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.

Our School Equality Objectives:

 

Equality Plan 2023-2027
Aim	How?	How we will measure?	Progress made
To enable pupils to understand, appreciate and respect difference in the world and its people, celebrating the things we share in common across cultural, religious, ethnic and socio-economic communities	Challenge pre-conceived perceptions Carefully plan for and select visitors to school and visits outside of school so they reflect a diverse community wider than their local context	Evaluation of worship plan and curriculum regularly Monitor impact through pupil voice	Spring 24 Worship plan and RE lessons explore a range of world religions and world views, as well as diversity within each denomination. Trip overview ensures children visit a range of places of worship throughout their primary school life. Visits are then evaluated by the children and visit evaluations as well as pupil voice shows a wide sense of understanding difference as well as similarities.
Narrow the attainment gap in reading, writing and mathematics between disadvantaged and other children.	Prioritise disadvantaged pupils when selecting groups for boosters and school led tuition. Ensure first quality teaching and assessments take place so children are identified early	Termly data analysis and pupil progress meetings prioritise the discussion around DAP and their attainment in comparison to others to ensure the support available is effective.	Pupil premium money is utilised for staff training on quality first teaching.  Disadvantaged pupils from all groups - pupil premium, SEND, EAL, new to country - are prioritised in progress meetings.  Those at risk of not meeting targets are given priority places for interventions.
Increase participation of minority or protected groups in wider school life, e.g trips, after school activities, cultural activities	Invite minority and protected groups to additional activities, free of charge. Encourage and support minority and protected groups to represent their class on whole school committees	Tracking of club registers takes places termly and patterns identified to ensure the right clubs and being provided to the right children at the right time. Provide additional subsidy from the pupil premium fund to minimise barriers based on financial constraints