Gender Equality policy and Scheme

Vision

The Law

Aims

Objectives

Action Programme

Consultation

Adoption and Review

Responsibilities

Vision

  Farnham   Common   Infant School is committed to providing an education and environment which offer gender equality in opportunities and freedom from discrimination on grounds of gender or sexual orientation. This applies to everyone involved with the School – pupils, parents, staff, governors, volunteers, and the wider community. It covers teaching and learning and other activities within and outside the curriculum, the employment and pay of staff, and relationships with volunteers, governors, parents and the community. We try to demonstrate it in the actions we take, the way we think and speak and behave, and the examples we set.

 

 

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The Law

By law, schools have a general duty to promote equality of opportunity between men and women, and to eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and harassment.

 

They also have specific duties to:

 

 

• prepare and publish a gender equality scheme, setting out its objectives (including addressing the causes of any identified gender pay gap) and how the duties will be fulfilled.

   

• consult stakeholders on the gender equality objectives

   

• gather and use information for impact assessments of how the school’s current and proposed policies and practices affect gender equality in its workforce and delivery services

   

• implement the actions set out in the scheme within three years, reporting against the scheme every year and reviewing it at least every three years.

   

This document sets out Farnham   Common   Infant School ’s Gender Equality Policy and Scheme. It sits within our overall Statement on Equal Opportunities Policies, alongside our other specific policies in that area. These include our

 

• Race Equality Policy

   

• Disability Equality Policy

   

• Accessibility Policy

   

Other policies are also relevant – for example, special educational needs, anti-bullying, assessment.

 

 

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Aims

At Farnham   Common   Infant School , we aim

 

 

 

 

• to provide each pupil with equal access to an education which will enable him or her to utilise his or her talents to the full, regardless of gender, and which achieves the five outcomes in “Every Child Matters”

   

• to promote gender equality among adults involved within the School, and eliminate any unlawful sex discrimination and harassment, in the employment and pay of staff, the management of volunteers, the work of governors, and relationships with parents and the community

   

• to ensure that good gender equality practice permeates all aspects of School life, applies to all children and adults, and offers good role models

   

• to raise awareness among children and adults of gender equality issues occurring inside or outside the School environment

   

• to foster understanding and respect between the sexes

   

• to monitor the achievement of our aims and objectives, and respond promptly and effectively to any concerns about their achievement.

   

 

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Objectives

To meet these aims, we will

 

 

 

 

• ensure equal opportunities for participation and achievement in all aspects of School life, challenging any gender stereotypes

   

• monitor pupil participation and achievement by gender, within the curriculum and in extra-curricular activities, including physical activities and creative and performing arts, and take steps to address any inequalities

   

• monitor any harassment or bullying of pupils by gender, and take steps to address any inequalities

   

• ensure that gender issues are considered when selecting teaching and learning topics, acquiring resources, or making changes in the School’s organisation or environment

   

• establish and monitor gender equality requirements in our policies on staff recruitment, pay and other conditions, personal development and training, promotion, responsibilities, flexible working, grievance and disciplinary procedures, bullying and harassment; and take steps to address any inequalities

   

• ensure that gender equality issues in the work of the governing body, and in the roles and management of volunteers, are monitored and addressed

   

• ensure that gender equality issues are considered, and acted upon, in our accessibility to and relationships with parents and the wider community.

   

 

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Action Programme

A preliminary assessment suggests that there is no evidence of any significant gender inequalities in these areas at Farnham   Common   Infant School , although there are gender differences in some aspects of pupil performance which are already being addressed.

 

The governing body will oversee a systematic rolling programme of gender impact assessments, and proposed actions to tackle any identified inequalities, over the next three school years in the following policy areas:

 

 

 

 

2007/08: curriculum, uniform, admissions, personnel and pay

 

2008/09: discipline, bullying, sports, creative and performing arts

 

2009/10: national healthy school status, any other “Every Child Matters” outcomes not covered earlier.

 

During this time, individual School policies and procedures will also be subject to gender impact assessments, either as part of their regular annual review, or whenever changes or new policies and procedures are proposed.

 

 

 

 

The regular overall statistical assessment of pupil performance and progress will examine any gender differences and identify appropriate action needed. This will be incorporated in the School Plan.

 

 

 

 

Other gender equality issues and actions will also be reflected in the School Plan as it is regularly reviewed and rolled forward.

 

 

 

 

The governing body will check and report on this overall Gender Equality Policy and Scheme annually.

 

 

 

 

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Consultation

We will consult on this Gender Equality Policy and Scheme with

 

• pupils, in ways appropriate to their age and experience

   

• staff , through existing staff consultation arrangements

   

• parents and volunteers via the newsletter, parental survey and other regular events

   

• the wider community, through representative governors.

   

 

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Adoption and Review

 

Following the consultations the governing body will formally adopt the Gender Equality Policy and Scheme with any amendments it thinks fit prior to 31 October

2007.  It will review the Policy and Scheme in 2011.

 

 

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Responsibilities

The Gender Equality Policy and Scheme is the responsibility of:

 

• staff member: Headteacher – Jan Coleman

   

• governor: Chair of Governors – Rachel Slais

                                                                                

•  Adopted  October 2007

    

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