Corseford School

Equality Strategy

2013 – 2017

Contents

Foreword Page 3

ContextPage 4 - 5

What Corseford Does

Capability Scotland Strategic Vision and Mission

Corseford School Vision and mission Statement

Aims and Objectives

What we want to achieve in EqualityPage 5

Corseford School’s Equality Outcomes 2013 – 2017Page 5 - 6

How we will achieve our outcomesPage 6 - 7

The process of developing equality Outcomes

How we will manage equalityPage 7 - 8

Governance and responsibility

Consultation, involvement and partnership

How we will Achieve our outcomesPage 9 - 13

Foreword

The equality act 2010 gives employers and businesses greater clarity about their responsibilities. It set out a clear expectation that public services must treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Capability Scotland and it’s schools share a long history of commitment to dignity and respect, including learners and of careful consideration as to how best to ensure our visions and aims become reality. Capability Scotland’s Coresford School is committed to a culture that respects difference. We believe as a third sector organisation, we can play our part in promoting equality and diversity. We recognised that equality of access to education is crucial in unlocking many significant opportunities in life, and we are very much aware of our responsibility to uphold both equality in learning and the credibility of the Grant Aided Special SchoolsAdditional Support Needs Division of the Scottish Government’s Schools Directorate.

The public sector equality duty, created by the equality Act 2010, replaces the race, disability and gender equality duties. It is supported by the specific duties contained in the Equality Act 2010 Specific Duties) Regulations 2012

Corseford School’s Equality Strategy 2013 – 2017 explains our commitment and actions to meet, and go beyond, our statutory obligations. It articulates the equality outcomes that all Scottish public bodies were challenged to develop by the specific duties published in May 2012. It explains how we develop these, and how we will monitor our progress towards them. We aim to ensure that out equality strategy is driven by consideration of the diverse needs of individuals served by Capability Scotland’s CoresfordSchool.

Fiona Catterson

Head of School

Corseford School

Context

Corseford School is 1 of 7 of Scotland’s Grant Aided Special Schools (GASS) receiving a substantial proportion of funding from the Additional Support Needs Division of the Scottish Government’s Schools Directorate. Corseford School is operated by Capability Scotland, Scotland’s largest charity working with people with disabilities.

Coresford School was established to provide services for children and young people age between 0-18 years, affected by disorders of movement or coordination, including reductions in communication, caused by cerebral palsy or other conditions, the term ‘motor impairments’ being the collective term to describe the problems affecting such children. As a national and government funded organisation the schools are required to meet the needs of children and young people with motor impairments throughout Scotland.

The independent nature of the school means that it operates outwith local authority educational and NHS structures and is solely responsible for the delivery of all its educational, therapeutic and other responsibilities using progressive educational methods. However, the school addresses the educational needs of children and young people in the same framework as all other Scottish children eligible for school provision and through the multi-disciplinary team mention above.

Further information can be found on Capability Scotland’s website .org.uk/services-schools/schools.

Capability Scotland’s Vision and Mission is:

“We will be a major ally in supporting disabled people to achieve full equality and to have choice and control of their lives by 2020. Our Mission is to transform people's expectations of what is possible and ensure that disabled people achieve equality”.

Corseford School’s Vision and Mission Statement

“To aim to provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment in which pupils needs are met in a holistic manner by access to integrated programmes of individualised education, therapy and health and personal support”.

  • promote in the community a sense of awareness and understanding of the needs of the children and the work of Capability Scotland
  • extend, in co-operation with other agencies, the outreach, training and research services presently offered to individual children, families, students and to professional visitors, both specialist and mainstream, who support children with a disability
  • support inclusion, by designing holistic programmes which meet pupils’ needs in the school and in the community.

The curriculum reflects current thinking and practice in:

  • the education of pupils who have Cerebral Palsy or other significant physical impairments
  • educational standards in mainstream schools
  • the provision, for some children of an alternative, highly differentiated structured curriculum.

The school moto is: “Seek the Challenge”.

What we want to achieve in equality

Coresford School’s Equality Strategy 2013 – 2017 explains our commitment and actions to meet, and go beyond, our statutory obligations. It presents Coresford School’s equality outcomes and explains how we developed these, and how we will monitor our progress towards them.

Corseford School’s Equality Outcomes 2013 - 2017

Coresford School’s equality outcomes are statements of the results we aim to achieve in promoting equality, tackling discrimination and fostering good relations across each of the protected characteristics for:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender
  • Gender reassignment
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • Marriage and civil partnership
  • Outcome 1: Protected Characteristics:- Age and Disability

Advance equality of opportunity by Improving the transitional experiences of disabled pupils by working with external agencies including social work departments and further and higher education establishments to tackle existing barriers to successful transition.

  • Equality Outcome 2: Protected Characteristics :- Disability, Religion and Belief

To eliminate unlawful treatment, and advance equality of opportunity for disabled pupils throughan increase awareness and understanding of Assistive and Augmentative Communication in the wider community. By working with pupils, families, members of the Capability Scotland allied health team and external agencies including NHS Education for Scotland, CALL (Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning) Scotland and SCTCI (the Scottish Centre of Technology for Communication Impairment) to ensure that people who use AAC have their voice listened to and understood.

  • Equality Outcome 3: Protected Characteristics:- Gender

Coresford School takes appropriate action to address any discrimination, potential to promote equality in practices of appointment in relation to protected characteristics.To address the gender imbalance of staff working at Coresford School.

The Process of developing equality outcomes

In developing our equality outcomes, we used the expertise available within the existing framework that oversees out compliance with the equality duties. This will allow us to build on work from previous years.

To ensure that Capability Scotland Coresford School’s outcomes were comprehensive senior management met with members of the Quality/ Policy team within the organisation. The outcomes were considered in relation to both the schools main function and all of its most significant areas of challenge.

Stage 1 – Identify the current status

  • Gather, assess and use employee/pupildata
  • Assess and review our policies and practices
  • Take into consideration pupil capacity for involvement

Stage 2 – Report on findings

  • Publish a report covering:

Our priorities for action including continually reviewing and monitoring the report and producing an update (every two years) covering our progress towards equality outcomes

How We Will Do This

  • Knowledge: all employees are aware of the general equality duty requirements. This involves a positive ethos towards protected characteristics and decision-makers should be aware of the implications of the equality duty when making decisions about policies and practices
  • Timeliness: an impact assessment of all policies at writing and at review must be undertaken
  • Meaningful consideration: consideration of the three needs must form an integral part of our decision-making process. This must be carried out with rigour and with an open mind
  • Sufficient information: decision-makers must consider what information they have as well as what information might be needed to give proper consideration to the duty
  • Review: we must have regard to the needs of the duty when policies are implemented and reviewed

Who Needs to be Aware of Our Obligations?

For the purposes of corporate responsibility and governance the following groups need to be actively engaged and involved in the process of meeting the SSD’s. This will be done through developing and measuring progress on outcomes by gathering data and analysing trends.

Whilst not an exhaustive list, for Coresford School this could include:

  • Executive Management Board– in how they ensure good governance and comply as a group with the duty
  • Learning Provision Leadership Team– in how they oversee the design, delivery, quality and effectiveness of our functions
  • Human resources– in how they build equality considerations into employment policies and procedures including review and evaluation
  • Policy makers – in how they build equality considerations into all stages of the policy making process including review and evaluation
  • Frontline staff1– in how they meet the needs of people from equality groups including the teaching of the principles of equality
  • Communications staff2– in how they ensure relevant equality information is available and accessible
  • Pupils – in how they are made aware of the principles of equality and how they can have a voice in such matters pertaining to them
  • Parents and carers – in how they are made aware of the principles of equality and how they can have a voice in such matters pertaining to them

How we will manage equality

Governance and responsibility

Coresford School’s leadership along with the Capability management team will exercise their duty to ensure compliance, and implementation of the equality strategy and action plan. Capabilities internal audit and quality team will support the fulfilment of our equality duties.The Head of Learning Provision is accountable for the fulfilment of Coresford School’s equality duties, and is supported by the Lead Professional for Education.

Coresford School will set up an equality steering group. There key responsibilities will include:

  • Consider implications for Coresford School of relevant legislative development.
  • Approve ongoing development of Coresford School’s equality framework and strategy.
  • Promote and advocate increased organisational understanding of SQA equality obligations.
  • Ensure consistence across the organisation and both its schools in approaches to fulfilling these obligations.

Coresford School will publish a dedicated equality report at least every two years. The steering group will publish minutes of meetings and publish reports as part of existing management reporting in place as part of the quality management system within the organisation.

Consultation, involvement and partnership

Capability Scotland and Coresford School have strong links with a number of organisations in the area of rights and equality.

As it moves into implementation of actions contributing to its equality outcomes Coresford School will further build on these links to ensure that its decisions are based on robust evidence and reflect the needs of the stakeholders it serves.

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How we will achieve our Outcomes

Equality Outcomes Action Plan

Outcome 1 / Transitions
Context / Scottish Government Legislation / GIRFEC / Accessibility Strategies / Capability Scotland mission / Schools visions, values and aims / Schools Improvement Plans
Linked to context /  /  /  /  /  / 
Protected Characteristics / Age
 / Disability
 / Gender / Gender Reassignment / Pregnancy and maternity / Race / Religion or Belief / Sexual Orientation / Marriage and Civil Partnership
Identified Barriers / Tasks / Lead / Timescale / Resources / Success Criteria / Monitoring Evaluation
Transference from children to adult social work and allied health services
Identification of suitable adult placements including further education
SDS/ direct payments not reflective of adult requirements
Guardianship
Young person’s capacity/ incapacity and understanding of the transition process
External cancelation of meetings causing slippage affecting transition timescales rights
Educational rights timescale variable across Local Authorities / Highlight the need for early identification of adult social worker and relevant allied health professionals at first transition meeting
To be placed as a fixed agenda item for all transition meetings
Awareness training for staff, Leavers and parents/ carers surrounding SDS and direct Payments
To be placed as a fixed agenda item for all transition meetings
To provide an accessible transition programme for all leavers that is individualised to each leavers needs and aspirations
To ensure that annual planners for review/ transition meeting are communicated to all attendees at the beginning of the school year.
Any cancellations are re scheduled as close to the original meeting.
To ensure that annual planners for review/ transition meeting are flexible to accommodate leaver dates as set by the local authorities. / Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
Allocated Social worker, School leaver and parent/ carer
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
Head of School
School Staff
Social Work
? advocacy
Leaver
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin / First transition meeting as identified on review planner
3-6mths before leaving date
Final year of young person’s transition
First transition meeting as identified on review planner
Senior phase
Curriculum
16yrs plus
To meet the timescale of 12 months transition entitlement form the date of starting.
To meet the timescale of 12 months transition entitlement form the date of starting.
To meet the timescale of 12 months transition entitlement form the date of starting. / Personnel attending review
Young person, Parents, Professionals
Relevant personnel eg social work, advocacy etc
Young person, Parents, Relevant Professionals
Multi-disciplinary team time
AAC training for the Multi-disciplinary team
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin
Head of School or Chair of Transition meetings
School admin / Adult social worker and relevant AH professionals identified early in the transition process for all leavers 2013 – 2017
Identification of suitable placement
Appropriate funding in place by the end of the young persona transition.
Guardianship timeously in place if required.
All leavers can fully engage in their transition programme
All transition work is carried out within the 12 months’ time allocated.
All transition work is carried out within the 12 months’ time allocated.
All transition work is carried out within the 12 months’ time allocated. / Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Curriculum IEP/ IPP
Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Transition meetings and minutes
Outcome 2 / AAC and communication in the wider community
Context / Scottish Government Legislation / GIRFEC / Accessibility Strategies / Capability Scotland mission / Schools visions, values and aims / Schools Improvement Plans
Linked to context /  /  /  /  /  / 
Protected Characteristics / Age / Disability
 / Gender / Gender Reassignment / Pregnancy and maternity / Race / Religion or Belief
 / Sexual Orientation / Marriage and Civil Partnership
Identified Barriers / Tasks / Lead / Timescale / Resources / Success Criteria / Monitoring Evaluation
Parents/ carers, Staffs and wider communities understanding of the diversity of AAC and how it can support learning. / Using IPAACS for staff self-evaluation and development needs
Using IPAACS for parent self-evaluation and development needs
To deliver and support ongoing training for parents and staff in a variety of AAC
To explore the feasibility of rolling out IPAACS across Capability Scotland
Explore outreach opportunities to share and develop good practice in AAC.
Participate in the Scottish Government’s Right to Speak campaign
Participate in any Capability Scotland research projects which promote this outcome
Participate any other external research or project which promote this outcome / Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Child and young people’s allied health and nursing Professional lead
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Child and young people’s allied health and nursing Professional lead
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager
Child and young people’s allied health and nursing Professional lead
Speech and Language Lead Clinical Manager / June 2015
June 2016
April 2017
April 2017
April 2017
Ongoing until 2017
Ongoing until 2017
Ongoing until 2017 / Professional time and additional resources as dictated by the project
ICT technician support
C.O.D.E.S
TOMS
IPAACS
Talking Mats
Board Maker/
Symbol sets
Objects of reference / All school staff have achieved foundation level of IPAACS
Parents/ carers staff have achieved foundation level of IPAACS
Appropriate training has been provided
Report on IPAACS feasibility study will be completed and reported to the Learning Provision Leadership team.
Report on outreach opportunities will be completed and reported to the Learning Provision Leadership team.
Evidence of engagement in the Right to Speak campaign
Evidence of engagement in research projects
Evidence of engagement in external projects/ research / Training records
APR/ PRD records
CPD records
Parent attendance sheets
Minutes of meetings
Feasibility study and reports
Other ad hoc documentation
Outcome 3 / Address staffing gender imbalance
Context / Scottish Government Legislation / GIRFEC / Accessibility Strategies / Capability Scotland mission / Schools visions, values and aims / Schools Improvement Plans
Linked to context / 
Protected Characteristics / Age / Disability / Gender
 / Gender Reassignment / Pregnancy and maternity / Race / Religion or Belief / Sexual Orientation / Marriage and Civil Partnership
Identified Barriers / Tasks / Lead / Timescale / Resources / Success Criteria / Monitoring Evaluation
Predominance of female staff employed within CoresfordSchool
Currently no data available on applicant gender balance
No system in place to store and monitor this data / To a system for collecting, collating and producing data in relation to this outcome
To work Capability Scotland’s HR Department to review recruitment process e.g. placement of advertisement and applicant’s pack / Business Manager / Ongoing until 2017 / Application Pack
Professional time for meetings / A system is embedded which provides the relevant data on gender
An increase in the number of male applicants for posts / Recruitment paperwork
Minutes of meetings

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