Equalities Information
At Thistly Meadow we endeavour to improve the lives of children, young people and families. We celebrate diversity and difference and believe that in doing so our children will attain more at school and within our community, and will be happier and more successful.
We have an obligation under the Equality Act of 2010 as both an employer and a school which carries out a public function and service. Compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty is a legal requirement and requires schools to integrate and include consideration of Equality into day to day routines at our school.
The Public Sector Equality Duty 2011 has three aims under the general duty for Schools and Academies:
1. Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act. By removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics.
2. Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. By taking steps to meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people
3. Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. By encouraging people from protected groups to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.
Our school has considered how well we currently achieve these aims with regard to the nine protected equality groups: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Thistly Meadow is a place where every person has a right to be themselves and to belong and learn in a safe and happy environment. Everyone at our school is equal and must treat each other with respect and kindness. The curriculum at Thistly promotes the mutual respect of all children and adults through regular PSHE lessons, our assemblies and and our ‘No Outsiders in Our School’ resources. The children learn about different families, what makes a person unique and to challenge stereotypes.
We encourage children to think about what makes them special and celebrate all families and ensure everyone’s family is included, whether they have one parent, carers, two mums or dads, pets, siblings, grandparents and more. We also celebrate the many ways that we are all different and unique and in doing so challenge gender and other stereotypes, at school.
We want to ensure that every child feels included and knows that they can be themselves. We firmly believe and promote the fact that everyone is welcome; whatever race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
There are no outsiders at Thistly!
In compiling this equality information, we have:
1. Identified evidence already in the setting of equality within policies and practice and identified gaps.
2. Examined how our setting engages with the protected groups, identifying where practice could be improved.
Please click on the documents below for more information:
Single Equality scheme 20-24 TH