Equal opportunities policy

Aim:  

To maximise achievement and participation in a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse society by ensuring equality of opportunity for all members of the community.

Principles:

1. All individuals are unique and are valued and respected equally.
2. All individuals are entitled to equal access to the full range of opportunities and learning experiences.
3. All individuals are entitled to an accessible, positive curriculum, and to learn, teach and work in a supportive, non-threatening environment in which self-esteem is enhanced.
4. It is everyone's duty to be aware of issues of variety and difference including social circumstances, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, language, culture, age, disability and all learning needs, and abilities including gifted and talented.
5. It is everyone’s responsibility to address the behavioural needs of students in the context of learning.
6. It is everyone's duty to challenge and combat all forms of discrimination in any of these areas.

Practice:

The above principles inform all policies, procedures, structures, organisation and developments in the school and permeate all areas of the curriculum. (click here)

1. The school promotes and celebrates the richness of its multicultural, multi ethnic community through every aspect of its work and its environment, so that every individual has a sense of personal and cultural identity that is confident and open to change, and receptive and respectful to other identities.
2. Effective procedures and systems and resources are in place to ensure all members of the community have equal access to the full range of opportunities and learning experiences.
3. Effective procedures and systems are in place to challenge and combat discrimination.
4. Systems are in place to ensure that each individual’s  needs are identified on arrival and that they have access to an appropriate curriculum including WRL.
5. There is regular monitoring by the Leadership Team of all equal opportunities issues and how they are addressed by the school.
6. Every team follows this Equal Opportunities policy.  (click here for Department action checklist).
7. There is a senior member of staff with overall responsibility for equal opportunities.
8. There is the practice of open communication in the school.
9. A breach of this policy will be a matter for the Head of the School to deal with.
10. All members of staff and the governing body have responsibility for the implementation of this policy.

Appendix 1: Documents which support the equal opportunities policy:

• School Aim
• SIP

Appendix 2: Department checklist

• Review the curriculum annually:
  • Courses offered
  • Resources
  • Content of lessons
• Do all your teaching methods give equal access to learning to all students?
• Does your group organisation give students equal access to the curriculum and opportunities offered by the department?
• Is the department’s assessment system consistent and clear?
• Is there regular monitoring of achievement of students?
• Is there regular monitoring of achievement of students by ethnic group?
• Does the department set up displays which reflect cultural diversity in the school, or raise equal opportunities?
• Do staff have equal access to CPD opportunities?
• Are classes allocated to staff on a fair and equal basis?
• Do staff have equal access to equal resources?

Appendix 3: Monitoring the Impact of the Equal Opportunities Policy

Outcomes of monitoring and assessment will be reported to the governing body and the LEA.

Annual monitoring of:

• student attainment data by ethnic group at KS3, SATs, GCSE, AS, A2 level
• exclusions
• support from
  • Learning Support Dept.
  • Language Development Dept.
  • School House Inclusions Unit
• parental involvement
• working with the community
• enrichment participation by ethnic group
• governing body membership

Staffing: quarterly returns to LEA

• staff in post
• applicants for employment, training and promotion
• grievances, training, discipline, reasons for leaving, performance assessment outcomes.

Updated: October 2, 2008