LYNN GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES
POLICY
INCORPORATING:
- RACE EQUALITY POLICY
- PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH RACIST INCIDENTS
Reviewed February 2010
Signature of Headteacher: ______
Signature of Governor: ______
Date Adopted: ______
Date of Review: FEBRUARY 2013
Throughout their deliberations, Governors ensure that their roles and responsibilities are set out in the five outcomes of the “Every Child Matters” agenda, and that they are strictly adhered to and are fully represented in all the decisions they make, so as to promote an ethos in their school for all the children to:
· Be Healthy
· Stay Safe
· Enjoy and Achieve
· Make a Positive Contribution
· Achieve Economic Well-being
· EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
1. PRINCIPLES
1.1 Lynn Grove High School is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff, students and members of the public who visit the school or who come into contact with school representatives.
We believe:
· In the worth and potential of each individual regardless of age, abilities, social or ethnic background, or gender.
· That all pupils are entitled to equality of opportunity and regard regardless of racial or ethnic group, religious beliefs and social background and that all pupils should be encouraged to understand the implications of equality of opportunity and regard. (Ref. Norfolk Learning Statement).
· That all pupils have the right to be safe from physical or verbal harassment.
· All pupils should be challenged to dispel the ignorance and distrust which breeds prejudice and discrimination.
· That all pupils should learn about the concepts and values of different faiths and to celebrate and enjoy similarities and differences.
· That all pupils should be prepared for life in a multicultural society.
· That all members of the school community should be involved in the process of developing policy, agreeing guiding principles, implementing plans and monitoring achievements.
· That the Racist Equality Policy (Appendix 1) and anti racist education policy should be the foundation of relationships between different ethnic groups within the school and be encouraged in the wider community.
· That the whole school community adopts appropriate modes of behaviour towards valuing all its members. (Ref. Norfolk Learning Statement).
1.2 This means that:
· Our school will take action to ensure that all who work and study here enjoy equality of opportunity regardless of ethnicity, creed, gender, disability, age or political beliefs.
· Our school will seek to ensure that we have a curriculum which celebrates cultural diversity and which contains planned deliberate strategies to challenge all forms of racist behaviour. (MacPherson Report 1999).
1.3 The following are bound by this policy:
· All staff – full and part time
· Governors
· Students/pupils
· Any voluntary helpers/workers
· Any person contracted to work on behalf of the school
· Visitors to the school
· Major Suppliers/Contractors
2 APPENDICES
· Race Equality Policy (see Appendix 1)
· Racist Incident Procedure (see Appendix 2)
· Procedure for dealing with racist incidents (see Appendix 3)
· Racist Incident Sheet (see Appendix 4)
· Racist Incident Record (see Appendix 5)
· Racist Incident Record – LEA/Governor(s) (see Appendix 6)
· Equal Opportunities’ Report including data on School Counsellor usage (see Appendix 7)
· Recruitment and Appointment of Staff (see Appendix 8)
· Racist Incidents 2001-2007 (see Appendix 9)
3 GENERAL AIMS
3.1 Lynn Grove High School aims to provide an open and welcoming environment for all learners and also for all user groups within the wider local community.
3.2 Lynn Grove High school aims to establish itself as a model of good practice in its commitment to equality of opportunity for all.
4 IMPLEMENTATION
To implement this policy the school will:
4.1 Offer equality of opportunity for all regardless of ethnicity, creed, gender, disability, age or beliefs.
4.2 Ensure that all members of this school community are aware that they have a legal (and moral) responsibility to play their part in its implementation.
4.3 Take action to ensure equality of opportunities for all.
4.4 Take steps to ensure no discrimination occurs.
4.5 Inform all employed by and involved with Lynn Grove High School of the procedures underpinning the school’s commitment to equal opportunities.
4.6 Set in place a monitoring system for the continued observance and practise of the Lynn Grove Equal Opportunities Policy.
5 TARGETS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING OF THIS POLICY.
5.1 A statement of the school’s commitment to equal opportunities and the Racist Equality Policy will be given in school publications (for external use and/also work schemes, departmental and staff handbooks).
5.2 The school will encourage departments and curriculum areas to implement the Equal Opportunities Policy and the Racist Equality Policy via teaching/learning styles and via written tasks – as part of a scheme of work, i.e. RSE Coursework ‘Equal Opportunities’, and the school’s ‘Festivals Week’.
6 THE SELECTION, RECRUITMENT and PROMOTION OF STAFF
Recruitment for all positions within the school will be carried out in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy and the Race Equality Policy.
6.1 Part of staff development training will include awareness of the equal opportunities policy.
6.2 Where appropriate, job sharing may be considered as an indication of our commitment – as long as the opportunities for students are not compromised.
7 CURRICULUM
The school’s definition of curriculum includes ‘subject content, student centred resource based teaching, work related learning and the assessment of work resulting from the taught curriculum.
7.1 The school will undertake a curriculum audit to determine the extent to which teachers promote multi-cultural education through lesson planning and choice of teaching resources.
7.2 The school will ensure that issues relating to equal opportunity are addressed by teachers and students wherever appropriate.
7.3 The school will ensure that resources used to deliver the curriculum are free from racist, sexist and discriminating language and images.
7.4 Where appropriate, the school will support the integration of pupils with disabilities into the school. Pupils with learning disabilities will be offered special help and their particular needs will be monitored by SEN Co-ordinator.
8 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
All school staff will be made aware of their responsibilities for implementing the school’s Equal Opportunities’ Policy and Racial Equality Policy.
8.1 The school will provide staff and governors with training on the Equal Opportunities Issue and the Racial Equality Policy in particular.
9 MONITORING OF THIS POLICY
Under the direction of a Senior Teacher, a school Equal Opportunities’ steering group will monitor, evaluate and report progress on an annual basis. (See also monitoring of Racist Equality Policy).
The steering group will co-opt relevant governors, teachers, non-teaching staff and, if appropriate, students as required.
The Governing Body will ensure that our Equal Opportunities is in place and is reviewed every three years. This policy will be referred to in our School Prospectus.
The Governing Body is accountable for ensuring the effectiveness of the Policy and our compliance with it. The Governing body will take collective responsibility to ensure that Equal Opportunity and Racist incident procedures are followed. Our named governor for Racist incidents is Mrs Sharon Wood.
10 COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
The school will treat all perceived breaches of the Equal Opportunities Policy and the Race Equality Policy with seriousness.
The following procedures will be observed in the event of a complaint:
· Complaints should in the first instance be taken (with written account) to the Assistant Headteacher. The matter will be dealt with at his discretion, to the satisfaction of the person bringing the complaint. The Assistant Headteacher will notify the member of the Governing Body responsible for monitoring the recording of racist incidents. The Designated Governor is Mrs Sharon Wood.
· If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the individual concerned, then he/she may request that the matter be referred to the Headteacher, and thereafter to the Chair of Governors.
Appendix 1
RACE EQUALITY POLICY
Introduction
1 On March 2007 the ethnic background of pupils at Lynn Grove was:
Count of Ethnic category / AgeGender / Ethnic category / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / (blank) / Grand Total
F / Arab
Greek Cypriot / 1 / 1 / 1
1
Portuguese
Refused
White – English
White & any other Asian Background
White & any other ethnic group / 54 / 2
1
98
1 / 110 / 99
1 / 68 / 2
1
429
1
1
White European
(blank) / 1 / 1 / 2
F Total / 54 / 103 / 111 / 101 / 69 / 438
M / Black – Nigerian
Indian / 1 / 1 / 1
1
Mirpuri Pakistani
Other Asian
Other mixed background
White – English
White & any other Asian Background / 62
1 / 106 / 1
1
117 / 106 / 1
1
59 / 1 / 1
1
2
450
2
White and any other ethnic group
White and Black Caribbean
White European / 1 / 1
1 / 1 / 1
1
2
M Total / 63 / 107 / 120 / 109 / 62 / 1 / 462
Grand Total / 117 / 210 / 231 / 210 / 131 / 1 / 900
2 The ethnic background of Teaching Staff, Support Staff, Ancillary Workers:
Female: White 59
Any Other Group 1
Male: Pakistani 1
Black African 1
White 43
3 Great Yarmouth is in an area in which minority ethnic groups are faced with particular challenge. There has been a growing refugee population of late and there have been some indications of racial tension. There is also a small Travelling Community.
4 It is the aim of Governors, SMT, teachers, auxiliary workers and support staff to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, and to promote equal opportunities and good race relations in all areas of school life.
5 Our commitment will be evident throughout all teaching and learning including pupils’ personal development and pastoral care; in assessment; in the standards of behaviour we seek and in exclusion; in admission and attendance; in the curriculum; in staff recruitment and professional development and in the partnerships we seek to make with parents and all of our communities.
6 The whole school is committed to adopting policies and practices which develop anti racist beliefs and attitudes. It is our intention that these form an integral part of the curriculum so as to reflect the multicultural society in which we live. All staff are responsible for dealing with racist incidents (procedure- Appendix 2) and being able to recognise and tackle racial bias and stereotyping.
7 All members of the Lynn Grove school community will be made aware of our commitment through the school prospectus.
8 We believe that all students are entitled to equal regard just as they are entitled to equality of opportunity in learning. The school aims to create an environment where no members of the school should experience racism, whether or not it is directed at them.
Assessment and monitoring the effects of Lynn Grove’s Race Equality Policy
1 The REP will be published and made available to all staff annually and also to inform planning, teaching and learning and training.
2 The Data Manager will collect ethnic data twice yearly to monitor pupils’ attainment and progress and to ensure that challenging targets are set. Attendance will be monitored on a weekly basis. The results of the monitoring will be published and made available to curriculum governors on an annual basis. The data will be made available to all staff. (See Appendix 7)
3 The recruitment and appointment of all staff will be monitored. The application form allows that, following each appointment, a record will be kept of the gender and ethnicity of all applicants, and of the successful applicant. This data will be presented by the Assistant Headteacher (Staff Development) to the Governors on an annual basis as part of the annual review of the Racial Equality Policy. (See Appendix 8)
4 The REP will be reviewed annually. (See Appendix 9)
5 The REP will be translated or made available in special format as necessary.
6 If staff do not follow the REP then ‘Capability Procedures’ for staff discipline will come in to effect.
7 A copy of the REP will be made available for all contractors working on site. It is necessary that contractors undertake to follow the REP; the contractors will be responsible for disciplinary proceedings should any employee breach the policy.
Appendix 2
RACIST INCIDENTS PROCEDURE
Definition of racist incidents
‘A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person’. (Mac Pherson Report 1999).
A racist incident can take the following forms:
1 Physical harassment - includes violent attacks or physical intimidation on children or adults, as well as incidents of 'minor' intimidation which are cumulative in effect.
2 Verbal harassment - name calling, ridiculing a person's background or culture, off the cuff remarks of a racist nature which cause offence.
3 Non co-operation and disrespect - ostracism, refusing to work with or show respect may be a racist incident if there is evidence of racist motivation or the 'victim' perceives such a motive. Inadvertent disrespect, eg ignorance by any member of the school community of a student's cultural practices which causes the pupil to feel harassed or uncomfortable.
4 Stereotyping adults - this can sometimes be the most subtle form of racism because it can lead to discrimination.
5 The hidden curriculum - use of inappropriate teaching materials.
6 Other incidents - racist jokes and vocabulary, graffiti, racist badges, literature.
Many racist incidents will be of a less obvious type and, therefore, difficult to detect and deal with. Incidents may not occur in the presence of teachers or adults. It is, therefore, important that we develop strategies to ensure all members of the school community are sensitive to and take responsibility for, reporting and dealing with such incidents.
School's response
All members of the school community should feel secure in the knowledge that it is the responsibility of us all to deal with racist incidents in an appropriate manner.