THE ECCLESBOURNE SCHOOL

We recognise that the public sector equality duty has three aims and they are to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct under the Act
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
• Foster good relations between people who have a shared characteristic and those who do not

The Ecclesbourne School will annually review how well we achieve these aims with regard to the protected groups under the Equality Act (2010) (race, disability, gender, gender re-assignment, age, pregnancy and maternity, marital status, religion and belief and sexual orientation.)

We aim to provide the highest possible education for all of our students. The ethos of our school clearly reflects our commitment to fully including and respecting all members of our community.

We have set ourselves the following objectives for 2022/23:

1. • Update Equal Opportunities policy to be called Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy
   Reason for choosing this objective: We want our policy to reflect our aim of improving the feeling of inclusion and belonging for all members of the school community. The new policy will include the changing terminology around DEI.
   Actions: HLG to re-write DEI policy.
2. • Appoint a leader of DEI
   Reason for choosing this objective: We want a clear vision for our DEI work across the school community. Having a member of SLT as lead on DEI shows our commitment to this area. The leader of DEI will coordinate the work done across the school in this area and work activity to promote and embed DEI strategies and initiatives.
   Actions: HLG appointed
3. • Actively promote student awareness of different cultures, ethnicities and religions through whole school events, workshops, assemblies and by adapting the PDC curriculum.
   Reason for choosing this objective: We want to be proactive and not reactive in our DEI work. We are an increasingly diverse community and we want students to understand, appreciate and celebrate difference.
   Actions: PDC curriculum updated, assemblies and Thought for the Day on DEI written and delivered, events organised; evaluation through staff voice and student voice.
4. • Reduce the incidence of racist, homophobic and misogynistic language used by students across the school.
   Reason for choosing this objective: Student Voice (questionnaires and panels) suggests that the casual use of this language happens in person and online and isn’t always reported. We want to instil in students the message of being upstanders not bystanders and for staff to be confident in the procedure in dealing with any incidents of this nature. We want to educate the perpetrators as part of the process of understanding difference.
   Actions: Zero tolerance approach to racist, homophobic and misogynistic language, new behaviour policy, restorative justice for perpetrators, consistent messaging to students on being an upstander through PDC and assemblies; workshop for Year 7 on being upstanders
5. • Aim for a diverse and representative governor body consistent with a commitment to appoint on merit, the best qualified person for each position.
   Reason for choosing this objective: Our student body is becoming more diverse and we want our governing body, leaders and staff to reflect that diversity.
   Actions: Review staff recruitment process
6. • Close attainment gaps in attainment and achievement between students and groups of students, especially disadvantaged students, SEND students and those from ethnic minority groups.
   Reason for choosing this objective: We want all students to achieve to their full potential. We understand how intersectionality can impact on student achievement. We will actively seek to identify and overcome any such barriers to student achievement.
   Actions: See PP Strategy; see SEND policy; see objective three.

For further information, please see the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy.