Action Plans

1. We recognise that the actions resulting from a policy are what make a difference.

2. Each year we draw up an action plan within the framework of the overall school improvement plan, setting out the specific actions and projects we shall undertake to implement the principles above.

3. Our current action plan is set out in our  Single Equality Scheme Action Plan.

THE CURRICULUM

4. We will actively seek opportunities to review the curriculum (including the hidden curriculum) and curriculum subject or areas in order to ensure that teaching and learning reflect the seven principles outlined above.*

*Curriculum: the content of the curriculum is excluded from discrimination law following the Equality Act 2010. The Act does, however, explicitly include the delivery of the curriculum i.e. the way in which education is provided. Schools will need to ensure that the way in which issues are taught does not subject individual pupils to discrimination. Catholic schools can, as before, teach in line with their religious ethos and ‘provided that their beliefs are explained in an appropriate way in an educational context that takes into account existing guidance on the delivery of Sex and Relationship Education and Religious Education then schools should not be acting unlawfully. Further that it would not be unlawful for a teacher in any school to express personal views on sexual orientation provided that it is done in an appropriate manner and context.’ (draft guidance from the DfE cited in Equality Act 2010, Guidance Note, CES, July 2011).  

5. We will ensure staff are offered the opportunity to engage in appropriate training and development to support the achievement of the seven principles.

ETHOS AND ORGANISATION

6. We ensure that the principles listed above apply also to the full range of our policies and practices, including those that are concerned with:

• learners' progress, attainment and assessment
• learners' and staff personal development, welfare and well-being
• teaching styles and strategies
• admissions and attendance*
• staff  and governor recruitment, retention and professional development
• care, guidance and support
• behaviour, discipline and exclusions
• working in partnership with parents, carers and guardians
• working with the wider community.
• Participation of groups in wider school activities
• Preparing all members of the learning community for living and positively contributing to a diverse society

*Admissions: under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, Catholic schools may continue to give priority to Catholics where the school is oversubscribed in accordance with the provisions of the School Admission Code.

ADDRESSING PREJUDICE AND PREJUDICE-RELATED BULLYING

7. The school is opposed to all forms of prejudice which stand in the way of fulfilling legal duties for all aspects of equality:

• prejudices around disability and special educational needs
  

• prejudices around racism and xenophobia, including those that are directed towards religious groups and communities, for example anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and those that are directed against Travellers, refugees and people seeking asylum

• prejudices reflecting sexism and homophobia.

8. There is guidance in the staff handbook on how prejudice-related incidents should be identified, assessed, recorded and dealt with.

9. We take seriously our obligation to report regularly to the local authority about the numbers, types and seriousness of prejudice-related incidents at our school and how they were dealt with in line with existing and future legal requirements.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

10. The governing body is responsible for ensuring that the school complies with current legislation, and that this policy and its related procedures and strategies are implemented.

11. A dedicated member of the governing body, Mr Sadler, has a watching brief regarding the implementation of this policy.

12. The head teacher is responsible for implementing the policy; for ensuring that all staff, governors and visitors are aware of their responsibilities and are given appropriate training and support; and for taking appropriate action in any cases of unlawful discrimination.

13. The headteacher has day-to-day responsibility for co-ordinating implementation of the policy.

14. All staff are expected to:

• promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in their classroom

• challenge and deal with any prejudice-related incidents that may occur

• identify and challenge bias and stereotyping in the curriculum

• support pupils in their class for whom English is an additional language

• keep up-to-date with equalities legislation relevant to their work.

• Pupil’s have the opportunity to have their voices heard with regards to equality issues

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

15. We ensure that the content of this policy is known to all staff and governors and, as appropriate, to all pupils and parents and carers.

16. All staff and governors have access to a selection of resources which discuss and explain concepts of equality, diversity and community cohesion in appropriate detail.

RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

17. We respect the religious beliefs and practice of all staff, pupils and parents, and comply with reasonable requests relating to religious observance and practice.*

*The daily act of collective worship is not covered by the religion or belief provisions of the Act, which means that schools will not be acting unlawfully if they do not provide an equivalent act of worship for other faiths.For maintained schools a daily act of collective worship remains a mandatory requirement. It continues to be the case that in any maintained school collective worship is to be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character except where a determination otherwise has been successfully obtained.

A school must of course comply with any request by a parent for a pupil to be wholly or partly excused from attending RE. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from collective worship and sixth form pupils have the right to withdraw themselves.

The character and content of collective worship in a voluntary aided school continues to be determined by the governing body and for a VA school with a religious character will be in accordance with the schools trust deed or in accordance with the beliefs of the religion or denomination specified for the school. For Catholic schools this will be in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Schools are also free to celebrate religious festivals and would not be discriminating against children of other faiths e.g. putting on a nativity play. Further, Catholic schools will still be able to mark or celebrate events specific to their religion and ethos. Parents, guardians or carers will not be able to claim that their children have been discriminated against simply because an equivalent celebration of events of significance to their particular religion is not arranged.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING

18. We ensure that all staff, including support and administrative staff and governors, receive appropriate training and opportunities for professional development, both as individuals and as groups or teams.

BREACHES OF THE POLICY

19. Breaches of this scheme will be dealt with in the same ways that breaches of other school policies are dealt with, as determined by the head teacher and governing body.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

20. We collect study and use quantitative and qualitative data relating to the implementation of this policy, and make adjustments as appropriate.

21. In particular we collect, analyse and use data relation to achievement, broken down as appropriate according to disabilities and special educational needs; ethnicity, culture, language, religious affiliation, national origin, socio-economic circumstances, gender and age.

22. To review good practice we make use of a range of auditing schedules.