Equality at Oakfield Park School

The Equality Act 2010 was introduced fully in April 2011 and there is no longer a requirement that schools should draw up and publish equality schemes or policies. However, it is still good practice for a school to make a statement about the principles according to which it assesses the impact on equality of its policies and practices, and according to which it establishes specific objectives. 

We must under the general duty of public sector equality duty, in the exercise of our functions, have due regard to the need to: 

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited under the Act.
• Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• Foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

This will apply to all pupils, staff and others using the facilities. We will give relevant and proportionate consideration to the public sector equality duty. 

The protected characteristics for the school’s provisions are: 

• Disability
• Gender identity
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Age (not applicable to pupils)
• Marriage and Civil Partnerships (not applicable pupils)

Age and marriage and civil partnership are NOT protected characteristics for the school’s provisions for pupils. 

We will have due regard to advancing equality of opportunity including making serious consideration of the need to:

• remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic;
• take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a protected characteristics that are different from the needs of persons who do not share it;
• encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.

We welcome the opportunity to be transparent and accountable. To this end we fulfil the specific duties of the Act by: 

• publishing our equality information
• publishing our equality objectives

We aim to make the information accessible, easy to read and easy to find. 

Equality Objectives 2024 - 2028

Our equality objectives are;

1. To promote cultural understanding and awareness, valuing and celebrating various cultures and religious beliefs amongst different ethnic groups within our school community
2. To monitor and promote the involvement of all groups of students in the extra-curricular life of the school, including leadership opportunities
3. To actively close gaps in attainment 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 and students from minority ethnic groups.
4. To provide appropriate and early pastoral intervention for students to promote positive behaviour and inclusion, especially for those groups over-represented in behaviour data (including boys and students with autism)
5. To ensure accessibility across the school for students, staff and visitors with disabilities, including access to all areas of the building. 
6. To provide role-models for all students, ensuring diversity in the staff body, visiting speakers and in leadership roles.
7. To diversify the curriculum in all areas to ensure the positive representation of all protected characteristics across so that our students see and can be seen
8. To respond efffectively to the use of discriminatory language and prejudice-based bullying by students or adults in the school.
9. To improve attendance and persistent absence rates for all significant groups of students identified as having significant barriers to learning including, SEND, PP, CIC and EAL and as a result, any gap is in line with the national average.
10. To review relevant school policies and publications to ensure they clearly reflect the aim of inclusivity