Racial equality
RACE EQUALITY POLICY
AIMS
ACHIEVEMENT OF AIMS
RESPONSIBILITIES
DEVELOPING GOOD PRACTICE
COVERING THE SPECIFIC DUTIES
PUTTING THE POLICY INTO PRACTICE
REVIEW OF THE POLICY
RACE EQUALITY POLICY
At Farnham Common Infant School the school population in the reserved area is classed as of high socio-economic, of mainly white European origin with a small percentage coming from other origins. Admitted to the school annually are some 25% from outside the reserved area of the school.The Race Relations Act 1976 prohibits schools discriminating on grounds of race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general duty on schools to:
~ eliminate racial discrimination
~ promote equality of opportunity
~ promote good relations between people of different racial groups Back to top
AIMS
At Farnham Common Infant School we place importance on eliminating racial discrimination, and promoting equal opportunities and good race relations in all areas of school life. We aim toEnsure that all members of the school community
~ governors
~ parents
~ staff
~ children
should respect each other as individuals in their own right, regardless of age,
gender, disability, religion or ethnic background;
1. Promote equality of opportunity in pupils? personal development, progress, assessment and attainment;
2. Promote equality of opportunity in staff employment and provision of training.
3. Enhance children?s perceptions of the rich variety of human traditions and customs;
4. Place equal value on all cultures, putting our own into perspective;
5. Increase children?s knowledge and understanding of the historical, geographic, sociological and religious basis for different cultural behaviour through appropriate use of the Curriculum, and teaching and learning strategies;
6. Promote partnerships with parents and guardians and communities to enable the children and the wider community to be at ease with those of other cultures and beliefs;
7. Encourage regular attendance;
8. Follow the provided guidelines for admittance to the school thus ensuring equality of opportunity in gaining a place at the school.
9. Promote the importance of inclusion and the need for effective learning opportunities to be provided for all pupils, including those from ethnic minority groups. Back to top
ACHIEVEMENT OF AIMS
The achievement of these aims requires the involvement of the different groups in the school community. Each will have responsibilities and commitments. These commitments include :~ actively tackling racial discrimination and promoting equal opportunities and good race relations;
~ encouraging, supporting and helping all pupils and staff to reach their potential;
~ working with parents and guardians, and with the wider community, to tackle racial discrimination, and to follow and promote good practice;
~ making sure the race equality policy and its procedures are followed. Back to top
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities1. Governing Body
The governors are responsible for:
~ making sure the school complies with the Race Relations Act;
~ making sure the race equality policy and procedures are followed by regularly monitoring the policy and any incidents that occur.
2. Head teacher
The head teacher is responsible for :
~ making sure the race equality policy is readily available and that the governors, staff, pupils, and their parents and guardians know about it;
~ making sure the race equality policy and procedures are followed;
~ producing regular information for staff and governors about the policy and how it is working, and providing training, if necessary;
~ making sure all staff know their responsibilities and receive training and support in carrying these out;
~ taking appropriate action in cases of racial harassment and racial discrimination.
3. All staff
All staff are responsible for:
~ dealing with racist incidents, and being able to recognise and tackle racial bias and stereotyping;
~ promoting equal opportunities and good race relations, and avoiding discrimination against anyone for reasons of race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins, age, gender or disability.
~ keeping up to date with the law on discrimination, and taking up training and learning opportunities.
4. The wider community
Parents, visitors and the wider community are responsible for :
~ knowing and following the race equality policy. Back to top
DEVELOPING GOOD PRACTICE
1. Employment of staff~ The applicant who is judged to be best for the job should be employed
~ All employees seeking special responsibility or promotion should be treated equally.
~ Provision of in service training should be available to all staff.
2 Education of children
~ All areas of the curriculum should be accessible to all children. Both girls and boys regardless of their ethnic background should be encouraged to participate in every aspect of learning
~ Use of stereotypes as should be avoided within the school. The attitude of all staff is most significant. Their attitude should permeate to the children.
~ Resources e.g. visual displays, reading materials, teaching aids, should be exempt of bias wherever possible.
~ Topic work, songs, stories should be chosen to incorporate elements that illuminate cultures other than that of the majority of children. Relevant visits and visitors should be arranged where possible. Whole school assemblies should focus on particular aspects.
~ Every opportunity should be taken to use situations that occur - news items, holidays abroad, visitors to school - to enhance the children?s awareness.
3. Parents and the Wider School Community
~ Parents and the wider school community should be encouraged to support the school policy on racial and equal opportunities.
~ Parents will be provided with information when their child starts school detailing the school policy. Back to top
COVERING THE SPECIFIC DUTIES
We have a specific duty under the Act to assess and monitor the effects of the policy on pupils, parents, guardians and staff from different racial groups.This monitoring will be an integral part of day to day management of the school.
It will include;
~ dealing with any specific incidents as they occur and the review of the incidents at an appropriate time, such as a staff meeting or governing body meeting, to ascertain if any systems need adapting or changing to avoid future incidents;
~ highlighting any implications for race equality in the processes for developing and planning policies.
~ reviewing policy documents, in the agreed cycle, ensuring that consideration is made and statements added to policies for reasons of equality of opportunity;
~ monitoring any data collected for the purposes of decision making in planning classes, monitoring attainment both for individuals and as a whole school, sanctions and rewards;
~ informing the appropriate members of the school community of any finding or changes that may need to be made. Back to top
PUTTING THE POLICY INTO PRACTICE
The policy will be put into practice by;~ informing all parties concerned about the policy
~ monitoring the policy to make sure it is working;
~ reviewing the policy annually. The review should include as many members of the school community as possible;
~ ensuring there is an appropriate training strategy to meet the needs of the school community, including staff and governors;
~ monitoring and assessing the training;
~ publishing and promoting the policy, or statements about the policy to staff, governors, parents and the wider community. Back to top
REVIEW OF THE POLICY
The policy will be reviewed annually, having been agreed by staff and governors. It should be dated and signed by the Chairman of the Governing Body.Signed...............................................................
Dated..................................
J Coleman January 2003 Back to top