Meeting Our Equality Duty

Emmanuel C of E Primary School is an inclusive school where we focus on the well-being and progress of every child and where all members of our community are of equal worth.

We believe that the Equality Act provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships between people. It also ensures that we continue to tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups so they may have ‘life in all its fullness’.

We recognise that these duties reflect international human rights standards as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Our approach to equality is based on the following 7 key principles:

1. All learners are of equal value.  Whether or not they are disabled, whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status, whatever their gender and gender identity, whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background and whatever their sexual orientation.
2. We recognise, respect and value difference and understand that diversity is strength.  We take account of differences and strive to remove barriers and disadvantages, which people may face in relation to disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, belief or faith and sexual orientation. We believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.
3. We foster positive attitudes and relationships. We actively promote positive attitudes and mutual respect between groups and communities different from each other.

4. We foster a shared sense of cohesion and belonging. We want all members of our school community to feel a sense of belonging within the school and wider community and to feel that they are respected and able to participate fully in school life.
5. We observe good equalities practice for our staff.  We ensure that policies and procedures benefit all employees and potential employees in all aspects of their work, including in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development.
6. We have the highest expectations of all our children.  We expect that all pupils can make good progress and achieve to their highest potential.
7. We work to raise standards for all pupils, but especially for the most vulnerable.  We believe that improving the quality of education for the most vulnerable groups of pupils raises standards across the whole school.

Our equality objectives for 2021-2024 are:

To improve the accessibility of the premises by developing the playground so there is safe storage for bikes and scooters in both the Alpha and Omega building.

To eliminate discrimination & foster good relations by increasing pupil understanding of different communities.  We will do this by marking national days & cultural events throughout the year e.g. Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Autism Awareness Day.

To advance equality of opportunity by embedding provision in school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.