At Newcomen Primary School we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers irrespective of race, gender, gender identity, disability, faith, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background.
We are determined to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and ability to participate fully in school life.
We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.
At Newcomen Primary School we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.
The Public Sector Equality Duty and Supporting Specific Duties
The Act introduced a single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) made up of the general duty and the supporting specific duties. The PSED applies to public bodies, including all schools and academies but not independent schools.
The general duty is contained in S149 of The Act and requires schools, when carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to:-
- Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Act,
- Advance equality of opportunity between those who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it
- Foster good relations across all characteristics
Having due regard means that the Governing Board and the school’s leadership team must ensure that whenever significant decisions are being made or policies developed, thought will be given to equality considerations. Equality will not just be and afterthought and will never be just a matter of ticking boxes. Decisions and actions will be made with an open mind and an assessment will always be made as to whether a particular decision or action may have implications for people with particular protected characteristics.
- The first aim of the PSED applies to all the protected characteristics.
- The second and third aims apply to all the protected characteristics except marriage and civil partnership. The protected characteristics of age and marriage and civil partnership do not apply to pupils.
Specific equality duties are detailed in the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 201. In order to comply with their specific duties, schools are required to:-
- Publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with their general duty:
- Prepare and publish one or more specific and measurable equality objectives:
- Publish gender pay gap information if they employ 250 or more employees.
Our Equality Objectives are:
- To ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential.
- To identify barriers to learning and close any gaps in achievement.
- To promote a deep awareness, understanding and appreciation of the diversity of our local, national and global communities.
