Introduction

This document describes how the Governing Board of St Thomas More Catholic Primary School intends to fulfill its responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty with regard to its workforce - reviewed 2022.

We will have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act;
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it; and
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not share it.

We will collect and use equality information to help us to:

•  Identify key issues;
• Understand the impact of our policies, practices and decisions on people with different protected characteristics, and thereby plan them more effectively;
• Assess whether we are discriminating unlawfully when carrying out any of our functions;
• Identify what the key equality issues are for our organisation.

Assess performance

• Benchmark our performance and processes against those of similar organisations, nationally or locally.

Take action

• Consider taking steps to meet the needs of staff who share relevant protected characteristics;
• Identify if there are any actions we can take to avoid discrimination and harassment, advance equality of opportunity or foster good relations;
• Make informed decisions about policies and practices which are based on evidence about the impact of our activities on equality;
• Develop equality objectives to meet the specific duties;
• Have due regard to the aims of the general equality duty by ensuring that staff have appropriate information for decision-making.

We will work towards developing an equality profile of staff to help us to understand key equality issues in our workforce, including any evidence of pay gaps or ‘occupational segregation’, i.e. staff with certain protected characteristics being over-represented in particular roles, for example, women as cleaners, or at certain grades. 

In addition, we note that it is likely to be useful to collect and consider information, appropriately disaggregated, about:

• recruitment and promotion
• numbers of part-time and full-time staff
• pay and remuneration
• training
• return to work of women on maternity leave
• return to work of disabled employees following sick leave relating to their disability
• appraisals
• grievances (including about harassment)
• disciplinary action (including for harassment)
• dismissals and other reasons for leaving.

Publication of Equality Information

Equality Information and the Equality Duty Equality Impact Assessment (Compliance)

The following information demonstrates compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010.

Eliminate Discrimination or Harassment

The following policies expressly acknowledge the importance of avoiding discrimination and other prohibited conduct: Religious Education; Sex and Relationships Education; SEND; Behaviour; Safeguarding & Child Protection; Equality Policy; Accessibility Plan; Equal Opportunities Policy.

The School’s Values Programme and assemblies have raised children’s awareness of the importance of tolerance, friendship, forgiveness and kindness towards others.

Clear behaviour system which includes expectations with regards to discrimination, harassment and bullying.

Behaviour is logged on our CPOMS management system and logs are analysed and actions taken as a result.

Advance Equality of Opportunity

Attainment data is analysed at group level, e.g. PP, SEND, boys, girls, EAL.  Specific focus on improving attainment for vulnerable learners is acknowledged within our School Development Plan.  Our SENDCo is adequately resourced and suitably qualified to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.   The SENDCo attends training on specific SEN issues, e.g. attachment disorders, and information is subsequently disseminated to all staff.  Additional SEND training is provided for teaching and support staff to meet needs of children with SEND.  School funds are used to purchase additional visits by an Educational Psychologist to assess individual pupils’ needs and/or deliver staff training.  We have created individual working areas for children with SEND.

Established professional relationships and peer support group meetings are attended (eg. Early Help Team).  All pupils have the opportunity to put across their point of view across through our School Council and Pupil Conferencing and suggestions made by pupils have been acted upon.  Pupil premium spending is planned, evaluated and regularly reviewed by both staff and Governors.

Foster Good Relations

• Our RE curriculum includes the study of key religious groups within the UK.
• We work closely with the Clifton Diocese and the other Catholic schools in our Little Way Partnership.
• Delivery of our PSHCE curriculum occurs throughout the school in EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.
• An understanding of the needs of others is fostered by children’s active support in school for a number of charitable causes – including Cafod, Children's Mental Health, Cheltenham Foodbank and others.
• Restorative Practice is being introduced throughout the school as a way of using conflict resolution that puts the focus on repairing the harm that has been done.   
• Planned assemblies, which link to our Mission and Ethos, school values and British values.
• Specific programmes used as needed to facilitate social skills with children.  
• Strong and effective relationships built with parents.