Policy Accepted: Spring 2020
Review Date: Spring 2023
As a school in the West Surrey Foundation the governing body of Ash Grange have accepted the agreed policy. In addition, the Scheme sets out details of the action taken at Ash Grange.
This policy sets out our approach to promoting equality, as defined within the Equality Act (2010). It covers sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pupils who are pregnant, undergoing or who have undergone gender reassignment.
We are fully committed to equality of education and opportunity for staff, families and children and all those receiving services from us. We oppose all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination including those on the grounds of: age, caring responsibilities, colour, disability including physical, sensory impairment, learning disability, ethnic or national origin, gender, HIV status, marital status, nationality (including citizenship), race, refugees, religion, seeking asylum, sex, sexuality, trade union membership, or working part-time.
We aim to provide our pupils with firm foundations that will enable them to fulfil their potential. We will seek to eliminate unlawful discrimination against pupils and staff by adhering to our duties as an employer under the legislation.
We believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.
Therefore, we
We understand that Equality involves various things in our practices and provision including
We will pursue our equality duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment, promote equality of opportunity, and promote good relations and positive attitudes between people of diverse backgrounds in all its activities.
The principles of this policy apply to all members of the extended school community, pupils, staff, governors, parents and community members.
The overall objective of this Equality Policy is to provide a framework for each school to pursue its equality duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment, promote equality of opportunity, and promote good relations and positive attitudes between people of diverse backgrounds in all its activities.
Each school is committed to ensuring that no pupils, staff, parents, guardians or carers or any other person through their contact with the school receives less favourable treatment on any grounds which cannot be shown to be justified. All West Surrey Foundation schools are committed to ensuring this in terms of all protected characteristics identified within the Equality Act (2010) i.e, sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pupils who are pregnant, undergoing or who have undergone gender reassignment. (N/B Age is a protected characteristic within the Equality Act (2010), but not in relation to pupils of any age in a school – schools may organise their curriculum or classes in any way they choose without fear of a claim of discrimination on the grounds of age). In addition, as part of good practice West Surrey Foundation schools also include other characteristics i.e, ethnic or national origin, language, marital or civil partnership status, age, responsibility for child.
West Surrey Foundation schools are committed to continuing work on community cohesion and the individual schools commitment to West Surrey Foundation is testament to this. West Surrey Foundation schools are committed to :
School governors are responsible for:
The Headteacher is responsible for:
All school staff are responsible for:
Pupils are responsible for:
Parents/Carers are responsible for:
Visitors and contractors are responsible for:
Responsibility for overseeing equality practices within the school lies with a named member of staff and governor.
Responsibilities include:
This Equality Policy is supported by objectives identified on the School Transformation Plan; these are actioned by the individuals identified, monitored by the SLT and the relevant governing body committees and reported on termly by the Headteacher through the Headteacher’s Report to Governors.