What is the Public Sector Equality Duty

The single Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) came into effect in April 2011 as a result of the Equality Act 2010.

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public bodies to promote equality.  The relevant protected characteristics are-

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

1. All learners are of equal value. Whether or not they are disabled, whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status, whatever their gender and gender identity, whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background and whatever their sexual orientation.

2. We recognise, respect and value difference and understand that diversity is a strength. We take account of differences and strive to remove barriers and disadvantages which people may face, in relation to age, disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity. We believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.

3. We foster positive attitudes and relationships. We actively promote positive attitudes and mutual respect between groups and communities different from each other.

4. We foster a shared sense of cohesion and belonging. We want all members of our school community to feel a sense of belonging within the school and wider community and to feel that they are respected and able to participate fully in school life.

5. We observe good equalities practice for our staff. We ensure that policies and procedures benefit all employees and potential employees in all aspects of their work, including in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development.

6. We have the highest expectations of all our children. We expect that all pupils can make good progress and achieve to their highest potential.

7. We work to raise standards for all pupils, but especially for the most vulnerable. We believe that improving the quality of education for the most vulnerable groups of pupils raises standards across the whole school.

The Protected Characteristics

It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

These are called protected characteristics.

The children at St. Mary's learn about the British Values and foster mutual respect for each other. Our children care and look after each other, our school and for those who share these protected characteristics. We do not tolerate any forms of discrimination and our children learn that we show tolerance for everyone and for all those who share the protected characteristics.

At St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils, staff, parents and carers irrespective of race, gender, disability, belief, sexual orientation, age or socio-economic background. Through our mission statement and Catholic beliefs we aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all members of our school and parish family feel proud of their identity and ability to participate fully in school life.

We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an inclusive environment.

At St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.

OBJECTIVE 1: To anticipate and meet the needs of incoming pupils from disadvantaged or hard to reach 'working poor' families.

Staff ensure that St. Mary’s is a welcoming, nurturing environment where new pupils and their families can expect to feel supported with admissions, meeting individual needs and treating others with dignity and respect.

We endeavour to make sure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example by talking to pupils, parents, members of our parish.   

We support different groups of pupils in their class through bespoke planning and teaching.

We plan and deliver a curriculum that reflects our school Mission and Values.

All staff promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in their classroom.  

Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent and we do not discriminate against pupils by treating them less fairly on the grounds of their gender, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs or any other defining characteristics.

We support our pupils to build a sense of identity and belonging within the school and wider community.

We provide excellent pastoral support to children identified as in need of specialised emotional or social support.

OBJECTIVE 2: To increase the percentage of parents who attend curriculum events and supportive workshops.

The school regularly runs Parent sessions to focus on developing the knowledge of parents in key areas such as phonics, reading and maths.

Coffee mornings/Open mornings are held to encourage parents to feel welcomed into the St. Mary’s community - there is often a focus on PSHE or RSE also included so that parents are aware of our provision and can ask questions to teachers who are able to attend.

OBJECTIVE 3: To anticipate and meet the needs of incoming pupils from a new ethnic groups.

We plan and deliver a curriculum that reflects our school values and provides positive materials and resources in terms of ethnicity.

We actively promote equality and diversity through the curriculum and by creating an environment which values respect for all.

Staff members recognise and harness the diversity within our school community to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to respond to the challenges and high expectations of the curriculum.

Inclusion of different faiths is of great importance therefore all children are taught other religions on a cycle. This ensures that the spiritual needs of children from different religions or of no faith are met.

We analyse attainment data to address any negative trends that may arise.

Equality in Admissions and Exclusions Our admissions arrangements are fair and transparent and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, belief, disability and/or socio-economic background. As a Catholic school our admission policy clearly sets out the admissions criteria.

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 community.

The school has a full and separate Equal Opportunities Policy and Equality Information and Objectives. Please consult this for further details.