Equality and EARA

(Please scroll down to find information about the Equality Duty and our Equality objectives.)

Equality And Rights Advocates

We are proud to say that we are a part of Hampshire’s and IOW’s Equality And Rights Advocates (EARA) group. The group is open to any KS2 pupil, and it is wonderful to see how many children want to be a part of it. We are now in the third year of running this group.

 

Our EARA Mission Statement

We, the EARA group, will ensure that everyone will feel an equal part of our community, where people are treated fairly and respectfully. We value equity as well as equality and the importance of respecting the rights of all. In our community and beyond, communication is key to building kindness and collaboration. Together we can build a fairer future for all.

 

 

The group will:
• promote the Equality Act
• enhance pupil voice
• challenge discrimination and prejudice
• advocate for the rights of the child (UNCRC)
• encourage positive attitudes towards difference
• develop pupil confidence and life skills
• support vulnerable pupils
• increase participation and engagement

 

2024-2025

Autumn 2024 update:

Our new EARA group members met for the first time. We have some long-standing members, as well as some new members. In our first meeting, we recapped aspects of the Equality Act 2010, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Our first EARA network meeting with other schools is taking place here at Brighstone Primary School this term. We look forward to welcoming other schools’ EARA groups.

Once again, so many children wanted to be a part of this group! Here are our members for this year:

 

 

 

 

 

2023-2024

Spring 2024 update:

The EARA group planned, prepared and led an assembly for the whole school. They included:

• Updates and reviews of what they have achieved so far, including the Cosy Cabin, Friendship Stops, Sensory Garden and diverse and inclusive books
• Reminders about how to use the Cosy Cabin and Sensory Garden appropriately (rather than running in the areas)
• Information about No Outsiders that we use for Key Stage Collective Worships
• Information about the Equality Act 2010 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Autumn 2023 update:

Our new EARA group for 2023-2024 recently met. We:

• revisited the meaning of the words ‘Equality’, ‘Rights’ and ‘Advocates’
• talked through last year’s actions and impact
• talked through and revisited the Equality Act and The Rights of the Child

Six of our group represented our school at the IOW EARA group meeting at Shalfleet Primary School in November. Following that meeting, we will now identify what we would like to include on this year’s action plan.

 

2022-2023

Summer 2023 update:

• We have created our mission statement (see above)
• Further developed our Cosy Cabin with children’s artwork and a lovely sign made by one of our parents
• We met with the new EARA group from St George’s Special School who visited us. They talked to us about what we have done so far and got ideas for their own group. We then showed them around our school
• We met with a governor
• A small group of children from the EARA group planned, prepared and led an assembly on Pride Month
• A third meeting was held at Barton Primary School, in which a group of representatives from each school shared their actions so far.

Coming up:

• A small group of children identified that some children in school need to build their resilience and self-belief, so they have chosen to prepare and lead an assembly about this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring 2023 update:

In the spring term, a second meeting was held at Gatten and Lake Primary School, where six representatives from our school shared our actions so far.

We have further actions to complete, including:

• creating a personalised EARA mission statement for our school
• meeting with governors
• sharing our mission, aims and actions with the wider community

Autumn 2022

Following a visit to the initial launch meeting at Lanesend Primary with six representatives from our school, we have created a mind map of actions, and different ‘task force’ groups are working on different actions:

• Developing the Cosy Cabin (previously known as the Quiet Zone), so it can be used as a safe, calm, cosy space for children to go to at playtimes and lunchtimes when they need some calm time, or to speak with someone. They chose the soft furnishings and resources to go in there.
• Developing our range of books about diversity, inclusion, and mental health and wellbeing.
• Helping to promote diversity, inclusion and equal rights throughout our curriculum.
• Buying Friendship Stops for the playground and field.

On Friday 14th October 2022, the EARA organised and led an EARA presentation to the rest of the school and parents. They talked about what the group is all about, and they shared information about the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. The presentation involved videos, songs and acting!

We have developed the Cosy Cabin, and have chosen and bought some books that show diversity, inclusion and mental health and wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY

We aim to be a community where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. This is especially important to us, as a church school, where we seek to pursue Christian values. We want everyone to reach their potential, and we recognise that for some pupils extra support and challenge is needed to help them to achieve and be successful. Equity and equality are two strategies we use in an effort to produce fairness. Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful. Equality is treating everyone the same.

We are required to publish equality information as well as equality objectives, which show how we plan to reduce or remove particular inequalities or disadvantages. This information is reviewed and updated annually.

The equality duty supports good education and improves pupil outcomes. It helps us as a school to identify priorities such as under performance, or above-average performance, and ensuring equality of opportunity for children from all backgrounds. We do this by collating evidence, taking a look at the issues and considering the action to be taken to improve the experience of different groups of pupils. It then helps us to focus on what can be done to tackle these issues and to improve outcomes by developing measurable equality (and equity) objectives.

Our school is committed to equality and equity both as an employer and a service-provider and we carry out our day-to-day work through our embedded values of love, courage and respect:

1. We try to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect.
2. We want to make sure that our school is a safe, secure and stimulating place for everyone.
3. We recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them all exactly the same.
4. We recognise that for some pupils extra support is needed to help them to achieve and be successful.
5. We try to make sure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example through talking to pupils and parents/carers, and through our school staff and pupil leaders.
6. We aim to make sure that no-one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment or discrimination related to:
   1. Age
   2. Disability
   3. Gender reassignment
   4. Marriage and civil partnership
   5. Pregnancy and maternity
   6. Race
   7. Religion or belief
   8. Sex
   9. Sexual orientation

We welcome our general duty under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations, and our specific duties to publish information every year about our school population; to explain how we have due regard for equality; and to publish equality objectives which show how we plan to tackle particular inequalities, and reduce or remove them.

We also welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion.

We welcome the emphasis in the Ofsted inspection framework on the importance of narrowing gaps in achievement which affect, amongst others:

1. Pupils from certain cultural and ethnic backgrounds
2. Pupils who belong to low-income households and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals
3. Pupils who are disabled, or who are in the process of being diagnosed as disabled
4. Pupils who have special educational needs
5. Vulnerable pupils, where home circumstances are known or believed to be unsettled in some way, causing some level of concern.

The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to:

1. Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
2. Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
3. Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

At Brighstone CE Primary School we have rigorous systems for monitoring standards and tracking progress; our responsibility in this equality duty is scheduled as part of this rigorous process.

There are pupils at our school with different types of disabilities and medical needs and these include but are not limited to:

1. Asthma & eczema
2. Physical disability
3. Autism
4. Diabetes

 

1. We are aware of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 that it is unlawful to discriminate, treat some people less fairly or put them at a disadvantage
2. Where applicable our policies make explicit that we aim to give careful consideration to equality issues and as policies are reviewed in line with the monitoring cycle they will be edited to reflect this requirement
3. We try to keep an accurate record, when possible and appropriate, of the protected characteristics of our pupils and employees at whole school and year group levels
4. We analyse our data to ensure we act upon any concerns in relation to the protected groups which is fed back to Governors
5. We record any racist or homophobic incidents and act upon any concerns and report this to the LA and the Governing body on a termly basis
6. We give due regard for equality issues in decisions and changes we make
7. Training is provided to staff in relation to dealing with bullying and harassment incidents.
8. We have a special educational needs policy that outlines the provision the school makes for pupils with special educational needs.
9. We deal promptly and effectively with all incidents and complaints of bullying and harassment that may include cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to:
   1. Age
   2. Disability
   3. Gender reassignment
   4. Marriage and civil partnership
   5. Pregnancy and maternity
   6. Race
   7. Religion or belief
   8. Sex
   9. Sexual orientation

We keep a record of all such incidents and notify those affected of what action we have taken and importantly monitor the impact our provision has had.

Under the Equality Act 2010, we are also required to have due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. This includes steps we are taking to tackle disadvantages and meet the needs of particular individuals and groups of pupils.

Disability

The Equality Act defines disability as when a person has a ‘physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on that person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.’

We are committed to working for the equality of people with & without disabilities:

• We provide good quality training for our staff on inclusion.
• When required we gain external advice and support for many different professionals.
• We promote positive links with our parents.
• We provide specific targeted support where appropriate.
• Annual reviews take place for those children with EHCPs.
• We liaise and work in partnership with a number of professional organisations.
• A wide range of resources are used and stored in an easily accessible locations.
• Our school admissions criteria welcomes all pupils.
• We work with local nurseries and pre-schools ensuring transfer into Reception is effective and as smooth as possible.
• We hold regular meetings with parents.
• All pupils have the opportunities to learn about the experiences of disabled people and the discriminatory attitudes they often experience.
• We ensure that the curriculum and resources we use have positive images of disabled people.
• Children experience a positive start. Parents are kept well informed.
• We build effective, positive relationships with parents to support their child.
• We provide effective inclusion of children with disabilities.
• Pupil voice shows that our children with additional needs are happy in school.

Public Sector Equality Duty Statement

This information describes how Brighstone CE Primary School intends to fulfil its responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty with regard to its workforce.

We will collect and use equality information to help us to:

• Identify key issues – understand the impact of our policies, practices and decisions on people with different protected characteristics, and thereby plan them more effectively.
• Assess whether we are discriminating unlawfully when carrying out any of our functions.
• Identify what the key equality issues are for our organisation.
• Assess performance.
• Benchmark our performance and processes against those of similar organisations, nationally or locally.
• Take action.
• Consider taking steps to meet the needs of staff who share relevant protected characteristics.
• Identify if there are any actions we can take to avoid discrimination and harassment, advance equality of opportunity or foster good relations.
• Make informed decisions about policies and practices which are based on evidence about the impact of our activities on equality.
• Develop equality objectives to meet the specific duties.
• Have due regard to the aims of the general equality duty by ensuring that staff have appropriate information for decision-making.

Publication of Equality Information

We will collect and use enough workforce information to effectively meet the general equality duty. Where relevant and proportionate we will publish on our website some information about the impact of our employment functions on people with the different protected characteristics in order to demonstrate compliance with the general equality duty.

Brighstone CE Aided Primary School’s Equality Objectives 2022-2026

• To appoint a lead member of staff for equality and diversity, who has clearly defined roles and responsibilities across the school.
• To provide equality and diversity training for all staff.
• To ensure that curriculum planning includes a diverse range of cultures, including the positive contributions of black people and other cultures and challenging racism, bias and stereotypes.
• Ensure that teaching, learning and enrichment opportunities are used to foster an understanding of the diverse society in which we all live, maximizing community links and reflecting and exploring the range of diverse communities within school and further afield.
• To identify and teach key British values across the curriculum.
• To ensure that all pupil groups make sustained progress over time and reach their full potential by ensuring that curriculum provision matches the needs of each group.
• To promote high aspirations for our children, within school and beyond.

This page is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect our actions. The last update was January 2024.