole curriculum.

Policy into Practice

The following list covers some of the main ways in which we seek to implement our moral and legal responsibilities to ensure equality within school

Whenever the SLT and Governing Board reviews policies, we take into account any relevant equal opportunity implications.
We analyse the progress and attainment of all children in the school, including the progress and attainment of specific pupil groups.
All aspects of the curriculum are open to all children, and we will always make adaptations where necessary to accommodate the particular needs of a child or group of children.
Through our Curriculum, we develop the values of respect and tolerance. If a child demonstrates intolerance or disrespect with regard to the characteristics of another person, we will work with that child to strengthen their understanding of why their behaviour or language has not been appropriate.
We promote a culture in which children feel comfortable sharing concerns and worries with adults in school.
We also seek to promote a culture in school that recognises the needs of staff members, whether this is in terms of emotional support, time off to attend family events or medical appointments, or requests for changes in working arrangements.
We also promote a culture in which parents feel comfortable to approach the school with concerns or difficulties.

Our Equality Objectives

To ensure the needs of all children are met through high quality teaching; providing access to the full curriculum for all including vulnerable children who may be at risk of underachieving; provide support to narrow the achievement gap.

Staff know the children well and adapt teaching to meet any additional needs.
Rigorously monitor the progress of all groups through regular Pupil Progress meetings, held with SLT and teaching staff, to identify any concerns and plan appropriate support either academic or pastoral.
Opportunities, at key points in the year, for parents to discuss their child’s progress; opportunities for parents/carers to attend in-school learning events including workshops in class and Family Learning programmes; support for vulnerable families via our Counselling service and through the work we do to support attendance
Work closely with outside professionals to ensure early intervention and appropriate strategies are in place.

To create an environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed, irrespective of their protected characteristics; developing a culture of mutual respect and open dialogue where children know their rights and responsibilities.

Our PSHE curriculum supports a positive culture; including through classroom learning and assemblies.
Our curriculum gives children an awareness of different cultures, religions and beliefs
Children’s voices are valued including through groups such as the School Council and our Playground Buddies, and in the way we regularly consult with children – for example in our recent playground behaviour initiative.

To provide a range of valuable and enriching experiences, including after school clubs, for all groups of children, and to ensure equity of opportunity.

The school provides a wide range of after school activities, at very low cost to our families, ensuring access to these opportunities for all.
Termly monitoring of attendance at clubs and activities to ensure representation of all vulnerable groups.
When taking part in national events such World Book Day, we are mindful of the economic challenges of the community we serve.

These objectives are monitored by the leadership team and governing board and are reviewed annually.

Updated June 2024.