Equality and Diversity Policy
Governor Committee Responsible: Welfare
Chair of Governors: John Taylor
Nominated Lead member of staff: Daniel Tucker
Review Date: July 2017
Context of the College
Dyke House College is a non-selective academy serving a community suffering from significant socioeconomic deprivation. The community is predominantly white working class and the geographical location has led to little mobility. 50% of households are on benefits and 39% of work-aged adults are unemployed. 35% of the intake lives within the top 10% of the most deprived wards in the country; the proportion of FSM eligible students is 53.1%. The Sixth Form opened in 2014 in order to address a town wide issue of low attainment and progression to HE. There have been significant challenges in our provision and this has had a substantial impact upon AS results across all subjects. We are working to address this and feel confident that where discrepancies occur between AS scores and A2 predictions, the latter are a reflection of true student potential, which will be realised in summer 2016.
Dyke House Sports and Technology College is committed to equality. In this respect:
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will ensure that everyone in the academy is treated fairly and with respect.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will recognise that people have different needs and that treating people equally does not always involve treating everyone in exactly the same way.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will ensure that the academy is a safe place for everyone.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will consult with people from different groups and involve them in our decision making.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will recognise that extra support is needed for some students to help them achieve their full potential and to be successful. We are aware of the current legislative framework. We welcome our duty to promote Community Cohesion which encompasses promoting good relations between pupils from different races, faiths/beliefs and socio-economic backgrounds as set out in the amended Education Act 2002 (New section 21(5) added in The Education and Inspections Act 2006).
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will continue to promote community cohesion through our ethos, pastoral system, and the curriculum. The curriculum will actively advance the ideals of community cohesion (eg. through Citizenship, Religious Studies, Learning Guide Programme) and will be designed so that every member of our community can progress and experience success.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will monitor closely the progress of outcomes for students from different socio-economic, ethnic and religious groups and take action to address any discrepancies in learning and/or attainment. As far as resources allow we will consider providing financial support which ensures no pupil is prevented from taking part in enrichment activities that support learning and the curriculum. We will strive to ensure that the school makes available a range of inclusive enrichment opportunities, and we will monitor take-up.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will work closely and as the lead agency with external bodies to ensure that young people in disadvantaged circumstances have every opportunity and support to succeed. We will work closely with parents and carers to involve them in the wider purposes of the academy
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will ensure admissions arrangements are fair and transparent, and comply with the national Code of Practice on Admissions, and that arrangements do not discriminate on race, gender, disability or socio-economic factors.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will ensure exclusions will always be based on the school’s Behaviour Policy. We will closely monitor exclusions to avoid any potential adverse impact and ensure any discrepancies are identified and dealt with.
· Dyke House Sports and Technology College will promote equality and challenge racism by; Celebrating the richness and diversity of different cultures through the curriculum (eg., Geography, RE, Art, Food Technology, Music); Exploiting opportunities in the academic and pastoral curriculum, to deal with issues of prejudice – in particular Learning Guide, Citizenship, RE, English and History as well as the use of SMSC across the curriculum; Regularly reviewing our displays, website and publications to ensure that these are inclusive; Regularly reviewing/auditing curriculum content and materials used, including in the Library to ensure that negative images are not used and positive images are promoted wherever possible; Challenging inappropriate racist or stereotypical comments made in lessons, in social environments, or in any part of the academy’s business; Banning all racist leaflets, badges, insignia from school; Recording all and any racist incidents and reporting them to Northern Education Trust and the Local Authority; Monitoring the impact of our policies through feedback gained from parental and pupil questionnaires, assessment data about the progress and achievement of pupils from different ethnic groups, and the frequency of racist incidents in school.
Under The Equality duty:
· We maintain and publish quantitative and qualitative information showing our compliance with Clause 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
· We publish information each year about our academy population.
· We formulate and publish specific and measurable objectives based on our collected and published evidence which demonstrate how we plan to tackle inequalities and reduce or remove them.
· The objectives we identify take into account national and local priorities and issues.
· We monitor our equality objectives regularly and report annually on progress towards achieving them.
· Dyke House College aims to make sure that no one experiences less favourable treatment or discrimination because of:
· Age
· Disability
· Ethnicity
· Colour or national region
· Gender
· Gender identity or reassignment
· Their marital or civil partnership status
· Being pregnant or having recently had a baby
· Religious beliefs
· Sexual identity and orientation
· An offending background
We are aware that the Act does not cover socio-economic circumstances as a protected characteristic. However in our academy socio-economic circumstances are taken into consideration. We acknowledge the “intersectionality” of economic circumstances and that students and staff may have a range of additional characteristics which intersect and must be taken into account including for students when measuring the impact of the Pupil Premium Grant.
Dyke House College recognises 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. We have regard in particular for the needs of children and young people who are disadvantaged and vulnerable and their parents and carers.
We welcome the emphasis in the OFSTED framework on the importance of narrowing the gaps in achievement which affect our students.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Executive Principal and Head of College
The Executive Principal and Head of College:
· Demonstrates responsibilities under the Equality Act.
· Ensures that staff and parents are informed about the Single Equality Scheme
· Ensures that the scheme is implemented effectively.
· Manages any day-to-day issues arising from the policy whether for students or the academy as an employer.
· Ensures staff have access to training which helps to implement the scheme
· Liaises with external agencies regarding the policy so that the academy’s actions are in line with the best advice available.
· Monitors the scheme and reports to the Governing Board at least annually on the effectiveness of the policy.
· Ensures that the Academy Leadership Team are kept up-to-date with any developments affecting the policy objectives and connected action plan arising from the scheme.
· Provides appropriate support and monitoring for all students and specific and targeted students to whom the scheme has direct relevance.
· Ensures Continuous Professional Development is inclusive of all staff and incudes equality matters.
· Ensures recruitment, selection and promotion of all staff reflects fair and safer recruitment procedures.
· Ensures that the voice of all stakeholders including parents/carers voice, student voice and staff voice is taken into account when making decisions.
The Role and Responsibilities of the Governing Board
The Governing Board:
· Ensures that the academy complies with all relevant equalities legislation.
· Ensures all governors receive up to date training in all the equality duties found within the Equality Act 2010
· Designates a governor with specific responsibility for the Single Equality Scheme.
· Establishes that the action plan arising from the scheme is part of the Academy Development Plan.
· Supports the Executive Director in implementing any objectives necessary.
· Informs and consults with parents about the scheme.
· Evaluates and review the objectives annually.
· Assesses the potential impact of decisions made upon equalities.
· The Role and Responsibilities of the Academy Leadership Team
The role and responsibility of the Academy Leadership Team
Academy Leadership Team:
· Has responsibility for supporting other staff in implementing this scheme.
· Provides a lead in the collection and dissemination of information relating to the scheme.
· Identifies good quality resources and professional development opportunities to support implementation of the scheme
· With the Executive Principal and/or Head of College provides advice and support in dealing with any incidents or issues.
· Assists in implementing reviews of this scheme as detailed in the Academy Development Plan.
· Evaluates and reviews the objectives annually.
· Ensures covering in the curriculum of equalities issues.
· Ensures the curriculum promotes students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.
· Ensure the peer support programme within the academy promotes understanding and supports students who are experiencing discrimination.
· Set out objectives from the Equality Act 2010 and report upon them annually to governors
The role and responsibility of Academy staff
Academy staff:
· Accept that this is a whole academy issue and support the scheme.
· Have read the scheme and can explain how it relates to them.
· Make known any queries or training requirements.
· Know how to deal with incidents of concern and how to identify and challenge bias and stereotyping.
· Know procedures for reporting prejudice driven behaviour, including incidents of racism, harassment or other forms of discrimination.
· Do not discriminate on racial, disability or other grounds.
· Keep themselves up to date with relevant legislation and attend training and information events organising by the academy.
· Ensure that students from all groups are included in all activities and have full access to the curriculum.
· Promote equality and diversity through teaching, pedagogy, curriculum, the learning environment and through relations with students, staff, parents, carers and the wider community.
The role and responsibility of Students
Students:
· Are made aware of any relevant part of the scheme appropriate to age and ability.
· Are expected to act in accordance with any relevant part of the scheme.
· Experience a curriculum and environment which is respectful of diversity and difference and prepares them well for life in a diverse society.
· Understand the importance of reporting discriminatory bullying and racially motivated incidents.
· Understand their role in supporting the implementation of objectives.
· Are made aware of support that they can receive regarding their orientation
Visitors:
· Visitors and contractors are responsible for complying with the Academy Equality Scheme.
Breaches of the Policy
The one academy rule.
“All students and adults are expected to behave in a responsible manner, both to themselves and others, showing consideration, courtesy and respect at all times.”
Our one academy rule applies to all staff and students in a Northern Education Trust Academy.
The Policy will be actively promoted and supported by every available means, in particular through training, consultation, and the mainstreaming of equalities and diversity into all aspects of the academy’s activities. The Academy will take disciplinary action within agreed procedures where the Policy is being abused, ignored or breached.
It will be a condition of service that employees adhere to the Equalities & Diversity Policy and failure to do so will be grounds for disciplinary measures to be taken.
The Academy has procedures, which enable service users, candidates for jobs and employees to raise a grievance or make a complaint if they believe they have been unfairly treated. Employees will also be entitled to expect that unacceptable behaviour by others will also be dealt with promptly.
Staged procedure of dealing with a breach of policy or complaint
1. Incident
2. Member of staff to investigate further or challenge behaviour immediately
3. Response to victim and family where necessary and/or response to perpetrator where appropriate
4. Action taken to address the issue with a restorative conference with all parties present (where appropriate)
5. Incidents to be reports to relevant members of the governing body and Northern Education Trust
Complaints regarding Equality
Anyone who has a complaint or wishes to comment on this policy, is requested to write to:
The Executive Principal
Dyke House Sports and Technology College
Mapleton Road
Hartlepool
TS24 8NQ
Reviewing the impact of the plan
The plan has been developed with the multi-academy trust and is to be communicated with governors at relevant portfolio meetings. The college will set annual objects based on current information gathered from the local authority and evidence from data collection i.e attainment data of groups and the use of the PASS audit.
Objectives for 2015-2016
· Close the gender gap in raising attainment in English and Maths
· To close the gap between the performance of FSM and Non-FSM students
· Ensure that all extra-curricular activities are inclusive for all groups across the college.
· To promote equality across the curriculum by addressing issues such as prejudice and promoting community cohesion and mutual respect through the Learning Guide Programme.
· To use the PASS audit data to identify areas of strength and concern around pupil wellbeing
· Audit the accessibility plan to ensure all groups are catered for with the college