Equality Objectives
Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College Equalities Objectives 2024-2026
The Equality Act 2010 was introduced to ensure protection from discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the grounds of specific characteristics (referred to as protected characteristics). For schools, this means that it is unlawful to discriminate against students or treat them less favourably because of their gender; race; disability; religion or belief; gender reassignment; sexual orientation; pregnancy or maternity.
The Equality Act states that schools and other public bodies must:
- Have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination
- Advance equality of opportunity
- Foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities
In line with our duties under the Equality Act, we assess our existing practices in relation to equality and consider objectives to help us improve further.
The governing board will:
- Ensure that the equality information and objectives as set out in this statement are published and communicated throughout the school, including to staff, pupils and parents
- Ensure that the published equality information is updated at least every year, and that the objectives are reviewed and updated at least every 4 years
- Delegate responsibility for monitoring the achievement of the objectives on a daily basis to the Associate Principal
The Executive Principal and Associate Principal will:
- Promote knowledge and understanding of the equality objectives among staff and pupils
- Monitor success in achieving the objectives and report back to governors
The designated member of staff for equality will:
- Support the Associate Principal in promoting knowledge and understanding of the equality objectives among staff and pupils
- Support the headteacher in identifying any staff training needs, and deliver training as necessary
- All school staff are expected to have regard to this document and to work to achieve the objectives
Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
The school is aware of its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and complies with non-discrimination provisions.
Where relevant, our policies include reference to the importance of avoiding discrimination and other prohibited conduct.
Staff and governors are regularly reminded of their responsibilities under the Equality Act – for example, during meetings. Where this has been discussed during a meeting it is recorded in the meeting minutes.
New staff receive training on the Equality Act as part of their induction, and all staff receive refresher training annually.
The school has a designated member of staff for monitoring equality issues to discuss any issues and make senior leaders and governors aware of these as appropriate.
Advance equality of opportunity between people
As set out in the DfE guidance on the Equality Act, the school aims to advance equality of opportunity by:
- Removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people that are connected to a particular characteristic they have (e.g. pupils with disabilities, or gay pupils who are being subjected to homophobic bullying)
- Taking steps to meet the particular needs of people who have a particular characteristic (e.g. enabling Muslim pupils to pray at prescribed times)
- Encouraging people who have a particular characteristic to participate fully in any activities (e.g. encouraging all pupils to be involved in the full range of school societies)
- In fulfilling this aspect of the duty, the school will: Publish attainment data each academic year showing how pupils with different characteristics are performing
- Analyse the data referenced above to determine strengths and areas for improvement, implement actions in response and publish this information Make evidence available identifying improvements for specific groups (e.g. declines in incidents of homophobic or transphobic bullying)
- Publish further data about any issues associated with particular protected characteristics, identifying any issues which could affect our own pupils
Foster good relations between people
The school aims to foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it by:
- Promoting tolerance, friendship and understanding of a range of religions and cultures through different aspects of our curriculum. This includes teaching in RE, citizenship and the Personal Development Curriculum (PDC), but also activities in other curriculum areas. For example, as part of teaching and learning in English/reading, pupils will be introduced to literature from a range of cultures
- Holding assemblies dealing with relevant issues. Pupils will be encouraged to take a lead in such assemblies and we will also invite external speakers to contribute
- Working with our local community. This includes inviting leaders of local faith groups to speak at assemblies, and organising school trips and activities based around the local community
- Encouraging and implementing initiatives to deal with tensions between different groups of pupils within the school. For example, our school student leadership is formed of pupils from a range of backgrounds. All pupils are encouraged to participate in the school’s extra-curricular. We also work with parents to promote knowledge and understanding of different cultures
- We have developed links with people and groups who have specialist knowledge about particular characteristics, which helps inform and develop our approach
Equality considerations in decision-making
The school ensures it has due regard to equality considerations whenever significant decisions are made.
The school always considers the impact of significant decisions on particular groups. For example, when a school trip or activity is being planned, the school considers whether the trip:
- Cuts across any religious holidays
- Is accessible to pupils with disabilities
- Has equivalent facilities for all students
Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College recognises that the Equality Act 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.
Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College is committed to promoting equality and diversity, providing an inclusive, caring and supportive environment, which is committed to the promotion of equity and genuine equal opportunity for all. Our Equality Objectives build on the core values of the College:
- Resilience
- Respect
- Reflectiveness
- Resourcefulness
Equality Objectives 2024 - 2025
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Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation: |
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| Objective | Success criteria |
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Celebrate diversity, encourage respect and promote equality. |
Throughout the academic year ensure there are a range of events that represent the diverse backgrounds of our school community. There are high levels of participation in the events. To include a wide variety of information to represent and celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our school community through assemblies during the school year. There will be further development of the extra curricular offer to celebrate diversity within the college. Stduent education through the personal development programme will continue to celebrate diversity, encourage respect and promote equality including MVP training for students and continued focus on ‘bystander behaviour’. |
| Ensure staff know how to talk to students about inappropriate and discriminatory language and provide all staff with the confidence to address these boundaries. | To complete a staff voice survey following any additional staff training and for this to show staff are confident to discuss these matters with students. Staff will receive training on speaking to students regarding any curriculum content to pre-empt any triggering curriculum content. |
| Ensure students understand expectations, consequences and reporting systems and know that discrimination, harassment and victimisation will not be tolerated at the school. | Students will be able to continue to articulate how to access support and know how systems work. Through student voice and student surveys, students will report having confidence in the way discrimination is dealt with at the school. |
| Provide governors with guidance on school processes and information about outcomes related to actions. | Governors will report having a good understanding of the systems and processes designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Equality objectives of the college to be discussed with governors. |
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Advance equality of opportunity between people: |
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| Objective | Success criteria |
| Ensure detailed and robust analysis of student outcomes by cohort. | Ensure that student performance at key stage 3 and key stage 4 is consistent across groups from different backgrounds. Staff to build this into data analysis following data snapshots throughout the year. |
| Ensure that recruitment processes are informed by training on bias and that panels are inclusive and representative. | Ensure there is clarity about the way in which recruitment processes support our commitment to equality. |
| Share equality and diversity information for applications, interviews and appointments with governors. | Ensure that equality information linked to applications, interviews and appointments is shared and shows a representative approach. |
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Foster good relations between people: |
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| Objective | Success criteria |
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Develop student understanding of tolerance and mutual respect for others through the promotion of British values. |
Through the PDC curriculum, SMSC activities and the assemblies programme, ensure that students demonstrate a good understanding of values promoted. Ensure Students treat each other with respect. This will be reflected in student voice and student survey data gathered through the year.
The MVP programme will become embedded throughout the college and students will take on ambassador roles to promote tolerance, understanding and upstander behaviour. |
| Ensure that there are opportunities for staff from all demographics to share their experiences and contribute to the development of the organisation. |
Staff will report having access to opportunities that enable anyone from any background to have their voice heard. Staff will be enabled through the assemblies and PDC programme and other events during the college year to have their voice heard. |
| Share information on student and staff experience with governors. | Governors will receive information about staff and student experience and understand what the experience is like for both groups in school. This will be done through meetings of the local governing body. |
Equality Objectives 2023 - 2024
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Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation: |
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Objective |
Action |
Impact / evaluation |
| Revised anti bullying strategy successfully rolled out. |
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We are continuing to work on our anti-bullying strategy and MVP programme and will continue this into 2024/2025.
Student survey Jan 2024 identified concerns around students respecting each other. Action plan in place to address this. So far:
Pastoral leader student voice demonstrates students feels safe in school and know how to report concerns and who to report concerns to. |
| Students provided with opportunity to speak honestly about sexual harassment and given strategies for keeping themselves safe. |
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Unable to take place due to a change in staff at the organisation and the programme no longer being offered to schools. |
| Year 8 students provided with workshop on knife crime awareness and given strategies for keeping themselves safe. |
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Carried out. Student and staff voice said it was helpful and they learnt something new. Knife crime workshop will be continued to be used into 2024/2025. |
| Year 9 students provided with workshop on child sexual exploitation and given strategies for keeping themselves safe. |
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Carried out. Student and staff voice said it was helpful and they learnt something new. |
| Give opportunities for students to respond appropriately, respectfully and sensitively to current world events. |
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Foster good relations between people who have a shared characteristic and those who do not: |
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Objective |
Action |
Impact / evaluation |
| Celebrate diversity within the college to promote community cohesion and understanding. |
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Staff given TLR to allow further development of this work.
Diversity Ambassadors now in all Trust schools and all schools follow an inclusion calendar to promote inclusion, tolerance and understanding of different cultures and faiths. Visitors in school for BHM and Holocaust Memorial Day. |
| A range of activities are acknowledged and marked to promote community cohesion and understanding. |
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Assembly topics from staff included:
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To continuously review and revise the curriculum so that it represents a diverse culture and society and encourages tolerance and respect Visibility and representation in the curriculum. |
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Tutor and Pastoral Leaders confidently delivered PDC throughout the year.
Meeting time allowed for discussions about resources and linking to current context and threats. Staff frequently reminded in briefing about current context and threats. |
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Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not: |
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Objective |
Action |
Impact / evaluation |
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| Reduce exclusion rates for white British pp / SEND . |
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Work carried out to support next steps for these students e.g. SEMH team / EHCP applications / specialist AP provision for next academic year. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Further narrow the gap between the attendance of SEND students and non-SEND students. |
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HT1 2024-25:
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| Monitor participation of students who share a protected characteristic in extra-curricular activities and address any barriers. |
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| Promote CPD and promotion opportunities widely so staff with protected characteristics are able to access these fairly and equitably. |
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Staff are signposted to Heartbeat – the weekly Trust staff bulletin. Appraisal process allows staff to discuss further opportunities with their line manager. |
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