Equality & AccessibilityScheme and Policy 2023-2026

This document draws together the following;

• Equality Policy
• Equality Statement
• Equality Plan
• Accessibility Plan

Our mission is to provide an innovative, safe and caring learning environment where
children leave us well prepared for life as global citizens in an ever changing modern world.

Aims

At Whitchurch we are unapologetic about finding new and better ways to deliver an outstanding learning experience.

To do this our aims are to:

1. Provide children with high quality learning opportunities based on a broad and balanced curriculum
2. Provide a diverse range of opportunities such that children are resilient in the face of challenge and are confident enough to take risks
3. Nurture talent so that children and staff can be the best they can be
4. Be uncompromising in our aspirations for our children to achieve individual success
5. Ensure the mental health & well-being of our staff and children
6. Robustly govern the school and work collaboratively with all stakeholders
   

To be ready for life as global citizens, at Whitchurch we want our children to…

Intellectual :

• achieve the highest results possible for them
• be independent thinkers
• have a lasting love of learning
• be curious about the world around them

Social & Emotional:

• recognise the difference between right and wrong
• have confidence and ability to build and maintain friendships
• show resilience in the face of challenge, take risks and not be afraid to make mistakes
• feel confident and excited about the next step
• treat others with respect and kindness
• value and accept differences in our community and the wider world

Physical :

• experience a range of physical opportunities in familiar and unfamiliar settings
• know how to look after and respect themselves physically and mentally

1. Statement / Principles

1. This policy outlines the commitment of the staff and  Governors to promote equality at Whitchurch Primary School.  This involves tackling the barriers, which could lead to unequal outcomes so that there is equality of access and the diversity within the School community is celebrated and valued.
2. We believe that equality at our school should permeate all aspects of life and is the responsibility of everyone in the school and wider community.
3. Every member of the school community should feel safe, secure, valued and of equal worth. At Whitchurch Primary School  equality is a key principle for treating all people the same irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, disability, religious beliefs/faith tradition, sexual orientation, age or any other of the protected characteristics (Single Equalities Act 2010).

2. Opening Statement

2.1 At Whitchurch Primary School  we welcome our duties under the Single Equality Act 2010.  The school’s general duties, with regards to equality are:

• Eliminating discrimination.

• Fostering good relationships.

• Advancing equality of opportunity.

2.2 We will not discriminate against, harass or victimise any pupil, prospective pupil, or other member of the school community because of their:

• Gender.

• Race.

• Disability.

• Religion or belief.

• Sexual orientation.

• Gender reassignment.

• Pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

2.3 Whitchurch Primary School  aims to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, with special emphasis on promoting equality, diversity and eradicating prejudicial incidents for pupils and staff. Our school is committed to not only eliminating discrimination, but also increasing understanding and appreciation for diversity

3, Aims to eradicate discrimination 

3.1 Whitchurch Primary School believes that a greater level of success from pupils and staff can be achieved by realising the uniqueness of individuals. Creating a prejudice-free environment where individuals feel confident and at ease is a commitment of the school.

. This environment will be achieved by:

• Being respectful.

• Always treating all members of the school community fairly.

• Developing an understanding of diversity and the benefits it can have.

• Adopting an inclusive attitude.

• Adopting an inclusive curriculum that is accessible to all.

• Encouraging compassion and open-mindedness.

3.2 We are committed to having a balanced and fair curriculum. We believe that our pupils should be exposed to ideas and concepts that may challenge their understanding to help ensure that pupils learn to become more accepting and inclusive of others. Challenging and controversial concepts will be delivered in a way that prevents discrimination, and instead promotes inclusive attitudes. We will also respect the right of parents to withdraw their children from classes which pose conflicts to their own beliefs.

4. Dealing with prejudice 

4.1 Whitchurch Primary School does not tolerate any form of prejudice-related incident. Whether direct or indirect, we treat discrimination against all members of our school with the utmost severity. When an incident is reported, our school is devoted to ensuring appropriate action is taken and a resolution is put into place which is both fair and firm.

4.2 All prejudice related incidents are recorded and reported to the Safeguarding Committee on a termly basis.

4.3 At Whitchurch Primary School, our pupils are taught to be:

• Understanding of others.

• Celebratory of cultural diversity.

• Eager to reach their full potential.

• Inclusive.

• Aware of what constitutes discriminatory behaviour.

4.4 The school’s employees will not:

• Discriminate against any member of the school.

• Treat other members of the school unfairly.

4.5 The school’s employee’s will:

• Promote diversity and equality.

• Encourage and adopt an inclusive attitude.

• Lead by example.

5. Equality and dignity in the workplace 

5.1 Whitchurch Primary School;  does not discriminate against staff with regards to their:

• Age.

• Disability.

• Gender (or gender reassignment).

• Marital or civil partner status.

• Pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

• Race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin.

• Religion or belief.

• Sex or sexual orientation.

5.2 Equality of opportunity and non-discrimination extends to the treatment of all members of the school community. All staff members are obliged to act in accordance with the school’s various policies relating to equality.

5.3 We will guarantee that no redundancy is the result of direct or indirect prejudice. All disciplinary procedures are non-prejudicial, whether they result in warnings, dismissal, or any other disciplinary action.

5.4 Prejudice, in any form, is not tolerated at Whitchurch Primary School  and we are continuously working to create an accepting and respectful environment for our school communities.

6. Pupil Attainment and Progress 

6.1 Whitchurch Primary School expects the highest possible standards.  Staff have high expectations of all pupils and continually challenge them to reach higher standards.

6.2 Whitchurch recognises and values all forms of achievement.  We will monitor and analyse pupil performance by ethnicity, gender, disability and special educational need and social background.  Any disparities which are identified will be addressed through targeted curriculum planning, teaching and support.

7. Quality of provision: Teaching and Learning

7.1 All staff ensure the classroom is an inclusive environment in which pupils feel all contributions are valued.  Positive steps are taken to include pupils who may otherwise be marginalised.

7.2 We take account of pupils’ experiences and starting points and are responsive to pupils’ different learning needs.

7.3  Pupil grouping is planned and varied  to reflect the requirements of learners and their social development needs.  Allocations to teaching groups will be kept under continual review and analysed by ethnicity, gender and background.

7.4 Our teaching styles include collaborative learning. All pupils will be encouraged to question, discuss and collaborate in problem solving tasks.  Pupils will be encouraged to be a resource for their peers.

7.5 Staff encourage pupils to become independent and assist them in taking responsibility for the management of their own learning and behaviour.  

7.6 Staff will use a range of methods and strategies to assess pupil progress.  Assessments are analysed for gender, cultural and social bias, and take account of access issues, e.g. print size or classroom areas which autistic children may find over-stimulating and become a barrier to effective learning.

7.7 This school believes that self-assessment is a teaching-learning strategy, and we will provide all pupils with opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning through regular reflection and feedback on their progress.

8. Quality of Provision: The curriculum and other activities

8.1 This school provides an appropriate curriculum for pupils of all backgrounds. We will monitor and evaluate its effectiveness through target setting and attainment analysis

8.2 The curriculum builds on pupils’ starting points and is differentiated appropriately to ensure the inclusion of:

• both genders and those wishing to self-identify
• pupils learning English as an additional language
• pupils from minority ethnic groups, including Gypsies and Travellers
• pupils who are gifted and talented
• pupils with special educational needs
• pupils with a disability
• pupils who are in public care
• pupils who are at risk of disaffection and exclusion through their life choices

8.3 Each area of the curriculum is planned to incorporate the principles of equality and to promote positive attitudes to diversity.  All subjects contribute to the spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of all pupils.

8.4 Extracurricular activities and special events e.g. school productions, cater for the interests and capabilities of all pupils and take account of parental preferences related to religion and culture.

8.5 Our PE policy throughout the school is to encourage children to enjoy all aspects of PE, whether it is competitive or creative, individual or team based.  This helps them to play or participate in sports throughout their lives, which has many benefits both to their health as well as socially.

8.6 The school perceives inter-school competitive sports as a means of extending pupils that demonstrate the requisite skills and qualities, or who are deemed gifted, in this curriculum area. 

8.7 As a school, we enter many matches, festivals and tournaments (both competitive and non-competitive) and all staff involved recognise the need to work towards an inclusive approach that enables as many pupils as possible to experience competitive sport, in some cases representing the school. Throughout the year, we also organise Inter-House Sporting Competitions to give more pupils the chance of participating in competitive sporting competition.

See Appendix A for our selection Criteria for sports.

9. The quality of provision: Guidance and support

9.1 We actively promote good personal and community relations and recognise diversity as having a positive role to play within the school.

9.2 All staff are expected to foster a positive atmosphere of mutual respect and trust among pupils from all ethnic groups and ranges of ability.

9.3 Staff challenge stereotypes and foster pupils’ critical awareness and concepts of fairness, enabling them to detect bias and challenge inequalities.

9.4 Victims of harassment and bullying are given appropriate support using external agencies where appropriate.  The perpetrators are dealt with in line with school policy and are provided with relevant support to consider and modify their behaviour.

10. Behaviour and Attendance

10.1 This school expects high standards of behaviour from all pupils, appropriate for their developmental level.

10.2 We have procedures for disciplining pupils and managing behaviour that are fair and applied equally to all. All staff are expected to operate consistent systems of rewards and discipline.

10.3 It is recognised  that both cultural and economic backgrounds alongside disability may affect a pupil’s behaviour.  Our school takes this into account when dealing with incidents of unacceptable behaviour.

10.4 Clear procedures are in place so that all forms of bullying and harassment, including racism and harassment related to disability, sexism and homophobia, are dealt with promptly, firmly and consistently and are in line with relevant Oxfordshire LA policies and guidance such as those for anti-bullying and dealing with racist incidents. All forms of harassment are recorded, monitored and dealt with in line with relevant school policies.

10.5 We encourage staff to explore their own views and attitudes to difference and to monitor their practice in relation to this policy.  Adults in school take care to lead through example, demonstrating high expectations of all pupils.

10.6 This school will take all reasonable steps to prevent the exclusion of a pupil for a reason related to any disability they may have.

10.7 Pupils, staff and parents are aware of policies and procedures for dealing with harassment.  They know that any language or behaviour, which is racist, sexist, homophobic or potentially damaging to any minority group, is always unacceptable.

10.8 Families are aware of their rights and responsibilities in relation to pupil attendance and absence is always followed up in a way that takes account of cultural issues or matters relating to a child’s disability.

10.9 We make provision for leave of absence for religious observance, for staff as well as pupils.

10.10 The school will fully support children with long-term medical needs who may have an erratic attendance because they are in and out of hospital.

11 Partnership with pupils, parents, carers and the community

11.1 Progress reports to parents/carers are clearly written and free from jargon to encourage parents to participate in their child’s education. Parents with a disability or with learning difficulties will be able to access school’s information.

11.2 Parents are fully involved in the school-based response for their child with special educational needs.They are invited to Pupil profile meetings where they can gain an understanding of the purpose of any intervention or programme of action.

12. Leadership and Management

12.1 We will admit pupils with already identified special educational needs.  Pupils with statements of special educational needs will  be admitted unless, through the statutory assessment process, it is demonstrated that the pupil’s inclusion would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children.

12.2 Comprehensive information about pupils’ ethnicity, first language, religion, physical needs, diet etc. is included in admissions forms

12.3 The school adheres to recruitment and selection procedures which are fair, equitable and in line with statutory duties and Oxfordshire County Council guidelines.

12.4 Equality and diversity issues are reflected in our school’s employment practices.

12.5 Everyone associated with the school is informed of the contents of this policy. All staff and visitors must support the ethos of the school, promoting equality and challenging bias and stereotyping wherever they observe it.  

12.6 We will ensure that staff training continually highlights equality issues. Equality is incorporated in the induction programme for new staff.

12.7 The skills of all staff, including non-teaching and part-time staff are recognised and valued. All staff are given status and support and are encouraged to share their knowledge.

12.8 Staff handbooks and regular professional development activities are available for all staff members.

13. Linguistic diversity

We recognise and celebrate the linguistic diversity in British society.  We look for opportunities to enrich the curricular experience of all our pupils by:

• highlighting how English has borrowed from other languages
• raising awareness of the similarities and differences between English and other languages
• reflecting the multilingual nature of wider society in our resources and displays

14.   Community cohesion

14.1 The following statements outline both the data and current issues relating to ethnicity, religion/belief and socio-economic factors. It demonstrates the awareness of the governors and their community partners of how the school community compares with the wider community, both locally and nationally.  It therefore forms the basis for planning the actions in Section 12 below to promote community cohesion.

14.2  Whitchurch Primary is a smaller than average school serving the village community of Whitchurch-on-Thames in South Oxfordshire.

14.3 (a) Children are taught in year groups although, class grouping could be subject to annual changes.

(b)There is often an imbalance in the number of boys and girls in some year groups.  

(c)The school is attracting an increasing number of pupils from outside the immediate, recognised catchment area.

14.4 When children start in the Reception class their attainment - as a group of children- is broadly average, although in reality there can be a wide variation between the attainment of individuals within the group.

14.5 School characteristics (From IDSR Dec 2022)

14.6 The school is a community school with no religious affiliation. Religious Education is

taught according to the locally agreed syllabus.

14.7 Our school is typical of the South Oxfordshire area and has little diversity of faith, race and cultural backgrounds.  We also have limited representation of children with a disability/impairment.  As such, we need to explore all opportunities to increase our pupil’s respect, tolerance and understanding for diversity in the locality, UK and wider world  community in which we all live. Awareness and tolerance of other protected characteristics such as sexual orientation will also be promoted positively.

15.  Responsibilities

15.1 Governors as a whole are responsible for:

• drawing up, publishing and implementing the school’s equality objectives
• making sure the school complies with the relevant equality legislation; and
• making sure the school Equality Scheme and its procedures are followed
• monitoring progress towards the equality objectives and reporting annually

15.2 The head teacher is responsible for:

• making sure steps are taken to address the school’s stated equality objectives;
• making sure the equality, access and community cohesion plans are readily available and that the governors, staff, pupils, and their parents and guardians know about them;
• producing regular information for staff and governors about the plans and how they are working;
• making sure all staff know their responsibilities and receive training and support in carrying these out; and
• taking appropriate action in cases of harassment and discrimination, including prejudice-related incidents.
• enabling reasonable adjustments to be made, in relation to disability, in regard to students, staff, parents / carers and visitors to the school.

15.3 All staff are responsible for:

• promoting equality and community cohesion in their work;
• avoiding unlawful discrimination against anyone;
• fostering good relations between groups; and
• dealing with prejudice-related  incidents;
• being able to recognise and tackle bias and stereotyping;
• taking up training and learning opportunities.

The headteacher is responsible overall for dealing with reports of prejudice-related incidents.

Visitors and contractors are responsible for following relevant school policy.

16.  Staff development

16.1 The headteacher is responsible for co-ordinating CPD. The School Development Plan and performance management process for all staff identifies training needs. All members of staff are entitled to appropriate training, in order that they can play their full part in ensuring that our school promotes equality of opportunity in relation to equality and cohesion in terms of professional responsibilities as well as statutory requirements. Members of the governing body will also identify their own training through a skills analysis.

17.  Publication and review

17.1 This Equality Scheme fulfils statutory requirements under the terms of legislation referred to above. As it is a public document, the school governors publish it by making it available on request.

17.2 The scheme will be kept under regular review for three years and then replaced in December 2026

18.  Reporting on progress and impact 

18.1 A report on progress with the actions listed below will be published by the governors via the school website annually. Evidence will also be kept of the impact of our actions to promote community cohesion, in respect of ethnicity, religion or belief and socio-economic background.

19.  How we conduct equality impact assessment

19.1 This section outlines our process for monitoring the potential impact of school practice in terms of

• ethnicity,
• religion or belief,
• socio-economic background,
• gender identity,
• disability,
• sex
• sexual orientation
• age.
• 
  

19.2 Regular assessments throughout the year are made for pupils. Our monitoring activities enable us to identify any differences in pupil performance. This allows us to take appropriate action to meet the needs of specific groups and to set targets in order to make the necessary improvements

19.3 Foundation subjects and science and computing, are assessed at least once a year summatively.  Analysis of standards informs teaching and learning.

19.4 Attainment and progress of those children on the SEN(D) Register, pupils receiving intervention support and disadvantaged pupils are monitored  by the leadership team and SENCO.

19.5 Data relating to attendance is monitored by the school attendance admin and the

Head teacher. Parents are kept informed where attendance drops below target levels, and when it improves.

19.6 School assessment and performance information is compared to national data and

LA data to ensure that pupils are making appropriate progress when compared to all

schools and schools in similar circumstances. The governing body receives regular

updates.

19.7 Parents receive an annual questionnaire about the school and this includes some

questions about the success of our policies in promoting their involvement in their

children’s learning.

19.7 Equality objectives identified by this process should be included in the three-year plan in Section 10 below

20.  How we chose our equality objectives

20.1 Our equality objective-setting process has involved gathering evidence as follows:

• from the equality impact assessments listed in Section 8 above,
• from data shown in the LA Census, ROL / ASP, Early Years Assessments

and GLD and the LA Summary document

• from involving relevant people (including disabled people) from the start through:

• governing body meetings,
• the annual parent questionnaire,
• an equality and accessibility questionnaire
• EHCP reviews,
• informal conversations with families and meetings with professionals who support named children,
• Pupil Profile meetings with parents and all about me interviews with children.

20.2 The evidence was then analysed in order to choose objectives that will:

i.         promote equality of opportunity for members of identified groups        

ii.   eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and

iii.  foster good relations between different groups in terms of

• ethnicity,
• religion or belief,
• socio-economic background,
• gender,
• disability,
• gender self- identity
• sexual orientation
• age.

20.1  Equality Objectives 2023- 2026   (To be kept under regular review)

20.2.  Accessibility Plan 2023-2026

This can relate very closely to the disability elements of the equality objectives in Section 10 above, except that it covers pupils only whereas the equality plan includes all members of the school community.

20.3  Community Cohesion Plan 2023-2027

For this purpose, the four geographical dimensions of  “community”  are as follows:

• the school community  /   local communities   /   communities across the UK   /    the global dimension

20.4 Accessibility Audit Jan 2023

20.5 CURRICULUM ACCESS            

20.6 ACCESS TO INFORMATION          

Appendix A

Selection Criterion for sports teams

This criterion varies from fixture to fixture and is hugely dependent on the level of competition, as well as the number of children that we are allowed to take to events. Many of the competitions that we enter are of a high standard, with opposition being extremely competent in terms of skill level, knowledge of rules, tactical knowledge, strength and speed.

Selection criterion for team events is based on:

• Level of skill demonstrated
• Level of fitness
• Understanding of games, tactics and rules
• Emotional maturity to cope with the pressure
• Attitude of player on and off the field of play
• Performance of the player as a team member
• Understanding of the importance of safety 

For all individual competition selection, for example: cross country, athletics, and indoor athletics, the pupils are selected from either PE and games lessons or by attending training and trials.  The pupils with the best results/times represent the school (unless it is a non-competitive event).

Selection for School Teams 

In an ideal world, we would love to give every child the opportunity to represent the school in every competition that we enter. However, due to circumstances beyond our control (usually squad size restrictions or the staff available) this is not possible. We also have to consider the level of the competition that the team will be facing and select children accordingly.  

Whenever numbers and rules allow, we will always attempt to enter as many teams as possible in a competition in order to allow as many children as possible to compete. Whitchurch Primary has high participation rates and is proud that all children are given many sporting opportunities – not just inter-school competitions but also intra-school competitions: after-school clubs, Sport Relief and Inter House sport competitions.

Role of Parents 

We think our policy is equitable and would like to thank parents in advance for supporting us as follows:-

• If your child is regularly chosen for a team, please help them to understand it is a privilege to represent the school and they should be proud of themselves.
• If your child is not chosen, encourage them to keep coming to practices and enjoy what they do with the club; they are still part of the success of their team mates, it is good to develop social skills and is also a good way of keeping fit and healthy.

Parents and children also need to be aware that sometimes other children may be chosen to represent school to allow them to have these experiences as well.

Parents and spectators have a great influence on the children’s enjoyment and success in sport.  Children play sports first and foremost because they love playing. Whitchurch Primary School is dedicated to nurturing that enjoyment and enthusiasm for sport and as a foundation for developing skills and tactics for life.

We believe that taking part in a club contributes to each child’s personal development and self-esteem.  This is more important than winning matches.  All our teams play to “win” but not at any cost. It is important to play in the right spirit and in a supportive atmosphere.

In order to achieve this result, we rely heavily on the parents and supporters who attend matches to behave in an appropriate manner, to respect team selection and support all the children in the right way

Results from Stakeholder Equality Questionnaire

Yes mentions traffic preventing cycling