Equalities Statement

Felixstowe School is committed to equality, both as an employer and a service provider:

• We try to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect.

• We want to make sure that our school is a safe, secure and stimulating place for everyone.

• We recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them all exactly the same.

• We recognise that for some students extra support is needed to help them to achieve and be successful.

• We try to make sure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example through talking to students and parents/carers, and through our Student Parliament

• We aim to make sure that no one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment or discrimination because of their age; any disability they may have; their ethnicity, colour or national origin; their gender; their gender identity or reassignment; their marital or civil partnership status; being pregnant or having recently had a baby; their religion or beliefs; their sexual identity and orientation.

How We Have Due Regard For Equality

We give careful consideration to equality issues in everything that we do.

Schools and academies are required to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.

The information below is a summary of how we are aware of this particular requirement and how we respond to it. Please contact us if you would like to see copies of any of our policies.

• We are aware of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 that it is unlawful to discriminate, treat some people less fairly or put them at a disadvantage.

• We keep an accurate record, when possible and appropriate, of the protected characteristics of our pupils and employees.

• We have a school behaviour policy that outlines our expectations of both students and staff in their interactions with each other.

• We have a school anti-bullying policy that identifies our commitment to antibullying. It includes procedures for reporting and dealing with incidences of bullying including a school email account.

• We deal promptly and effectively with all incidents and complaints of bullying and harassment that may include cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to disability or special educational need, ethnicity and race, gender, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, religion and belief and sexual orientation.

• We keep a record of all such incidents and notify those affected of what action we have taken. We provide training to all staff in relation to dealing with bullying and harassment incidents.

• We keep records of all incidences of discriminatory behaviour against all groups.

• We have a special educational needs policy that outlines the provision the school makes for students with special educational needs.

• We are DfE compliant regarding disability access.

• Our complaints procedure sets out how we deal with any complaints relating to the school.

• We aim to observe and implement the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination in our employment practices.

• We pay due regard within our recruitment practices, to safeguarding and protecting our students.

• We have procedures for addressing staff discipline, conduct and grievances.

For 2021-25, our Equality Objectives are:

To continue to provide a school environment that welcomes, protects and respects diverse people.

To continue to close the gaps in attainment and achievement between students and all groups of students; especially boys and girls, disadvantaged students, students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Looked After Children, and students from different heritage groups.

In order to do this, we will make use of the Access Reading Test, and use this information to target literacy intervention to support the weakest readers in Key Stage 3 who are predominantly from these groups of students. We will also target intervention in Key Stage 4 to ensure that students with the biggest gaps in their attainment and achievement are well supported, making use of the Head of House to oversee and coordinate this, as well as build relationships with the families of these students.

To ensure that all students are given the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the life of the school, particularly focusing on developing leadership opportunities for all students.

In order to do this, we will drive forwards the Felixstowe Way Leadership Development Programme, and we will monitor the uptake of this programme amongst our students to ensure that we are providing opportunities for students of all backgrounds to partake in this. We will ensure that the benefits of this programme are shared with students, their families, and staff, so that there is adequate awareness of the pathways and routes into the pathways. 

To eradicate the use of homophobic, sexist, racist and other discriminative language by students in the school.

In order to do this, we will consider the curriculum in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics to ensure that it covers a range of beliefs and values. We will also run a programme of assemblies and Theme of the Week activities that explores different viewpoints and beliefs. Our Enrichment Day curriculum will be reviewed to ensure that there is teaching around the themes of tolerance, diversity, and discrimination and prejudice related behaviours, so that students understand clearly what these are and why they are not acceptable. Our behaviour policy clearly states that racism or prejudice is a zero tolerance behaviour, and we not only sanction students who partake in such behaviour, but also work to re-educate their views.