Equality Public Sector Duty

Equal Opportunities at Frogmore Infant School is about ensuring that all children and adults have equality of opportunity in terms of access and outcome throughout all aspects of school life and that their life chances for the present and future are not impeded or distorted by anything that happens during their participation in the process of education, but are in fact widened to allow them to achieve the whole scope of their potential.  It is important to note that equal access does not necessarily lead to equality of outcome.

Equal opportunity recognises and celebrates our similarities and our diversity as individuals and groups.  It recognises that all individuals have an intrinsic right to be nurtured in such a way as they are able to reach their full potential. While we all have something of value to contribute, we do not all start on a level playing field.  Consequently some individuals will be disadvantaged in their attempts to reach their potential.  As a school, we work hard to differentiate and maximise everyone's personal achievement.

Issues of equality are applicable to us all, but there are a number of people about whom Equal Opportunity concerns are often more formally expressed.  Such groups are often referred to in terms of race, gender, sex and disability or with reference to their age, class, religion or educational achievement.  These terms in themselves may be problematic in that they are social constructs (“man-made”), but they may also have use as frames of reference.

Equal Opportunities covers the whole process of education but particularly embraces issues of multiculturalism, anti-racism, disability, ethnicity,gender and trans-gender, sexuality, and socio economic disadvantage. Strategies to combat inequality include those dealing with  issues of self- esteem and sense of self worth, school organisation, curriculum content and delivery, discipline, provision for those considered to have special educational and or English as an additional language needs, underachievement, and building social relationships within the school community.  Equal opportunity is about creating the structures and contexts for unlocking potential.

Equality Objectives 2021-2022

We recognise that the public-sector equality duty has three aims:

• To eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct under the Act
• To advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
• To foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

We have considered how well we currently achieve these aims with regard to the protected groups under the Equality Act (race, disability, gender, gender re-assignment, age, pregnancy and maternity, marital status, sexual orientation, religion and belief and sexual orientation).

Having referred to and analysed our equality information, we have set ourselves the following

objectives:

Objective 1: To ensure equal access by all pupils to remote learning/ home learning.

Objective 2: To extend the range of books in the school library to reflect a greater diversity of texts.

Objective 3: Train all members of staff and governors involved in recruitment and selection on equal opportunities and non-discrimination by April 2022. Training evaluation data will show that 100% of those attending have a good understanding of the legal requirements.

We recognise that the overall ethos and climate of our school contributes to what our children learn from us in school; that children pick up on the values and expectation we promote.  It could be said that children learn as much from the subtle ‘little things’ that go on, all the hidden messages that are so powerful (the hidden curriculum) – as in their formal lessons. Consequently we use our school ethos as a means to promote equality and self- worth. One example of this is with our behaviour policy and how it is applied.

We endeavour to create and maintain a school ethos which is welcoming; reflective of the diverse multicultural society and disabilities; fosters a sense of well being, confidence and security; that affirms individual identity and demonstrates respect for each other; that ensures time and space for each individual; that challenges and expands horizons and encourages confidence, independence, co-operation and participation.

In order to achieve this, we:-

• Always challenge in an open and frank manner, behaviour and language which threaten the promotion of equal opportunities and take time to discuss with children the negative and damaging effect it has.
• Take the opportunity to use display space and assembly time to promote issues of equality, and self esteem.
• Implement praise, reward, criticism and punishment with due consideration for equality.  Equal opportunity demands a right to an equal response and outcome to a situation whether the child is a boy or a girl. (Research shows that boys receive more criticism and praise than girls.)
• Encourage a climate of openness where children feel safe and confident to raise issues of concern to them, bullying, racism, e – safety, taunting etc., and where the school can place a positive influence on discussion and events.
• Be sensitive to the needs of all individuals; recognising each in his or her own right, and without placing labels on individuals or groups of children.  This includes a commitment to offer time to each individual and ensure that individual or group needs are met.
• Be aware of the power of language as a tool which can promote equality or perpetuate inequality.
• Children, too, need to be made aware of their language use and its implications.  In addition they also need to be made aware of their part in promoting positive relationships and the ethos of the school.
• Encourage high aspirations and a skill set for a global citizenship by offering a range of opportunities and experiences to broaden and raise personal expectations as much as possible.
• Take care with the purchase of new material to ensure resources promote positive images and avoid stereotyping.  Resources, including books, are presented as sources of evidence, which need to be interpreted, questioned and evaluated, rather than authorities which are hardened statements of fact.

For more information, please see our policy below: