This information sets out our school’s approach to promoting equality, as defined within the Equality Act (2010) which covers sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pupils and staff members who are pregnant and those undergoing gender reassignment.

Equality – Aims and Values

Woolwich Polytechnic School for Girls aims to provide equality and excellence for all and promote the highest possible standards of achievement, enjoyment and fulfilment. These aims are promoted through our school pillars, specifically:

Excellence Leadership Resilience

We aim to prepare them for life in a diverse society where they are able to be involved in and celebrate all aspects of that society and are welcomed as part of it.

Our Approach to Promoting Equality

This policy provides a framework in which we can pursue our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment, promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations and positive attitudes between people of diverse backgrounds.

We will ensure that no pupils, staff, parents, carers or any other person through their contact with the school receives less favourable treatment on any grounds. This includes the protected characteristics identified within the Equality Act 2010 i.e. sex, race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, those undergoing or those who have undergone gender reassignment and age (not pupils). We also choose to include ethnic or national origin, language, marital or civil partnership status, responsibility for children or other dependants, trade union or political activities, social class, where the person lives and spent convictions that are not related to safeguarding.

The principles of this policy apply to all members of the extended school community, pupils, staff, governors, parents and community members.

A Cohesive Community

We will ensure that our pupils are part of their local community. We also aim to include our various local communities in the life of the school (e.g., businesses, ethnic or language groups, voluntary groups, wider family, and friends).

In order to help achieve a cohesive community our school aims to:

• Promote understanding and engagement between communities
• Encourage all children and families to feel part of the wider community
• Tackle discrimination
• Increase life opportunities for all
• Ensure that learning, teaching and the curriculum explores and addresses issues of diversity
• Ensure that the school is an inclusive environment for all

Roles and Responsibilities

School governors are responsible for:

• Making sure that the school complies with current equality legislation
• Making sure that this policy and its procedures are followed

The Headteacher is responsible for:

• Making sure that the policy is readily available and that the governors, staff and parents and carers know about it
• Making sure that its procedures are followed
• Producing regular information for staff and governors about the policy and how it is working
• Providing training for them on the policy if necessary
• Making sure that all staff know their responsibilities and receive training and support in carrying these out
• Taking appropriate action in cases of harassment and discrimination

All school staff members are responsible for:

• Modelling good practice, dealing with discriminatory incidents and being able to recognise and tackle bias and stereotyping
• Passing any concerns to the Headteacher, Leadership team or Governing Body as per the Whistleblowing Policy
• Promoting equality and avoiding discrimination against anyone
• Keeping up to date with the law on discrimination and taking training and learning opportunities

Pupils are responsible for:

• Learning to treat other community members kindly and respectfully

Parents and carers are responsible for:

• Supporting the school in the implementation of this policy

Visitors and Contractors are responsible for:

• Behaving appropriately in our school in support of the promotion of Equality

Responsibility for overseeing equality practices in the school lies with the Headteacher and the member of the Governing Body linked to equality. These responsibilities include:

• Coordinating and monitoring work on equality issues
• Dealing with and monitoring reports of harassment (including racist and homophobic incidents)
• Monitoring exclusions

Monitoring, Reviewing and Assessing Impact

The Equality policy on the website will be regularly monitored and updated by the Headteacher as necessary.