Shawlands Primary School
Race Equality Policy
Member of Staff Responsible for the Policy – Head Teacher
Background:
Shawlands Primary School is located on the south side of Glasgow, having a role of approximately 391. The catchment area of the school is ethnically and culturally diverse. Among the school’s bilingual pupils there is a predominance of pupils from an Asian background.
Over the past two years the school has enrolled a number of Asylum Seeker pupils. This addition means the school has 16 different nationalities represented. At present we have 46 pupils from Asylum Seeking families.
Our strong ethos of caring and tolerance has resulted in these children being fully and positively integrated. We have very good relations with the wider community.
School Aims and Values:
The main aim of the school is to work in partnership with the parents to provide asupportive and challenging environment, which encourages effective learning. Through a balanced and structured curriculum children will achieve high standards in educational attainment and in social interaction while ensuring equality of opportunity for all.
Careful account is taken of current legislation in relation to Race Relations(The Amendment Act 2000) and Glasgow’s Framework for a Race Equality Policy. We aim to eliminate any unlawful racial discrimination and promote good race relations in all areas of school life.
To help us improve as a school, we place great emphasis on the professional development of staff and on the process of self-evaluation to which staff, parents and pupils contribute by giving their views of the school. If required we are able to assist communication between home and school by means of translations, however our current parent population have indicated that translation of the written word is not necessary. Interpreters are regularly used when working with our Asylum Seeking parents. Training in the elimination of racial discrimination is available for all staff and account of equal opportunities is taken when appointing new staff. The production of this policy presented the opportunity to re-visit our attitudes and practices as part of our whole school inservice programme.
At the start of each new session the importance of race equality will be highlighted for all staff within the school.
Each year we produce a development plan that outlines how we intend to improve the quality of our work. The progress, attainment and assessment of all pupils are a priority and diversity of ethnic and linguistic background is always taken into account. Resources used promote understanding and awareness of other cultures and can actively present positive images and counter stereotypes. In curricular areas such as Religious and Moral Education and Personal and Social Development care is taken to emphasise tolerance and understanding of other religions and cultures. At appropriate times of the session special arrangements for cultural or religious traditions such as special diets, dress or religious observance are made.
The examination of gender differences and ethnic and linguistic background are incorporated in the monitoring of all areas of school ethos and attainment. Steps are taken within teaching and learning to ensure that all children achieve their full potential. Within our school our EAL staff are responsible for supporting our bilingual pupils in accessing the curriculum.
We have an effective anti-bullying policy and any incidences of racial harassment are dealt with in accordance with the procedures outlined in the document ”Dealing With Racial Harassment within the Education Service”
Our priorities for development this session include:
EAL Programme(Support for Learning)
Forward Planning(Learning and Teaching)
Assessment and Recording(Attainment)
Evaluate New Horizons in Writing(Curriculum)
Evaluate Cambridge and Ginn reading schemes(Curriculum)
Teaching for Effective Learning awareness raising (Learning and Teaching)
Nelson Thornes ICT awareness raising(Curriculum)
Leadership and Management:
In Shawlands Primary we are committed to:
Actively tackling racial discrimination, and promoting equal opportunities and good race relations.
Encouraging, supporting and helping all pupils and staff to reach their potential.
Working with parents and with the wider community, to tackle racial discrimination, and to follow and promote good practice.
Making sure the race equality policy and its procedures are followed.
Responsibilities:
The Education Authority is responsible for:
Making sure that the schools under its management make arrangements to assess the impact of its policies: and
Making sure that schools monitor the way these policies work.
The head teacher is responsible for:
Coordinating work on race equality;
Dealing with reports of racist incidents;
Making sure the race equality policy is readily available and that the school board members, staff, pupils, and their parents and guardians know about it;
Making sure the race equality policy and its procedures are followed;
Producing regular information for staff and school board members about the policy and how it is working, and providing training for them on the policy, if necessary;
Making sure all staff know their responsibilities and receive training and support in carrying these out; and
Taking appropriate action in cases of racial harassment and racial discrimination.
All staff are responsible for:
Dealing with racist incidents, and being able to recognise and tackle racial bias and stereotyping;
Promoting equal opportunities and good race relations and avoiding discrimination against anyone for reasons of race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins; and
Keeping up to date with the law on discrimination, and taking up training and learning opportunities.
Visitors and contractors are responsible for:
Knowing and following our race equality policy.
Covering the Specific Duties:
In successfully implementing this policy:
We will, during our annual audit, include race equality when using the “How Good is Our School 2?” Document. In particular we will use “Quality Indicator 5.3”
We will ensure that the Council’s ethnic monitoring policy, which requires each school to submit a return each month providing information regarding any racial incidents that have taken place, is fully and carefully completed.
We will enter all appropriate ethnic data on the SEEMIS system and this will allow the local authority to use to inform planning and decision making.
We will include associated information in the school’s annual standards and quality report and in discussion with school board members.
We will review our policy annually.
Putting the Race Equality Policy into Practice:
The spirit of this policy is normal practice within our school and has been reflected in school documentation. Formalisation of same has been agreed by staff in November 2002.
All parents will be informed of the policy and will have access to this at any time.
The main details of our new policy will be published in the first newsletter 2003 and in subsequent years will be referred to in the school handbook.
All members of school staff will receice a copy of the policy.
All staff will fully discuss the policy at the start of each new session and development will be provided for staff as appropriate.
Date of the Policy:
Date of agreement November 2002
Date of reviewAugust 2003
Breaches of the Policy:
In the event of any breach of the policy, action will be taken as laid out in the existing Council policies,”Dealing with Racial Harassment within the Education Services” and “Harassment in the Workplace”
Race Equality Policy 1