Equality Scheme and Objectives

The Equalities Scheme and Objectives sets out our school’s overall commitment to equality, diversity, human rights and community cohesion, which permeates in all our policies and procedures. It aims to ensure that everybody who comes into contact with our school community is valued and respected. It aims to promote equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation. It contains an approach to all the groups of people with protected characteristics identified by the Equalities Act 2010. It also sets out our specific school objectives and it outlines how the school will incorporate the scheme within our day-to-day school life.

Our scheme includes our whole school; i.e. pupils, staff, governors, parents and carers and all those within our extended school community, such as neighbouring schools and learning organisations.

Whilst the document also serves to outline our statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010, more importantly it allows us to focus on making our school a fair, respectful and inclusive place, with an aim to improve outcomes that matter to our school community.

Introduction

The role of an equalities scheme is to visibly set out our priorities for action to improve chances, choices and outcomes in the lives of different groups of people and measure how we are doing to attain them.

The Equality Act 2010 covers discrimination, harassment, and victimisation because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. These categories of people are listed as protected groups because of their characteristics. There is recognition of the complexity of multiple needs and disadvantage. Our Equality Scheme includes our priorities and actions to eliminate discrimination and harassment from these protected characteristics as well as promoting a culture of human rights, respect and dignity.

Epworth Education trust and its schools recognises our responsibilities with regard to the Equality Act 2010 and compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty having due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the act
• 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

As a Trust we aim:

• to promote equal treatment within the Trust for all members of the Trust community;
• to communicate the commitment of the Trust to the promotion of equal opportunities;
• to create and maintain an open and supportive environment which is free from discrimination;
• to foster mutual tolerance and positive attitudes so that everyone can feel valued within the Trust; and
• to actively promote and safeguard the welfare of children, staff and others who come into contact with the Trust.

To further these aims and having considered our school’s context and tracking data, we have identified priority areas and thus our school Equality Objectives which we feel will make a significant difference to our school community and ensure real, tangible outcomes for identified groups.