Equality Objectives
The Equality Act 2010 was introduced to ensure protection from discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the grounds of specific characteristics (referred to as protected characteristics).
For schools, this means that it is unlawful to discriminate against ‘protected characteristics’ identified as gender; race; age; disability; religion or belief; gender reassignment; sexual orientation; pregnancy or maternity.
Under the Act, the school is expected to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). This requires us to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- Advance equality of opportunity between different groups
- Foster good relations between different groups
As a public organisation, we are required to:
- Have due regard to the PSED when making decisions, taking action or developing policy and practice.
- Publish information to show compliance with the Equality Duty. This is done via our Equal Opportunities Policy.
- Publish Equality Objectives which are specific and measurable
Our Equalities Policy is in line with national guidance and contains information about how the school complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty. We also give guidance to staff and the wider school community on our approach to promoting equality. This includes ‘advancing equality’ which means ensuring shared opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
Our Equality Objectives reflect the school's priorities, our Cooperative values and draw upon available data and other evidence. Careful analysis of this is undertaken in order to ensure that we are working to achieve improved outcomes for different groups.
At Stanground Academy we focus on the equality and diversity in our curriculum provision. Through our implementation we ensure our learning journey’s address discrimination, equality of opportunity, and foster good relations in a manner that values and responds to diversity.
Our inclusive curriculum ensures teaching methods and assessments do not place students at a disadvantage, communicating a transparent expectation of assessment, enabling all learners the opportunity to succeed. We ensure students are exposed to and are given the opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of many different cultures and identities in a manner appropriate to the subject being taught.
Our planning across the curriculum provides content that addresses different perspectives integrating themes of equality, diversity and cultural relativity. This is evident in both subject-based lessons and our PSHRE curriculum, where teacher planning gives the opportunity to reflect on their own identities, biases, and backgrounds. Planning also broadens students understanding in how these impact on their own and others learning and life experiences.
Teachers employ a range of adaptive delivery strategies to ensure the curriculum is inclusive for all. Through sequenced ‘student voice’, via the PSHRE curriculum, we identify and plan to overcome barriers that prevent students from all backgrounds reaching their potential. The robust ‘student voice’ process enables curriculum leaders and pastoral teams to redesign and shape their curriculums to address the prevalent issues impacting on the lives of our learners. This responsive, adaptive approach ensures Stanground Academy is a safe, welcoming and tolerant learning environment where students feel comfortable to be themselves.