Bidborough Church of England Primary School

Bidborough C of E Primary School

Equality Statement

Our life together at Bidborough Church of England Primary School is rooted in the Christian values of Love, Hope, Forgiveness, Courage, Koinonia (caring and sharing as a community). With these values underpinning all that we do, we expect all to reflect God's Love for one another as part of our school community. In line with our Vision Statement - 'Faith in our Future' - we seek to encourage and build confidence in all children in the school. Where a member of the school is going through challenging times, our hope and wish is that they might have Courage to seek help where appropriate, make right choices, and have Hope for a transformed future. Where specific support for a member of the Bidborough school family is needed we seek to offer it in the spirit of Koinonia, and where there are issues that need attending do, we look for Forgiveness and reconciliation to be part of the solution and way forward.

The Equality Act (2010) was introduced to combine the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Race Relations Act 1976 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Previously public bodies were bound by these three sets of duties to promote disability, race and gender equality.

In April 2011 these were replaced by a single public sector equality duty (known as the PSED or the equality duty).

This new duty extends to all the aspects of a person's identity that are protected under the Equality Act 2010. These are known as protected characteristics and are:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage and civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation.

General duty

Public bodies including schools and settings have a general duty to have due regard when making decisions and developing policies, to:

  • Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
  • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
  • Foster good relations across all protected characteristics – between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Specific duty

To help schools and maintained EYFS settings in England meet the general equality duty, there are two specific duties that they are required to carry out. These are:

  • To publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with the equality duty.
  • To prepare and publish one or more specific and measurable equality objectives.
 

At Bidborough Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and ability to participate fully in school life.

We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.

At Bidborough Primary School, we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.

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
  • Promoting attitudes and values that challenge any discriminatory behaviour or prejudice
  • Providing 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 whole school population which are inclusive and reflective of our pupils.

Equality in Admissions and Exclusions

Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, religion, belief, disability and/or socio-economic background.

Equal Opportunities for Staff

All staff appointments and promotions are made on the basis of merit and ability and in compliance with the law. We are keen to ensure that the staffing of the school reflects the diversity of our community.The school publishes an accessibility plan setting out how we make improvements in accessibility for those with disabilities. 

Our Equality Objectives:

  • To promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through all appropriate curricular opportunities, with particular reference to issues of equality and diversity
  • To promote cultural development and understanding through a rich range of experiences both in and beyond the school