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Statutory Info

Equality at BIS

Equality – How do we comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty?

1. Aims

Bedgrove Infant School aims to meet its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) by having due regard to the need to:

Eliminate discrimination 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 characteristics – between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
  1. Age
  2. Disability
  3. Gender reassignment
  4. Marriage or civil partnership
  5. Pregnancy and maternity
  6. Race
  7. Religion or belief
  8. Sex
  9. Sexual orientation

Our mission is to provide an outstanding education for our children enabling each child to be the very best they can be. We strive to develop children’s aspirations, self-belief and self-esteem in a safe, secure and stimulating learning environment through consistently high-quality learning opportunities. We work tirelessly to promote equality of opportunity, ensure equity and we hold aspirations that all children will achieve personal excellence.

We are committed to children’s ‘Next Phase Readiness’ and therefore our Quality of Education and Personal Development offer are designed to prepare children for life beyond Bedgrove Infant School. These policies are underpinned by our view that every member of Bedgrove Infant School has the motivation and tools to ensure all children have equality of opportunity and we are committed to the principle of reasonable adjustments. We are determined that, in and out of school, all children adopt and then embody our Purple Principles and their associated behaviours. By embodying the principles, we aim to eliminate inequality and prejudice in the school. We reflect upon our Purple Principles as a school community in assemblies every week and discuss what they look like in action, for example ‘being respectful looks like celebrating difference’.

2. Legislation and guidance

This document meets the requirements under the following legislation:

This document is also based on Department for Education (DfE) guidance: The Equality Act 2010 and schools. 

3. Roles and responsibilities

School leaders and the Governing Board will:

  • Ensure that the equality information and objectives as set out in this statement are published and communicated throughout the school, including to staff, pupils and parents
  • Ensure that the published equality information is updated at least every year, and that the objectives are reviewed and updated at least every 4 years
  • Delegate responsibility for monitoring the achievement of the objectives on a daily basis to the Headteacher
  • Our Headteacher and Governing Board have appointed an Equalities Member.

 They will:

  • Meet with the designated member of staff for equality, and other relevant staff members, to discuss any issues and how these are being addressed each term
  • Ensure they are familiar with all relevant legislation and the contents of this document
  • Attend appropriate equality and diversity training
  • Report back to the Governing Board regarding any issues

 The Headteacher will:

  • Promote knowledge and understanding of the equality objectives among staff and pupils
  • Monitor success in achieving the objectives and report back to governors
  • Have “due regard” when making a decision or taking an action to whether it may have particular implications for people with particular protected characteristics

 The 007 team will:

  • Support the Headteacher in promoting knowledge and understanding of the equality objectives among staff and pupils
  • Support the Headteacher in identifying any staff training needs, and deliver training as necessary

All school staff are expected to have regard to this document and to work to achieve the objectives as set out in section 8. 

4. Eliminating discrimination

The school is aware of its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and complies with non-discrimination provisions. 

Where relevant, our policies include reference to the importance of avoiding discrimination and other prohibited conduct. 

Staff and Governing Body Members are regularly reminded of their responsibilities under the Equality Act – for example, during meetings. Where this has been discussed during a meeting, it is recorded in the meeting minutes.

New staff receive training on school policies and protocols, all underpinned by the Equality Act, as part of their induction, and all staff receive refresher training every September.

Where an emergent issue demonstrates a need for specific Equalities training, our CPD will be adjusted accordingly and a Bedgrove Infant School Employee will deliver appropriate training or external training will be brokered.

The school has a designated member of staff for monitoring equality issues (our HR Officer) and an equality Governing Board member. They regularly liaise regarding any issues and make senior leaders and governors aware of these as appropriate.

Prejudice based behaviour (in line with bullying behaviour) of any kind is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. All incidents of sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and religious discrimination behaviour are reported to the Governing Board who monitor such incidents. The appropriate ‘child on child abuse’ notification must be used when recorded on CPOMs.

5. Advancing equality of opportunity

As set out in the DfE guidance on the Equality Act, the school aims to advance equality of opportunity by:

  • Removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people that are connected to a particular characteristic they have
  • Taking steps to meet the particular needs of people who have a particular characteristic
  • Encouraging people who have a particular characteristic to participate fully in any activities (e.g. encouraging all pupils to be involved in the full range of school societies)

In fulfilling this aspect of the duty, the school will:

  • Publish attainment data each academic year showing how pupils with different characteristics are performing
  • Analyse the data referenced above to determine strengths and areas for improvement, implement actions in response and publish this information
  • Make evidence available identifying improvements for specific groups (e.g. declines in incidents of homophobic or transphobic bullying)
  • Publish further data about any issues associated with particular protected characteristics, identifying any issues which could affect our own pupils

6. Fostering good relations

The school aims to foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it by:

  • Celebrating difference. We promote tolerance, friendship and understanding of a range of religions and cultures through different aspects of our curriculum. This includes teaching in RE, citizenship and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, but also activities in other curriculum areas. For example, as part of teaching and learning in English/reading, pupils will be introduced to literature from a range of cultures. Our approach to this is well documented in our curriculum pages on our website.
  • Making pupils aware of our behaviour and anti-bullying policies
  • Holding weekly school assemblies, followed up with class assemblies, dealing with relevant issues. Pupils will be encouraged to participate in such assemblies and we will also invite external speakers to contribute
  • Working with our local community. This includes inviting leaders of local faith groups to educate children, and designing Aylesbury specific curricula and organising school trips and activities based around the local community
  • Encouraging and implementing initiatives to address emergent tensions between different groups of pupils within the school. For example, our School Ambassadors have representatives from different year groups and is formed of pupils from a range of backgrounds. All pupils are encouraged to participate in the school’s activities, such as sports clubs –all clubs are offered out paid for by the school to attend for our disadvantaged and service children. We also work with parents to promote knowledge and understanding of different cultures through our school newsletter – through the Purple Periscope
  • We have developed links with people and groups who have specialist knowledge about particular characteristics, which helps inform and develop our approach.

7. Equality considerations in decision-making

The school ensures it has due regard to equality considerations whenever significant decisions are made. 

The school always considers the impact of significant decisions on particular groups. For example, when a school trip or activity is being planned, the school considers whether the trip: 

  • Cuts across any religious holidays
  • Is accessible to pupils with disabilities
  • Has equivalent facilities for boys and girls

 The school keeps a written record (known as an Equality Impact Assessment) to show we have actively considered our equality duties and asked ourselves relevant questions. This is recorded at the same time as the risk assessment when planning school trips and activities. The record is completed by the member of staff organising the activity and is stored electronically with the completed risk assessment. 

8. Monitoring arrangements

The Headteacher, in conjunction with the Equalities Governor, will update the equality information we publish, described in sections 4 to 7 above, at least every year. 

This document will be reviewed by the Headteacher and Governing Board at least every 4 years. 

Equality Documents