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 mulitiple 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.

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	Pupils explore a range of world religions through RE lessons and the school Collective Worship cycle.  Trips have been mapped out in order to ensure that children visit a range of religious places of worship, e.g., Mosque, Temple, Church, with regular class visits to our linked church: Wesley Methodist Church.   Pupil voice highlighted that children can talk about different religions and they can demonstrate an understanding of difference and respect of other cultures, faiths and beliefs. The pupils also demonstrated the impact of our weekly collective worship led by our minister, Rev. Blayze White Reviewed Spring 2024
Narrow the attainment gap in reading, writing and mathematics between disadvantaged and other children.	Prioritise disadvantaged when selecting groups for boosters and school led tuition Ensure first quality teaching and assessment takes 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.	Within each intervention or school led tuition group DAP children are a key focus.  Their progress is also discussed and closely monitored in pupil progress meetings.  Staff are aware of who the DAP pupils in their class are and through pupil progress meetings, as well as regular monitoring, staff are provided with strategies to further support DAP children.   Reviewed Spring 2024
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 place termly and patterns are identified to ensure the right clubs are 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	Tuition clubs delivered after school are inclusive to all pupils. For example, maths club is delivered after school and 26% of the children are DAP. Tracking of club registers demonstrates that 27% of pupils in attendance have additional needs, 47% of pupils are recipients of PPG.  Throughout the school, 36% of club members are PPG recipients and 12% of pupils in attendance have additional needs.  Clubs include football, netball, gymnastics, choir, dance and fencing.     Reviewed Spring 2024