Whaddon C of E First School Equality Information and Objectives Statement 2020-2021
Public Sector Equality Duty
The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to:
Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific duties) Regulations 2011 Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
Our Vision
At Whaddon C of E School we aim to provide an environment underpinned by Christian values, where everyone experiences the joy of learning. We believe equality and community cohesion is a core part of school life which we embed across the whole curriculum. Within equality and community cohesion we focus on three strands: Faith, Social economic factors and ethnicity and culture. Tackling racism is a vital aspect of this.
We recognise that within our school we have only a small variety of faith backgrounds and limited cultural diversity. In addition there are limited different socio/economic groups. However, we want our children to value and appreciate the rich and culturally diverse society in which they will live, develop a strong sense of common values, integrate actively with learners from other groups and be respectful of other’s differences thus contributing to the promotion of equalities and elimination of prejudice and discrimination.
Current Profile of the School
Whaddon C of E School is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England co-educational school for children aged 4 – 11 years. The school is situated in the village of Whaddon in Buckinghamshire on the outskirts of Milton Keynes. The catchment area of the school comprises of the villages of Whaddon, Beachampton, Nash and Thornton. The school also has a significant amount of out of catchment children as we border two other authorities, Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire.
Currently the school comprises 24 boys and 29 girls
Roughly, 50% of our children are from out of catchment addresses
The ethnic make-up of the school is 75% White British, 11.3% Black British, 7.5% Any Other White background , 3.7% Indian, 0.53% Japanese. (0.53% = 1 child)
The school has 0% disabled children on roll.
Equality Objectives
As our current make-up is not very diverse, we know we have a duty to ensure our children grow up with compassion and acceptance for all, regardless of difference. We also acknowledge the importance of educating our children so they are informed individuals, capable of making wise choices. Therefore our targets are:
- To monitor and analyse the attainment levels of all pupils and ensure that these are maintained at expected levels regardless of ethnicity religion, disability or gender.
- To give our pupils an understanding of the diversity within societies and how the lives of others can enrich our own, with an awareness of the nature of prejudice towards diversity and how it can be combated.
- To educate our pupils as global citizens with the strength and confidence to challenge unfairness and injustice wherever it is found.
This statement should be reviewed before February 2022
Actions taken this academic year
Attainment levels and progress analysed half-termly to identify patterns in data for pupils with the characteristics: ethnicity/religion, gender, deprivation indicators, SEN. – No patterns found. Low attainment and slower progress of any individual has been challenged, actions agreed and monitored to ensure improvement.
Yearly Theme overview created which plots key religions festivals to be taught and acknowledged as part of Collective Worship, visits to places of worship and visitors of different faiths
Diwali day held in the Autumn Term
Links made with multi-cultural school in Milton Keynes and collaborative activities between the schools begun
SMSC opportunities planned as part of learning in Medium Term Planning to ensure children debate and discuss moral issues and learn about different cultures and religious beliefs whenever appropriate to do so
Children are taught about Christian, Jewish and Hindu beliefs and practices as part of RE
We believe learning must be a holistic practise to ensure balanced, independent, confident thinkers. These vital skills should continue to be developed and strengthened through all aspects of their learning. We have created a document that can guide us throughout their time at Whaddon School. This document outlines the learning behaviours, broken down into subheadings for further clarification. We have also included helpful ways in which adults can effectively support children in their development.
Picture books purchased for Foundation Stage which addresses differences: disabilities, family make-up, culture, looks, religions etc
Next Steps: Continue the collaborative work with schools of a more diverse make-up.