Equality and Access Policy

Equality and Access Policy Aim Stantonbury Campus is an inclusive school where we focus on the well-being and progress of every child and where all members of our community are of equal worth. We believe that the Equality Act 2010 provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships between people. It also ensures that we continue to tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups. We recognise that these duties reflect international human rights standards as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the Human Rights Act 1998. This policy pays due regard to government law, including the Children and Families Act (2014) Part 3 which links in to the SEN Code of Practice (2014) (and to past legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, the SEN and Disability Act 2001 and it also incorporates aspects of Stantonbury Campus s Raising Attainment Plan and Equality Objectives. Our approach to equality is based on the following 7 key principles: 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 recognize, 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 disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, belief or faith and sexual orientation. 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. This is achieved through the following objectives: 1

a) Actively close gaps in attainment, attendance and achievement between students and all groups of students; especially students eligible for free-school meals, students with special educational needs and disabilities, looked after children, students from minority ethnic groups and LGBT students. b) Continue to improve accessibility across the Campus for students, staff and visitors with disabilities, including access to specialist teaching areas. c) Endeavour to ensure that the staff body and representation of staff in leadership roles is reflective of the local community. d) Eliminate the use of discriminatory, homophobic, sexist and racist language by students in the school. Monitor and Review This policy was approved by the governors in June 2016 and is subject to annual review. Every year we will review and report on our progress towards meeting our equality objectives. At least every four years, we will review our objectives, taking into account any changes in our school profile and other evidence of need. Our objectives will sit in our overall raising attainment plan and therefore will be reviewed as part of this process. Purpose of the policy This Equality and Access Policy details policies and initiatives, how these are monitored, reviewed / evaluated, and how these evaluations are developed and embedded into school systems and practice. This Equality and Access Policy is an umbrella document: it encompasses existing policies and development plans, implemented and monitored by a range of teachers, the senior leadership team and governors. As a school we welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010. The general duties are to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation advance equality of opportunity foster good relations We understand the principle of the Act and the work needed to ensure that those with protected characteristics are not discriminated against and are given equality of opportunity. A protected characteristic under the Act covers the groups listed below: age (for employees not for service provision) disability race (ethnicity) sex (gender) gender reassignment maternity and pregnancy religion or belief, sexual orientation Marriage and Civil Partnership (for employees) 2

In order to meet our general duties, listed above, the law requires us to carry out some specific duties to demonstrate how we meet the general duties. These are to: Publish equality information to demonstrate compliance with the general duty across its functions (We will not publish any information that can specifically identify any child) Prepare and publish equality objectives To do this we will collect data related to the protected characteristics above and analyse this data to determine our focus for our equality objectives. The data will be assessed across our core provisions as a school. This will include the following areas: Admissions Attendance Attainment Exclusions Prejudice related incidents Our objectives will detail how we will promote equality in some or all of these areas. However where we find evidence of significant inequalities for any particular group in other areas we may include objectives to address these. We also welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote community cohesion. We recognise that these duties reflect international human rights standards as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the Human Rights Act 1998. In fulfilling our legal obligations we will: Recognise and respect diversity Foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of belonging Observe good equalities practice, including staff recruitment, retention and development Aim to reduce and remove existing inequalities and barriers Consult and involve widely Strive to ensure that society will benefit Addressing Prejudice Related Incidents This school is opposed to all forms of prejudice and we recognise that children and young people who experience any form of prejudice related discrimination may achieve less well in the education system. We ensure that both our pupils and staff have an awareness of the impact of prejudice in order to prevent any incidents. If incidents still occur we address them immediately and report them to the Local Authority using their guidance material. The Local Authority may provide some support. Roles and Responsibility We believe that promoting equality is the whole school s responsibility: 3

School Community Governing Body Principal Senior Management Team Teaching Staff Non Teaching Staff Parents Pupils Responsibility Involving and engaging the whole school community in identifying and understanding equality barriers and in the setting of objectives to address these. Monitoring progress towards achieving equality objectives. Publishing data and publishing equality objectives. As above including: Promoting key messages to staff, parents and pupils about equality and what is expected of them and can be expected from the school in carrying out its day to day duties. Ensuring that the school community receives adequate training to meet the need of delivering equality, including pupil awareness. Ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. To support the Co Principals as above Leading on actions to achieve our equality objectives. Ensuring fair treatment and access to services and opportunities. Ensuring that all staff are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. Helping in delivering the right outcomes for pupils. Upholding the commitment made to pupils and parents/carers on how they can be expected to be treated. Designing and delivering an inclusive curriculum Ensuring that they are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. Supporting the school and the governing body in delivering a fair and equitable service to all stakeholders Upholding the commitment made by the head teacher/principal on how pupils and parents/carers can be expected to be treated Supporting colleagues within the school community Ensuring that they are aware of their responsibility to record and report prejudice related incidents. Taking an active part in identifying barriers for the school community and in informing the governing body of actions that can be taken to eradicate these Taking an active role in supporting and challenging the school to achieve the commitment given to the school community in tackling inequality and achieving equality of opportunity for all. Helping the school to achieve the commitment made to tackling inequality. Upholding the commitment made by the Principal on how pupils and parents/carers, staff and the wider school community can be expected to be treated. Local Community Members Taking an active part in identifying barriers for the school community and in informing the governing body of actions that can be taken to eradicate these Taking an active role in supporting and challenging the school to achieve the commitment made to the school community in tackling inequality and achieving equality of opportunity for all. We will ensure that the whole school community is aware of the Equality Policy and our published equality information and equality objectives by publishing them on our school website. 4

Breaches Breaches to this statement will be dealt with in the same ways that breaches of other school policies are dealt with, as determined by the Co-Principals and governing body. Access Access is divided into four sections: Section 1: Access to the Curriculum Section 2: Access to Pastoral Support Section 3: Site Accessibility - for staff, parents, students and the community Section 4: Access to Information - for staff, parents, students and the community Section 1: Access to the curriculum This section of the Access Plan is monitored by the Vice Principal, who leads the heads of curriculum faculties, and monitors faculties development plans. Aspects of the curriculum are also managed by the Assistant Principal Curriculum/Data 1. Students across the Key Stages have an appropriate (differentiated and personalised) curriculum to fit their needs. Within their teaching teams, Heads of Faculty / Key Stage Coordinators monitor students progress, linked to a member of SLT; and usually on an individual basis there are links with Heads of Years to determine appropriate curriculum of specific students. 2. Children classified as Pupil Premium are identified, and their curriculum progress is tracked and supported by curriculum faculties and the Senior Leadership Team. 3. At Key Stage 3 students are taught in their mixed ability Tutor groups; the composition of the groups is carefully determined (from primary schools data and can include information from parents) at the beginning of Year 7; monitoring Tutor Groups, curriculum development and academic demands lies with the Heads of Years of each Year group and reviewed at half termly multi agency progress meetings. 4. Progress Reviews (teachers reports, five times each year) are reviewed by the Heads of Year, Tutors and curriculum subject leaders; there is an SLT over-view of report-writing; a range of staff contribute to tracking and documenting students progress, to allow for appropriate interventions, evaluation and modification, as required. 5. At Key Stages 3 & 4 students are taught according to ability / aptitude in Maths, Languages, English and PE; at Key Stage 4 there are high ability groups in English, Maths and Science, with broad banding elsewhere. 6. There are guided choices for Y9 students choosing KS4 courses that include discussions with students, parents, tutors, the Inclusion team and curriculum leaders. 7. At Key Stage 5 students have access to a broad curriculum, principally dependent on their prior educational attainment at KS4. 8. Data from primary schools, reading and spelling tests and Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs) inform differentiated mainstream classroom teaching and interventions, together with information from parents, students and professionals. 9. Inclusion interventions at Key Stage 3 are informed by reading and spelling tests and CATs for Year 7s (in September each year): individual and very small group teaching in Inclusion for 5

literacy; and reading and spelling boost interventions for specifically identified and monitored students. Interventions are also related to the Library s literacy initiative of the Accelerated Reader programme. 10. There are various Inclusion interventions at KS4 to provide a differentiated and appropriate curriculum for identified students: 11. All Year 10 students have a work experience placement at the end of their Year 10; for specifically identified students longer work experience placements are available. 12. Students with medical needs, unable to access school full-time, are supported by the Aspire Centre. 13. Throughout KS4, and selectively for KS3 students, through whole school data and Learning Support specialist testing, students are identified for Access Arrangements (exam concessions). 14. The Aspire Centre manages sections of the curriculum for identified students (usually shortterm interventions, but for a very few there can be longer-term interventions) including school-refusers, students returning from school after exclusion or from medical absence, or who are on part-time timetables due to documented medical reasons. Section 2: Access to Pastoral support The lead teacher monitoring this section of the Access Plan is the Vice Principal (Children s Services), working with the Aspire team, the Assistant Principal, Inclusion, tutors, and the Progress Centre. Outside professionals, such as the Educational Psychologist (EP), Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), who support the School, contribute additionally to this work. Students across the Key Stages have access to appropriate pastoral support dependent on their age and specific needs and a Student Support Leader is employed to work with each year group to help the students feel safe and secure in School. 1. Designated Child Protection staff exist at each Key stage and have well developed links to Milton Keynes local education authority teams 2. Looked After Children are identified and monitored through the Progress Centre 3. Children classified as Pupil Premium are identified and their curriculum progress is tracked by year leaders and the Senior Leadership Team 4. Children who act as Young Carers are identified and monitored 5. The Progress Board system identifies, leads on and monitors individual students requiring enhanced support or monitoring 6. Individual Progress Plans monitor students targets to impact on their behaviour, together with the work of half termly multi-agency Progress Board meetings 7. The Aspire Centre manages behaviour modification programmes for identified students (usually short-term interventions, but for a very few there can be longer-term interventions), including school-refusers, students returning from school after exclusion or from medical absence. 8. County Educational Psychologists closely support the work of the school, and of individual students, as required by their needs 9. The school links to the MASH relating to the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and the Team Around the Child/Family (TAC/TAF) initiatives 10. An in dependent careers professional, together with our Careers and Work Experience Coordinator, support students from Year 9 onwards with work-related learning and planning for the future 11. Transition leads develop links with primary partnership schools: early identification of individual students needs, allowing for effective planning and support for transfer of Y6 students into Y7 (for tutor group placement, SEN initiatives, pre-transfer visits) 12. Summer School (one week, mid-august each year) for new Y7 students supports transfer 6

13. The Progress Centre and School Counsellors contribute to the work of all pastoral teams 14. Sustained and developed links to GPs and local NHS mental health services (CAHMS) closely informs support for specific students / work generally in supporting students 15. Risk Assessments identify students who require enhanced monitoring through medical / mobility needs or behaviour issues. 16. Aspire staff and School Counsellors are able to give information and advice to parents on how to support their child as needed. Counsellors cannot, however, give details of specific conversations without students permission. 17. Staff have access to counselling services provided by the School s Counsellors through the Progress Centre Section 3: Site Accessibility Responsibility for this section of the Access Plan lies jointly with the SENCo and the Premises Manager, with contributions from a range of professionals supporting the school and from individuals within the school. 1. Students, staff, parents and visitors to the school have an equality of opportunity to access the curriculum and we aim to make all areas of the site accessible where possible. Where buildings cannot be adapted, changes will be made to the curriculum -typically this will mean re-rooming to accessible accommodation. 2. The annual Accessibility Plan is completed and recommendations are completed in line with the school s Equality Objectives. 3. Health and safety issues identified and addressed on a continuous basis by a range of people within school - including teachers (activities, classrooms) and Heads of Faculties (departmental areas), common areas (Premises Manager) and SLT in reviewing these procedures and activities 4. Risk assessments are written principally for two purposes: for activities and for groups of students; and for specific students (as generic for their time in school, and/or for specific activities, or to take into account their specific disability) 5. Risk assessments identify evacuation procedures for individual students whose movements are compromised by their disability (PEEPS) 6. The medical condition of students affecting health and safety and site accessibility, compiled as a separate document by the Vice principal (Children s Services), and is circulated to staff in school on a need to know basis 7. The medical conditions of staff affecting health and safety and site accessibility are known on a need to know basis by the Co-Principals and related staff 8. The Inclusion Team has the responsibility for ensuring that identified SEN students access all areas of the site within the health and safety guidelines 9. outside professionals (for example, Occupational Therapists, the Visual Impairment Team, Hearing Impairment, physiotherapists, Autism Outreach Service, Downs Syndrome Service, Speech and Language Service, SEN ICT Service) support the work of the school, and the integration of specific students within mainstream classes 10. The SENCO, on a day-to-day basis, monitor individual students accessibility to each site Section 4: Access to Information This section of the Access Plan is monitored by the School s Business Director, with support from the school s administration team. The school liaises with the Local Authority to ensure compliance with Local Authority and government statutes. Our aim is to ensure that students, parents, staff and visitors have access to the information that they need, with due regard to confidentiality. This section of the policy supports the legislative framework for responding to requests for information under the statutory access regimes established by: 7

1. the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2. the Data Protection Act (DPA) 3. the Disability Discrimination Act 4. the Equality Act (2010) 5. and other legislation that provides a right of access In addition the School has its own policy on Confidentiality and Complaints. Responses to requests for information 1. All school policies and other relevant documents are posted on, and may be downloaded from the school s web site or hard copies may be requested at a small charge. 2. Parents/students may request copies of student record files, including paper and electronic files. A small charge will be levied for administration and photocopying charges. 3. Parents/students may not be given access to records which contain information on other staff/students which would breach our Confidentiality Policy and/or the Data Protection Act 4. All requests for information should be made, preferably in writing, to the School Manager. 5. Any complaints should be addressed through the School s Complaints Procedure. Information provided by the school Students have access to information by: 1. the regular reporting of students progress by written reports from teachers 2. feedback from their subject teachers (verbal and written) relating to their work completed in class, including at Parents Evenings and Academic Review Day 3. reviews from enhanced monitoring through Individual Progress Plans, the Sixth Form review process, and such like 4. the SEN review process 5. the Virtual Learning Environment 6. representation on/by the Student Council Parents have access to information by: 1. the regular reporting of their child s progress by written reports from teachers 2. teachers written comments in students books / planners / letters and emails to parents; telephone conversations 3. talking to teachers and support staff at annual subject-based Parents Evenings, Academic Review Days and Termly Progress Reviews 4. New Parents (Y7) evening (September/October each year) 5. Options Evening (for Y9 students selecting their KS4 courses) 6. KS5 post-16 Options Evening (for Y11 students selecting their AS courses) 7. the school s website 8. the annual School Report/School Profile 9. open mornings for parents of new students 10. by prior appointment to visit the school 11. specific requests or information (see above) 12. through appointments with teachers (SEN reviews, reviewing Individual Progress Plans, the Common Assessment Framework and the Team Around the Child mechanisms) 13. the Main School Prospectus, and the Sixth Form Prospectus 14. SEN information to parents: at reviews, and with printed documentation, and from relevant professionals outside school supporting the work of the school 8

Visitors / external agencies / individuals have access to information (on a need-to-know basis only) by: 1. the School s website 2. contact with professionals within the school 3. by written request to the School Accessibility of information The School aims to provide information in an accessible format and will respond to individual needs and requests as they arise. For example: 1. the School will seek support from outside agencies to provide information in simple language, symbols, large print, audiotape or Braille for students, prospective students or parents who have difficulty with standard forms of printed information. 2. the School will also make information for parents available in a range of different formats, should the need arise, and be aware of font size and legibility when producing written information. during parents evenings and review meetings of children s performance in school, details are confirmed to parents how they can access information 3. the School will, if the need arises, aim to provide translation or interpreter services to ensure all parents/students can access information Other related policies Teaching and Learning; Anti-bullying; Equal Opportunities; SEND Policy: Inclusion; Substance Abuse; Complaints Procedure, Safeguarding, Behaviour for Learning Policy, Campus Development Plan. APPROVAL Policy prepared by: Approved by Ben Corbett, Co Principal June 2016 Hilary Rhodes, Chair of Governors Date: Revision date: June 2017 9