At St. Bede Church of England Primary School, we welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010 as a provider and an employer to eliminate discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations.

We recognise that it is our duty to ensure that all pupils have the right to an inclusive education regardless of their background, ethnicity or personal circumstance and therefore provide opportunities for all. We seek to carry out our responsibilities through our embedded Christian Ethos values:

• Love
• Peace
• Courage
• Trust
• Friendship

These core values are embedded into our everyday practice as recognised by our 'outstanding' SIAMs report, 2013.

Through these core values, we are committed to ensuring that:

• Everyone within the whole school community is treated with fairness, dignity and respect.
• Nobody within the whole school community receives harassment or discrimination.
• The school is a happy, loving and thriving community where everyone can achieve regardless of their background, ethnicity or personal circumstance.
• The school is a safe, stimulating, welcoming and engaging place for all.
• We provide high quality learning experiences for all our children.
• We recognising individual differences and nurture each person’s self-esteem and self-confidence; and in supporting their differences, we shall endeavour to make appropriate arrangements that provide for their needs to help them achieve and be successful.
• We regularly consider the ways in which our teaching and the curriculum provision will support high standards of attainment, promote common values and help pupils understand and value the diversity that surrounds them, and challenge prejudice and stereotyping.
• We welcome the input and feedback from different groups within our communities including children, parents, carers, governors and school staff and act appropriately upon this.

By doing this we recognise that a positive and inclusive culture within our learning community generates a purposeful and successful learning environment where everyone can feel truly valued and supported and therefore have the opportunity to fulfil their potential whatever their background, identity or personal circumstance.

We also recognise that equality can only be achieved through whole school community cohesion and we are committed to a whole school community that recognises and celebrates difference within a culture of respect and co-operation.

In addition to this, we appreciate and are committed to a culture, which promotes equality and therefore creates a positive environment and a shared sense of belonging for all who work, learn and use the services of our school.

Equality objectives for St Bede C of E Primary School for the duration of this policy (2021-2024) and in line with Public Sector Equality Duties (2011):

1.  Use PSHE lessons, worship sessions and class discussions to promote tolerance and respect and to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other prohibited conduct.

2.  Use PSHE lessons, sport premium funding, pupil premium funding and feedback from pupils and staff to advance equality of opportunity (remove or minimise disadvantage; meets people’s needs; take account of disabilities; encourage participation in public life) leading to positive outcomes for all children.

3.  Use worship sessions, charity fundraising events, community events and PSHE lessons to foster good relations between people (tackle prejudice and promote understanding.)

4.  The school plans and promotes the use of resources that represent diversity across all year groups and subject areas

Progress against previous targets

Targets from 2018-21

Use PSHE lessons, worship sessions and class discussions to promote tolerance and respect and to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other prohibited conduct.

The school actively responded to this target ensuring that examples of stories and images promote diversity throughout the year and across the school, the school also buys into Coram Education to enhance PSHE teaching. A number of prejudicial behaviours have continued to be seen, especially linked to the Covid pandemic and this target will be continued during 2021-24 as a result. Where prejudicial language has been seen, this has been addressed with pupils, staff and families and the wider community through the school newsletter and this was fully supported by the school governing body.

Use PSHE lessons, sport premium funding, pupil premium funding and feedback from pupils and staff to advance equality of opportunity (remove or minimise disadvantage; meets people’s needs; take account of disabilities; encourage participation in public life) leading to positive outcomes for all children.

The school actively responded to this target ensuring that all pupils are supported to access the wider curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Due to the impact of the Covid pandemic, where such opportunities became more limited, or were stopped, this will remain a target for the 2021-24 plan.

Use worship sessions, charity fundraising events, community events and PSHE lessons to foster good relations between people (tackle prejudice and promote understanding.)

The school actively responded to this target promoting links with local, national and international charities and organisations and began working towards the Bronze level Christian Aid Global Neighbours Award. Due to the impact of the Covid pandemic, where such opportunities became more limited, or were stopped, this will remain a target for the 2021-24 plan.