Equality Statement

At Droxford Junior School we believe that all pupils and members of staff should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential whatever their background, identity and circumstance. We are committed to creating a community that recognises and celebrates difference within a culture of respect and cooperation. We appreciate that a culture which promotes equality in relation to all protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation) will create a positive environment and a shared sense of belonging for all who work, learn and use the services of our school.

We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.  Our commitment to equality and diversity is a fundamental part of our drive towards excellence.

We recognise that equality will only be achieved by the whole school community working together – our learners, staff, governors and parents in particular.

Throughout this Statement, ‘parents’ can be taken to mean mothers, fathers, carers and other adults responsible for caring for a child.

School Context

The local catchment area for Droxford Junior School (DJS) consists of rural communities covering a wide geographical area. The vast majority of families are white British. Occasionally our cohort will include a number of children from Gypsy, Romany and Traveller (GRT) communities.  The school is pro-active in establishing positive links with school communities that reflect a broader range of ethnic minorities whenever possible. The socio-economic status of families is diverse reflecting deprived to affluent households. The religious and linguistic diversity of staff is narrow. It is therefore important that we have adult visitors from different backgrounds to raise awareness, understanding and respect for cultural and religious diversity and disabilities. We ensure that staff with disabilities have their needs met; have appropriate induction, RA (Risk Assessment), PEEP (personal emergency evacuation plan), and CPD (Continuing Professional Development).

The school is committed to:

• dealing firmly with any incidents of discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• enabling equality of opportunity to access the school curriculum, extra-curricular activities, resources, staff vacancies, training opportunities etc
• recognising the value of a diverse and inclusive school community
• ensuring that staff and pupils within the school operate within the requirements of equality legislation and where necessary deal firmly with breaches of this statement and its principle through pupil and staff discipline procedures
• ensuring support is provided to pupils and staff where a formal complaint or grievance is submitted.

Our Equality Information and Objectives document highlights our commitment and compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty 2011.

Equality in Teaching and learning

We provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. We do this by:

• Ensuring equality of access for all pupils and preparing them for life in a diverse society
• Using materials that reflect the diversity of the school and it’s local community as well as national and international contexts, without stereotyping
• Promoting attitudes and values that challenge any discriminatory behaviour or prejudice
• Providing opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and celebrate the diversity of other cultures
• Seeking to involve all parents in supporting their child’s education
• Utilising teaching approaches appropriate for the whole school population which are inclusive and reflective of our pupils.

Equality in Admissions and Exclusions

Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, religion, belief, disability and/or socio-economic background.

Equal Opportunities for Staff

All staff appointments and promotions are made on the basis of merit and ability and in compliance with the law. We are keen to ensure that the staffing of the school reflects the diversity of our local community and when possible, national and international communities and cultures.

The Statement is based on the core principles that its effectiveness will be determined by:

• active involvement with key stakeholders, not just in developing this Statement but also in its review and implementation
• proactive leadership
• prioritising activities that produce specific, tangible improved outcomes
• removal of attitudinal and cultural barriers.

The statement promotes our school Values of Respect, Kindness and Responsibility and our ‘Skills for Learning’ – Tenacity, Curiosity, Creativity and Collaboration.

Our Vision – ‘Equipping our children with the knowledge and skills to navigate life successfully’ is designed to encapsulate good citizenship, equality and inclusion.