ContinU Plus Academy > Policies and Reports > Policy – Equal Opportunities Policy

Everyone should have equal opportunity to seize the day

The ContinU Plus Academy (CPA) is a relatively small community with limited experiences of diversity.  Entrenched attitudes, low aspirations and low self-esteem characterise many school age members of this community.  The school currently has much involvement with community cohesion; our strategic vision as an outward looking school currently demonstrates how we are responding by making our school even more aware of our community.

The CPA has been conceived by the ContinU Trust a local educational charity comprising the seven 11 – 18 high schools of the Wyre Forest and Hagley areas, Kidderminster College, the Trustees from Barnardo’s and the Universities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton.  The partnership has provided alternative education since 2003, with a strong track record of success in enabling students who face barriers to achieve their potential working collaboratively with partner schools and Kidderminster College.  It has also delivered the early intervention family support service to Wyre Forest and Hagley primary schools since 2008.

The vision of the CPA reflects our commitment to working with young people who are excluded, or at risk of exclusion, from our partner schools and proactively to target post-16 destinations.  In so doing:

  • We will support young people with multiple barriers to education and work; with health, behavioural, educational, psychological problems and young people from dysfunctional families who often lead chaotic lifestyles;
  • We will work directly with these young people, their families and our consortium of schools and engage support from our existing and comprehensive network of partners in education, training, health and the judicial system to support our students in becoming active citizens, exercising choices in their lives and taking a full part in society;
  • We will become a beacon for research and good practice for supporting school behaviour strategies, developing bespoke vocational pathways and exploring dynamic relationships with employers to reengage young people.

It is the CPA’s belief that young people should be offered access to high quality provision and teaching.  Securing relevant and transferrable skills, knowledge, qualifications and positive experiences will increase life chances and promote productive post-16 destinations for young people outside the mainstream school system.  The CPA will provide a focus point for uniting the collective support of all our secondary schools and Kidderminster College in meeting the needs of this group of young people in the Wyre Forest and Hagley area.

Tracking and monitoring procedures ensure that students from all backgrounds are encouraged to achieve and their performance is monitored closely at whole school level through our assessment and monitoring process. We believe that we should promote equality of opportunity for:

  • All pupils regardless of gender or sexual orientation;
  • All members racial, religious and cultural backgrounds;
  • Those with disabilities;
  • Those with special needs.

These aims are designed to ensure that the school meets the needs of all, taking account of gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, sexual orientation, age, ability, disability and social circumstances.  In this school we meet the diverse needs of pupils to ensure inclusion for all and that all pupils are prepared for full participation in a multi-ethnic society.  

  • We strive to maximise the development of each individual member of the school community;
  • We attempt to foster tolerant and caring attitudes;
  • We have zero tolerance for racial or sexual intimidation or harassment;
  • We do everything in our power to combat all forms of discrimination/prejudice and recognise the potential threat that these can pose to future life chances.

The ContinU Plus Academy will endeavour to:

  • Ensure that all students and staff are encouraged and able to achieve their full potential;
  • Respect and value differences between people;
  • Prepare students for life in a diverse society;
  • Acknowledge the existence of racism and take steps to prevent it. Clear procedures are in place to ensure that all staff deal with all forms of bullying and harassment promptly.  Action is taken in line with the Department for Education (DfE) guidelines;
  • Recognise that diversity has a positive role to play within the school.

In addition:

  • Staff will foster a positive atmosphere of mutual respect and trust among students from all ethnic groups;
  • The school caters for dietary and dress requirements of different religious groups;
  • The school enables students and staff to celebrate festivals and other events relevant to their particular faith and actively encourages all students to understand these;
  • Intolerant behaviour is always unacceptable. All the school policies reflect a commitment to equal opportunities including race equality;
  • All staff are trained to deal effectively with bullying, racist incidents, racial harassment, intimidation based on sexual orientation and prejudice.

Leadership & Management

Responsibilities

The Governing Body will:

  • Ensure that the school complies with Race Relations Legislation including the general and specific duties;
  • Ensure that the policy and its related procedures and strategies are implemented;
  • Identify a Governor with lead responsibility for racial equality.

The Headteacher will:

  • Work in partnership with the Governing Body to ensure that the policy and related procedures and strategies are implemented;
  • Ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities under the policy and are given appropriate training and support so that they can fulfil their responsibilities;
  • Treat seriously all incidents of racial discrimination and take disciplinary action against staff or students who racially discriminate;
  • Ensure that additional grants and resources are appropriately targeted and monitored;
  • Identify a member of staff responsible for co-ordinating racial equality work and dealing with reported incidents of racism or racial harassment.

All Staff will:

  • Deal with racist incidents, know how to identify and challenge racial bias and stereotyping;
  • Ensure that they do not discriminate on racial grounds and are aware of possible cultural assumptions and bias within their own attitudes
  • Keep up to date with Race Relations Legislation by attending training and information events organised by the school or Local Authority (LA).

Teaching Staff (in addition to ‘All Staff’) will:

  • Ensure that students from all racial groups have full access to the curriculum;
  • Promote equality and diversity through teaching and through relations with students, staff, parents/carers and the wider community;
  • Monitor teaching and curriculum developments to ensure high expectations of all students and appropriate breadth of content in relation to the school and the wider community.

Visitors & Contractors will:

  • Be aware of and comply with the school’s Race Equality Policy.

Good Practice Guide

Individuals should feel secure in the knowledge that the CPA will not tolerate any form of discrimination or prejudiced behaviour and will support them properly according to stated guidelines:

  • Everyone is expected to implement the policy and use it consistently;
  • Everyone is expected to promote care, respect, courtesy and consideration for all;
  • Everyone connected with the school – Governors, staff, students, parents and carers – should know of and understand our commitment to equal opportunities;
  • There is a continuing necessity to examine administrative and organisational practices with regard to ensuring equality of opportunity;

Curriculum content and resources will be kept under constant review and where possible will be used as a vehicle to explore the wide diversity of cultures represented in Britain today and the world at large.

A.   Teaching & Learning

  • Staff will create an environment in the class, around school and on trips/visits, where all students can contribute fully and feel valued;
  • Teaching takes account of students’ cultural background, linguistic needs and different learning styles;
  • Different cultural traditions are valued in their own terms and made meaningful to students.   Students are helped to make connections with their own lives;
  • Teachers challenge stereotypes and build student awareness so that they can detect bias and challenge racial discrimination.

B. Curriculum

  • Each area of the curriculum is planned to incorporate the principles of racial equality and to promote positive attitudes towards diversity;
  • Students have the opportunity to explore concepts and issues relating to identity, racial equality and racism;
  • The school monitors and evaluates its effectiveness in providing an appropriate curriculum for students from all racial groups;
  • Resources and displays portray positive images of different people and cultures;
  • Role models and presenters from a range of different racial and faith groups are used to share a wide range of skills and experiences;
  • Extra-curricular activities and events cater for the interests and capabilities of all students and take account of parental concerns related to religion and culture.

C.   Attainment, Progress & Assessment

  • CPA has equally high expectations of all students and is committed to encouraging and enabling all students to achieve the highest standards;
  • CPA recognises and values all forms of achievement;
  • Student attainment and progress are monitored by ethnicity and evaluated to identify trends and patterns of underachievement;
  • Action is taken to remove disparities between different groups of students;
  • All methods of assessment are monitored to ensure that they are, as far as possible, free of cultural or linguistic bias;
  • All students are appropriately supported in assessments so that they are able to show fully both what they know and what they can do;
  • Particular attention is paid to identifying and meeting the needs of groups that are particularly disadvantaged.

D. Personal Development & Pastoral Care

  • Student support takes account of religious and ethnic differences and the experiences and needs of particular groups of students such as Travellers;
  • Appropriate support is given to victims of racism and racial harassment using the support of external agencies where appropriate;

E. Behaviour, Discipline & Exclusions

  • CPA ensures that its procedures for managing behaviour are fair and equitable to students from all racial backgrounds;
  • All staff operate consistent systems of rewards and sanctions;
  • Exclusions and the use of internal exclusion (IntEx) are monitored by ethnicity to establish patterns and trends;
  • Strategies for integrating long-term truants and excluded students, address the needs of students from all racial groups.

F. Racism, Racial Harassment & School Ethos

  • The CPA actively promotes good personal and community relations. The CPA has effective procedures for dealing with racial harassment and bullying.  All incidents of racism and racial harassment are recorded, thoroughly investigated and reported to the LA;
  • All staff are trained so that they deal firmly, consistently and effectively with racist incidents, racial harassment and bullying;
  • Students, parents/carers and staff are aware of the procedures for dealing with racism and racial harassment;
  • The school works closely with the LA and other partners to tackle racism and racial harassment within the school and the local area.

G. Admissions & Attendance

  • The Admissions Policy and criteria are equally open to students from particular racial groups;
  • The admissions process is monitored to ensure that it is administered consistently and fairly;
  • Provision is made for leave of absence for religious observance.  This includes staff and trainees as well as students;

Admissions to the CPA will be governed by the agreed admission arrangements as outlined in the Funding Agreement between the Continu Trust and the Secretary of State for Education. Within these arrangements, the CPA, will ensure that it pays due regard to equal opportunities when it decides whether or not it will admit a student referred to it by a school, academy or local authority.

However, irrespective of equal opportunities considerations, the CPA will not accept a referral if:

– our risk assessment indicates that the student will pose an unacceptable level of risk to other students and staff;

– during or at the end of the introductory programme, the student exhibits behaviour that indicates that he/she is a danger to the other students and/or staff.

H. Staff Recruitment & Professional Development

  • All the posts, including those for non-teaching staff, are advertised and open to the widest pool of applicants;
  • Everyone involved in recruitment and selection is trained and aware of what they should do to avoid unconscious racial discrimination;
  • Steps are taken to encourage people from under-represented groups to apply for positions at all levels in the school;
  • Applications for employment, training and promotion, along with details of staff in post, are monitored by ethnicity.

I. Partnership with Parents/Carers & Community

  • All parents/carers are encouraged to participate in the full life of the school;
  • Action is taken to encourage the involvement and participation of under-represented groups of parents/carers.
  • Information and material for parents/carers is accessible in user-friendly language and in languages/formats other than English as appropriate;
  • The school’s premises and facilities are fully accessible to and used by groups from all local ethnic minority communities.

Monitoring & Review

The Governing Body will monitor the implementation of the policy regularly and review annually to ensure that it does not disadvantage any particular section of the community.  A log is kept by the SENCO (safeguarding) of all instances of racial harassment and any subsequent sanctions or support. These are kept on SIMS and monitored by the SENCO (safeguarding.)

The effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated by the Headteacher/member of staff responsible for race equality/equal opportunities and a report provided to the Governing Body.

By the review date CPA will endeavour to meet any targets identified, as a result of this monitoring procedure.