Single Equality Scheme

This Single Equality Scheme (SES) was agreed by the Governing Board of the Macclesfield academy on 27th March 2012. It will be reviewed before the end of the Easter term 2013. Governors are keen to take into account the views of all students, parents, visitors and staff to the Academy in undertaking this review. Please email any comments to

Introduction

The Academy forms part of the Macclesfield Learning Zone with Macclesfield College and Park Lane School. The Learning Zone welcomes people of all ages and aims to serve the whole community. With its partner schools and academies in Macclesfield, The Academy has committed to a common Equality and Diversity Policy. For the Academy, this commitment is reflected in our aim of securing accreditation as a UNICEF Rights Respecting School. The implementation of the common Policy is supported by an Equality and Diversity Code of Practice which sets out what the Academy will do to make the Policy a reality. The words equality and diversity are widely used but not as widely understood. Equality means ensuring that everyone is able to participate in the Academy's activities as a student, a member of staff, governor or visitor, as appropriate, on an equal footing with their fellows, and to achieve the best possible outcomes as a result of their participation. Diversity acknowledges that there are differences between people which should be recognised, respected and celebrated. The Macclesfield Academy is proud of the diversity within its community and is committed to fostering an environment of mutual respect and dignity.

Legislative Context

The Equality Act 2010 received the royal assent in April 2010 and now forms the basis of equality law in England. It seeks to consolidate and streamline anti-discrimination legislation and to strengthen the law to support progress on equality. It replaces the previous legislation which dealt separately with the protected characteristics. Although there is no requirement under the Equality Act 2010 to produce a SES, The Macclesfield Academy has chosen to develop and publish this SES as a public declaration of how the Academy will meet the duties placed on it by the Act and to demonstrate good practice in equality and diversity.

The protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage and civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief (including lack of belief)
  • sex
  • sexual orientation.

The Act places on The Academy a General Equality Duty to:

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
  • advance equality of opportunity between people who share one or more protected characteristics and those who do not
  • foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

In addition, the Act places on the Academy Specific Duties to:

  • publish information (primarily on its website) to demonstrate how the Academy is complying with the General Equality Duty
  • prepare and publish equality objectives.

Statement of Values

This Single Equality Scheme is underpinned by the following values, principles and standards as set out in the Macclesfield Academies, Schools and Academy Equality and Diversity Policy:

  • equality and social justice
  • acknowledging and respecting diversity
  • respect for others
  • elimination of all forms of prejudice and unfair discrimination
  • active challenge to stereotypes, prejudiced attitudes and unfair discriminatory behaviour
  • commitment to inclusive education which enables and supports all students to develop their full potential
  • commitment to the positive development of all staff and governors
  • accountability for compliance with this SES by all members of the Academy community and others engaged in Academy business or activities.

Aims

    • To enable people from the groups protected by the Act and other socially disadvantaged groups (such as Looked After Children and those entitled to Free School Meals) to experience the best possible outcomes as a result of their contact with the Academy
    • To remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people owing to their protected characteristics including the elimination of discrimination, harassment and bullying
    • To meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people
    • To encourage people from protected groups to participate in Academy and public life
    • To tackle prejudice and stereotyping
    • To promote understanding between different groups of people through curricular and extra-curricular activities.

The Academy understands and acknowledges that meeting these aims may mean treating some people more favourably than others because of their protected characteristic(s) in order to advance equality.

Responsibilities for Implementation

  • The Governing Board is responsible for making sure that the Academy meets its legal responsibilities with respect to equality and diversity legislation and so develops and implements this SES.
  • The Headteacher and Director of Additional Student Services are responsible for:
    • giving a consistent and high profile lead on equality and diversity, promoting equality of opportunity inside and outside of the Academy
    • ensuring the SES is in place and that the Academy implements the Scheme and its associated action plan
    • reporting annually in the Autumn term to the Governing Board on the Academy's progress in advancing equality including by analysis of outcomes for students in the protected groups.
  • The Macclesfield Learning Zone Equality and Diversity Committee is responsible for:
    • developing, consulting on, and recommending the SES for Senior Leadership Team and Governing Board approval
    • formulating the associated equality objectives following consultation with stakeholder
    • developing an annual Equality and Diversity Action Plan to deliver the equality objectives, monitoring its implementation, and reviewing and evaluating its impact
    • conducting an annual self assessment of equality and diversity within the Academy.
  • Academy managers are responsible for:
    • putting the Academy SES into practice
    • making sure that all staff know their responsibilities and receive the support and training necessary to carry them out promoting equality and diversity,
    • following the relevant procedures and taking action in cases of unfair discrimination or harassment.
  • All staff are responsible for:
    • promoting equality and avoiding unfair discrimination
    • challenging any incidents of stereotyping or unfair discrimination perpetrated by students or other staff
    • keeping up-to-date with equality law and participating in equality and diversity training.
  • Students are responsible for:
    • respecting others in their language and actions
    • challenging any incidents of stereotyping or unfair discrimination perpetrated by other students or staff
    • obeying all of the Academy's equality and diversity policies and procedures, including the SES.

Equality Objectives

To implement this Scheme and to meet its specific responsibility under the Act, the Academy will publish annually equality objectives to be achieved over the next three years. These objectives will be derived from analysis of a number of sources including:

  • The Rights Respecting School steering group
  • the involvement of disabled people
  • consultation with staff and students
  • feedback from students, carers, parents and staff with disabilities
  • student and parent satisfaction surveys
  • feedback from external agencies and partners
  • teaching and learning observations
  • analysis of student and staff recruitment and retention
  • analysis of student performance

When the equality objectives have been determined the Equality and Diversity Committee will draw up an annual action plan for their implementation. This action plan will include clear targets and timescales for the achievement of the objectives set.

Monitoring

The monitoring of progress towards achievement of these objectives will be incorporated into all four strands of the Academy's Quality Assurance Framework.

  • In relation to achievement, the Director of each Key Stage will monitor the progress of students in each of the groups protected by the Act and other socially disadvantaged groups (such as Looked After Children and those entitled to Free School Meals) as part of the process of half termly data collection. The Headteacher will include an analysis of the achievement of students in these groups when reporting to the Governing Board in the Autumn Term.
  • In relation to teaching and learning, the lesson observations undertaken as part of learning walks and subject reviews will identify any groups who are disadvantaged in any way in relation to their access to, or success in, learning. Lesson observation will also identify the extent to which teaching is, where appropriate, Subject Leaders and Line Managers are responsible for addressing any issues identified through this process. Participation in the Academy's enrichment programme by students in the groups protected by the Act and other disadvantaged groups will be monitored and, where relevant, specific questions will be incorporated into student and parent satisfaction surveys
  • In relation to behaviour and safety, data on attendance and behaviour (including the application of sanctions) of students in each of the groups protected by the Act and other socially disadvantaged groups will be analysed termly by the Attendance Manager and the Director of Behaviour Management Systems. Records of bullying incidents will be monitored by the Director of Behaviour Management Systems. to ensure that students in each of the groups protected by the Act and other socially disadvantaged groups are kept safe from harassment and bullying.
  • In relation to leadership and management, the annual self assessment process will include assessment of:
    • the extent to which the curriculum (including the enrichment programme) meets the needs of students in each of the groups protected by the Act and other socially disadvantaged groups and promotes understanding between different groups of people
    • the extent to which staff recruitment, development, performance management and terms and conditions ensure equality of opportunity for staff in each of the protected groups
    • the extent to which recruitment of and support for governors ensures equality of opportunity for governors in each of the protected groups
    • the extent to which the arrangements made for parents and visitors ensure equality of opportunity for those in each of the protected groups
    • the extent to which Academy policies and procedures have been assessed have been analysed to assess their impact on equality and the effectiveness of this analysis in ensuring that no student, member of staff, parent, governor or visitor belonging to any of the protected groups is disadvantaged by the application of the policies and procedures concerned.
    • The extent to which any complaints relating to issues of equality and diversity made by parents or students under the complaints procedure or by staff under the grievance procedure have been reviewed and appropriate action taken as a result.

Review

As a minimum this SES will be reviewed after one year of operation and then every three years thereafter.

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