Woodley CofE Equity & Protected Characteristics Statement

Woodley CofE Primary School is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable educational environment where every individual is valued, respected, and provided with equal opportunities to thrive. Our commitment to equity is firmly rooted in the principles outlined by The Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and victimization based on protected characteristics, such as:

- Age

- Disability

- Gender reassignment

- Marriage and civil partnership

- Pregnancy and maternity

- Race

- Religion or belief

- Sex

- Sexual orientation

With reference to the concept of 'the single story' as emphasised by author Chimamanda Adichie, we aim for our children to not grow up with just 'a single story' but rather be open to 'many stories.' We aspire for them to grow as individuals who are BRAVE, ready to embrace diversity by recognizing the similarities and celebrating the differences in this remarkable world.

We strive to acknowledge that differences in skin color, language, religion, or culture are entirely irrelevant when compared to what we share - our humanity.

Our Equity Statement upholds the following principles:

1. Equal Treatment: We are committed to treating all members of our school community with fairness and dignity, ensuring they do not face disadvantages due to their protected characteristics. Discrimination and bias have no place at Woodley CofE Primary.

2. Inclusive Curriculum: Our curriculum reflects the diverse experiences, backgrounds, and identities of our students. We endeavor to create a learning environment that is relevant, engaging, and respectful of all perspectives.

3. Accessibility: We are dedicated to providing accessible facilities, resources, and support to all students and staff, regardless of their abilities. We strive to make reasonable adjustments and provide scaffolding to ensure no one faces unfair disadvantages.

4. Promoting Diversity: We actively celebrate and promote diversity within our school community. This includes recognizing and valuing the cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities of our students and staff.

5. Preventing Harassment and Bullying: We have a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment, bullying, or victimisation based on any protected characteristic. Our aim is to create a safe space within our school community where everyone can thrive without fear or discrimination.

6. Monitoring and Reporting: We regularly monitor and assess our practices, policies, and outcomes to identify and address any disparities in achievement or opportunities. We encourage open reporting of any concerns related to equality

Woodley CofE Primary School is firmly committed to upholding the principles of The Equality Act 2010. As a school, we are deeply dedicated to promoting fairness and ensuring that individuals with protected characteristics are treated with respect and equality. We believe that education plays a crucial role in driving positive societal transformation, fostering understanding, acceptance, and fairness for all. By working together and upholding these principles, we can create a more inclusive and just world for our students and the communities we serve.

Organisational Progress

2020-21

A team set up to explore and learn about Racial Equity and how we see it in our school and community.
Attended Local Authority meetings – to understand BAME perspective
Increased awareness amongst staff through shared discussion & training (staff meeting).
Starting from the very basic – ‘what is in a name?’
Looking at Micro-aggressions
Connections/ link – British values, cultural capital, diversity calendar

2021-22

The team continues to develop and become more literate about ‘Race inequality’
Reviewed curriculum – what do we offer how can we make it more accessible/ reflective of the diaspora in school?
Recruitment of staff – does our staffing structure reflect the diversity of our school across all phases?
Celebrations bringing children together, communicating with our minority groups

Exploring awareness through stories

2022-23

Look at the behavior policy – how well do we handle incidents?
Racial Literacy – Primary Curriculum
Books across the school to support diversity.
Further work with PSHE lead to develop texts that represent those with protected characteristics

Sharing our aims with the governing committee – appointment of parent governor to reflect the diverse representation within our school
Continue to maintain our small steps – recognise, listen, act, reflect, share