Equality Information and Objectives

Policy Status/Review Programme

Last updated: 20 December 2022

Statement of intent

The Blandford School recognises that certain groups in society can be disadvantaged because of unlawful discrimination they may face due to their race, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age, or pregnancy and maternity.

The school has a statutory duty to publish an Equality Information and Objectives Statement. This policy sets out how the school determines its equality objectives.

1. Legal framework

This policy has due regard to all relevant legislation and statutory guidance including, but not limited to, the following:

• Human Rights Act 1998
• Education and Inspections Act 2006
• Equality Act 2010
• The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
• The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017
• Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
• The UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Data Protection Act 2018

This policy also has due regard for non-statutory guidance, including the following:
DfE (2014) ‘The Equality Act 2010 and schools’

This policy operates in conjunction with the following school policies:

• Equality Information and Objectives Statement
• Admissions Policy
• Complaints Procedures Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Data Protection Policy

The Equality Act 2010 provides a modern, single legal framework with three broad duties:

• Eliminate discrimination harassment and victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity
• Foster good relations

For the purpose of this policy, the Equality Act 2010 will be referred to as ‘the Act’. The school fully understands the principles of the Act and the work needed to ensure that those with protected characteristics are not discriminated against and are given equal opportunities. Protected characteristics, under the Act, are as follows:

• Age
• Disability
• Race including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin
• Sex
• Gender reassignment
• Maternity and pregnancy
• Religion and belief
• Sexual orientation
• Marriage and civil partnership

The Act makes it unlawful for the responsible body of a school to discriminate against, harass or victimise a student or potential student:

• In relation to admissions.
• In the way it provides education for students.
• In the way it provides students access to any benefit, facility or service.
• By excluding a student or subjecting them to any other detriment.

The responsible body for the school is the LA.

The school’s liability not to discriminate, harass or victimise does not end when a student has left the school, but will apply to subsequent actions connected to the previous relationship between school and student, such as the provision of references on former students or access to former students’ communications and activities.

The school will promote equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants and will work in line with the Staff Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

2. Roles and responsibilities

The governing board will:

• Ensure that the school complies with the appropriate equality legislation and regulations.
• Meet its obligations under the PSED to:
• Publish equality objectives at least every four years commencing on the date of the last publication.
• Update and publish information every year to demonstrate school compliance with the PSED.
• Ensure that the school’s policies and procedures are developed and implemented with appropriate equality impact assessments informing future plans.
• Ensure that the school’s Admissions Policy does not discriminate in any way.
• Ensure equal opportunities in its staff recruitment and promotion practices, professional development programmes and in membership of the governing board.
• Proactively recruit high-quality applicants from under-represented groups.
• Provide information in appropriate and accessible formats.
• Ensure that the necessary disciplinary measures are in place to enforce this policy.

The headteacher will:

• Implement and champion this policy and its procedures.
• Ensure that all staff members receive the appropriate equality and diversity training as part of their induction and CPD.
• Ensure that all parents, visitors and contractors are aware of, and comply with, the provisions of this policy.
• Actively challenge and take appropriate action in any case of discriminatory practice.
• Address any reported incidents of harassment or bullying in line with DfE guidance.

Employees will:

• Be mindful of any incidents of harassment or bullying in the school.
• Track and monitor any instances of discrimination and deal with these in a consistent manner, making a report to the headteacher as necessary and following up with students as required.
• Identify and challenge bias and stereotyping within the curriculum and the school’s culture.
• Promote equality and good relations, and not harass or discriminate in any way.
• Monitor students’ progress and needs to ensure the appropriate support is in place.
• Keep up-to-date with equality legislation and its application by attending the appropriate training.
• Champion diversity and inclusion.

Students will:

• Not discriminate or harass any other student or staff member.
• Actively encourage equality and diversity in the school by contributing their cultural experiences and values.
• Report any incidences of bullying or harassment, whether to themselves or to others, to the head of year or to another member of staff.
• Abide by all the school’s equality and diversity policies, procedures and codes.
• The school will have an equality page on its website, in order to demonstrate how it is complying with the PSED in the Equality Act 2010, and advancing equality of opportunity.

3. Equality objectives

The school is committed to promoting the welfare and equality of all its staff, students and other members of the school community.

The school sees all members of the school community as of equal value, regardless of any protected characteristic. The school’s policies, procedures and activities will not discriminate but must nevertheless take account of differences in life experience, outlook and background, and in the kinds of barriers and disadvantages which people may face in relation to any protected characteristic.

The school’s Equality Information and Objectives Statement sets out how the school is meeting the PSED and outlines how equality of opportunity is ensured for all members of the school community. The Equality Information and Objectives Statement is reviewed at least every four years and is published on the school website annually.

The school will consult with stakeholders to establish equality objectives and draw up a plan based on information collected on protected groups and accessibility planning.

The school will regularly review the steps being taken and the progress made towards the achievement of these objectives and, in line with the specific duties of the PSED.

4. Collecting and using information

In accordance with the requirements outlined in the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, personal data will be lawfully collected and processed in line with the principles and practices outlined in the Data Protection Policy and only for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes,
e.g. to comply with the school’s legal obligations.

The school will collect equality information for the purpose of:

• Identifying key issues, e.g. unlawful discrimination in teaching methods.
• Assessing performance, e.g. benchmarking against similar organisations locally or nationally.
• Taking action, e.g. adapting working practice to accommodate the needs of staff who share protected characteristics.

The school will build an equality profile for staff to assist with identifying any issues within their recruitment regime. The school will obtain the following information from their staff:

• Recruitment and promotion
• Numbers of part-time and full-time staff
• Pay and remuneration
• Training
• Return to work of staff members on parental leave
• Return to work of disabled employees following sick leave relating to their disabilities
• Appraisals
• Grievances (including about harassment)
• Disciplinary action (including for harassment)
• Dismissals and other reasons for leaving

The school will use the information it obtains to analyse any gaps present in its equality documentary, including the Student Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Staff Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

5. Publishing information

The school will publish information to demonstrate its compliance with the Act.

The school will not provide this information if:

• The employee is employed under contract personally to do work.
• The employer does not have this information, and it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to obtain the data.
• Promoting equality

The school works in collaboration with its Student Forum, parents and Governors to set out its approach to promoting equality and diversity across the whole school community.

6. Addressing prejudice-related incidents

The school is opposed to all forms of prejudice. The school will ensure that students and staff are aware of the impact of prejudice. The school will address any incidents immediately and, where appropriate, report them to the LA.

Any reports of bullying and prejudice will be carefully monitored and dealt with accordingly. Training will be given to all staff to ensure that they are aware of the process for reporting and following up incidents of prejudice-related bullying.

7. Complaints procedures

The school aims to resolve all complaints at the earliest possible stage and is dedicated to continuing to provide the highest quality of education possible throughout the procedure. Any person, including a member of the public, is able to make a complaint about the provision of facilities or services that the school provides.

The school will adhere to the Complaints Procedures Policy to ensure a straightforward, impartial, non-adversarial process, that allows a full and fair investigation, respects

confidentiality, and delivers an effective response and appropriate redress. If a complaint has completed the school’s process and the complainant remains dissatisfied, they have the right to appeal, as outlined in the Complaints Procedures Policy.

The school will work to develop good professional relationships between colleagues; however, the school understands that sometimes conflicts may arise. Through maintaining open communication, the school wants its employees to feel able to raise any grievances so that appropriate and effective solutions can be put in place. Grievances raised by staff members will be processed in accordance with the school’s Grievance Policy.

8. Monitoring and review

The headteacher will review this policy bi-annually, to ensure that all procedures are up-to-date. The policy will be monitored and evaluated by the headteacher and governing board in the following ways:

• Individual attainment data
• Equal opportunities recruitment data
• Equality impact assessments
• Ofsted inspection judgements on equality and diversity
• Incident records related to harassment and bullying

Any changes made to this policy will be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.