This policy uses the United Kingdom Equality Act (2010) to clearly identify school's commitment to follow Britain’s discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society. This policy was developed and implemented in in an English maintained school.
School Inclusion Policy model
School Mission
Our values led, multicultural school promotes a happy, safe & caring environment that is committed to helping all children experience success, whatever their background or abilities. Our children build their learning power as part of a learning community in which they all become resilient & self-assured whilst achieving the highest standards for all they set out to do. The health, safety and wellbeing of every child and staff member is our paramount concern.
Contents
1. Introduction (school context)
2. About the Policy
3. Roles & Responsibilities
4. Definitions
5. Complaints
6. Implementing the policy
7. Key Areas
8. Monitoring the policy
I. Introduction (describe context)
**** is a larger than average primary school opened in *****.
2. About the Policy
This School Inclusion policy enables our school to meet our statutory obligations under the United Kingdom Equality Act (2010). The Act brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act.
This policy sets out our commitment to follow Britain’s discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.
At ***** School we will continuously strive to ensure that everyone in our school is treated with respect and dignity. Each person in our school will be given fair and equal opportunities to develop their full potential with positive regard to gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious background, sexuality or disability.
We will actively promote race equality and oppose racism in all its forms and foster positive attitudes and commitment to an education for equality.
We aim to achieve this by:
• Taking active measures to investigate, report and act on incidents of racial abuse
• Treating all those within the whole school community (e.g. pupils, staff, governors, parents and community) as individuals with their own particular abilities, beliefs, challenges, attitudes, background and experiences
• Creating a school ethos which promotes race equality, develops understanding and challenges myths, stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices.
• Encouraging everyone within our school community to gain a positive self-image and high self-esteem.
• Having high expectations of everyone involved in the school
• Identifying and removing all practices, procedures and customs which are discriminatory and replacing them with practices which are fair to all.
• Promoting mutual respect and valuing each other's similarities and differences and facing equality issues openly.
• Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing all of the above to secure continuous improvement in all that we do.
3. Roles and responsibilities
This School Inclusion policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved and connected with the school, so that each individual knows what is expected of them. Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and raising the achievement of all pupils is the responsibility of the whole school staff, including support staff.
Introduction to this School Inclusion policy will be included in induction arrangements for all new staff to the school. School induction procedures will highlight the duties implied by this policy in the same way as child protection, health and safety and behaviour policies form part of the induction process.
3.1 School Governing Committee (SGC)
The SGC of the school has agreed this policy and will:
• Assess and monitor the impact of this policy by reviewing the inclusion identified in the School Improvement Plan (SIP)
• Receive progress reports from the head teacher and other school staff on a termly basis, as part of- the head teacher's report to governors.
• Return statistical information to Department for Children and Young People (DCYP)
A member of SGC will have responsibility for monitoring this policy, acting as the designated governor for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.
3.2 Headteacher
The headteacher will demonstrate through their personal leadership the importance of this policy. He/she will:
• ensure that all staff are aware of the policy and understand their role and responsibility in relation to this policy;
• at all times model Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the treatment and management of all pupils and staff, including recruitment;
• to regularly remind staff of our open door policy, where Equality, Diversity & Inclusion concerns shared will be always respected and held in confidence
• develop SIP to assess and monitor the impact of the policy and report outcomes to the SGC on a termly basis; and
• ensure that, where additional funding is available for raising the achievement of all pupils, the additional resources are used appropriately and targeted on the basis of identified need for this purpose.
3.3 Inclusion Leader / SENDCO
The Inclusion Leader will be a teacher in the school who is involved in policy development and monitoring and evaluation. The role will also include keeping up to date with current thinking, being familiar with literature and resources, attending appropriate training courses and feeding back to colleagues.
3.4 Phase Leaders and Subject Leaders
Phase leaders and subject leaders are responsible for reviewing and monitoring curriculum policies and planning in their own subject areas to ensure that Equality, Diversity & Inclusion is promoted and optimised.
3.5 Teachers
Teachers will familiarise themselves with this policy and know what their responsibilities are to ensure that the policy is implemented. They will know the implications of the policy for their planning, teaching and learning strategies as well as for behavioural issues.
3.6 Administrative, ancillary, supervisory and support staff
All staff will familiarise themselves with this policy and know what their responsibilities are in ensuring that it is implemented and what to do if they feel excluded in anyway.
3.7 Pupils
Pupils will share in the development of the School Inclusion policy and be made aware of how it applies to them - pupil voice is valued and will be gathered for the purpose of evidencing effective implementation. The children will learn to treat each other with respect and report incidents of an exclusive nature to an adult so that improvements are made.
4. Definitions of exclusion (bullying and harassment)
LEGAL DEFINITIONS
4.1. For the purposes of the anti-discrimination legislation harassment is:
- unwanted conduct
- on one or more prohibited grounds which
- has the purpose or effect of
- violating the recipient’s dignity
- or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient.
4.2. Sexual harassment is:
- unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct
- of a sexual nature which
- has the purpose or effect of
- violating the recipient’s dignity
- or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient.
4.3. Thus harassment must involve some kind of conduct, which may be physical (e.g. an assault), verbal (e.g. name-calling) or non-verbal (e.g. offensive texts, emails, graffiti or the display of sexually explicit publications or digital media). There need not be a course of conduct, a one-off incident may be enough if it is sufficiently serious. Nor does the conduct have to be targeted at, or directed to, a particular individual or individuals; it can consist of a general culture or atmosphere which is, for example, hostile to women, or individuals of a particular religion, or minority group.
4.4. The conduct must be unwanted by the recipient. However, this does not mean that a person is always required to make clear that they find certain conduct unacceptable. Some conduct, such as a sexual assault, is sufficiently gross as to be unmistakeably unwelcome. Even where the conduct is not so obviously unwelcome (e.g. inappropriate banter), it is not necessary for a person to say anything to indicate their disapproval. Once
the person has made it sufficiently clear that the conduct is unwanted, any repetition of or persistence in it will generally constitute harassment or sexual harassment.
4.5. Harassment must be on one or more prohibited grounds – that is, on grounds of race, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age, gender re-assignment, on the ground of the recipient’s sex or for a reason which relates to the recipient’s disability. So, for example, bullying a person because they are black or gay could constitute harassment.
4.6. Sexual harassment must involve conduct of a sexual nature, but it need not be on account of the recipient’s gender or take place between members of the opposite sex. Examples of such conduct may include: inappropriate or overfamiliar touching (groping, fondling, pinching, patting etc); pestering someone for a date, asking about their sex life or commenting on their anatomy; making suggestive remarks or obscene gestures; leering or wolf-whistling; displaying nude pin-ups; downloading, watching or reading pornographic images, films or magazines in a communal area; and, circulating e-mails, mobile telephone texts or multimedia messages containing ‘dirty’ jokes or other sexual content or images.
4.7. To amount to harassment, or sexual harassment, the conduct complained of must have the purpose or effect of violating the recipient’s dignity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. It makes no difference whether the conduct was intended to have either of these effects. The fact that it was intended as a joke, or that no offence was meant, is no excuse. Where the conduct was unintentional, the test is whether in all the circumstances, including in particular the perception of the Complainant, the conduct could reasonably be considered as having either of the specified effects.
4.8. It follows that in most cases conduct violates a person’s dignity if he or she finds it demeaning. It does not matter that not everyone would feel the same way as long as the conduct is objectively capable of causing offence and the recipient is not being oversensitive (i.e. they do not unreasonably take offence).
4.9. Similarly, it is for individuals to decide what conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Inevitably they will have different perceptions about this, but that does not matter providing the conduct in question is objectively capable of creating that kind of environment.
4.10. Knowing how and where to draw the line is particularly difficult when the same incident can be viewed in totally different ways by the parties involved. What one person (or even a majority of people) may see as friendly banter (i.e. good-natured teasing or joking) – or even as a compliment – may be unwelcome and demeaning to another colleague. Everyone has their own personal boundaries or limits. The context is important too. For example, certain behaviour may be acceptable outside the workplace or off duty but not in the workplace or on duty; or it may be acceptable from some people (e.g. particular work colleagues or friends) but not others.
4.11. For the purposes of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 only, harassment includes treating a person less favourably than others because they rejected, or submitted to, sexual harassment or harassment on the ground of their sex (e.g. a Reporting Officer giving someone a bad report because they have refused to enter into a personal relationship with them).
4.12. For the purposes of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 harassment is conduct which occurs on at least two occasions which is targeted at the complainant which is calculated in an objective sense to cause alarm or distress and which is objectively judged to be oppressive and unreasonable. Intention is irrelevant. All
that is required is that the conduct occurs in circumstances where a reasonable person would realise that harassment would be its effect. In other words an objective test will be applied.
VICTIMISATION
4.13. For the purposes of the anti-discrimination legislation generally, victimisation is less favourable treatment of a person compared to others (who have not done a protected act) because that person has done, or intends to do, a protected act.
4.14. Bringing any proceedings under the anti-discrimination legislation is a protected act, as is giving evidence or information in connection with such proceedings and alleging conduct which would amount to unlawful discrimination or harassment, unless the allegation was false and not made in good faith.
4.15. There is no need to show that the alleged victimiser was consciously motivated by the protected act.
4.16. Neither harassment nor victimisation in their legal senses can be justified.
BULLYING
4.17. There are many definitions of what constitutes bullying but no legal definition. In general it may be characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.
4.18. Bullying is not always a case of pulling rank. It can also take place between peers, and occasionally personnel are bullied by those junior to them.
4.19. Bullying can often be hard to recognise; it is not necessarily conducted face to face and may be insidious (the recent rise in bullying by mobile phone text message is a good example of this). The recipient may think it is normal behaviour for the organisation; they may be anxious that others will consider them weak or disloyal if they do not put up with it; or they may worry that if they report it, they will not be believed and may be victimised.
4.20. Though most people will agree on extreme cases of bullying, behaviour that is considered bullying by one person may be viewed as, for example, ‘firm management’ or ‘robust leadership’ by another. Such perceptions should, however, be treated sceptically and strongly discouraged, in case they are being used as a pretext or euphemism for bullying.
4.21. Initiation ceremonies should also be strongly discouraged. Such activities are now prohibited. Whilst some individuals may still regard such activities as a means of ‘bonding’ or ‘team-building’, they invariably include an element of peergroup pressure/coercion to participate to some extent. Disapproval by the majority of any individual(s) who may be uncomfortable with such practices will still have a debilitating effect, can undermine operational efficiency, good order and military discipline and may constitute harassment or bullying.
5. Complaints procedure
**** aims to become a more diverse and inclusive organization, with every member feeling valued as part of the team, this is integral to future success – talented people with different backgrounds and experiences must
be engaged, attracted, developed and retained. ***** is committed to strengthening diversity by creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the confidence to stand up against unacceptable behavior and feel empowered to report incidents.
****** is a guide for all personnel about bullying and harassment complaints procedures. This includes making, responding to, advising on, investigating, and deciding on, complaints of bullying and harassment.
5.1.4. It is ****** policy that all community members, have a right to be treated with dignity. All community members also have a responsibility to do all they can to ensure that the working environment is free from all forms of bullying and harassment and that the dignity of others is respected. All personnel are to:
a. ensure that their own conduct does not amount to bullying or harassment;
b. have the moral courage to challenge inappropriate behaviour;
c. be prepared to support those who experience or witness bullying or harassment; and;
d. report bullying or harassment against themselves or others.
5.1.5. The Headteacher and Line Managers (LMs) have additional responsibilities to set the highest example through their own behaviour and to ensure that personnel for whom they are responsible are aware of, understand and adhere to **** School policy. They must be vigilant and proactive in preventing bullying and harassment from occurring within their units or establishments (rather than waiting for complaints to arise). If it does occur, they must have the moral courage to deal with it properly and promptly, whether or not a complaint has been made.
5.1.6. Complainants should not feel discouraged from making a bullying or harassment complaint for fear of negative consequences and should be reassured that they will be protected against victimisation. The Head teacher/ LMs should be aware that having a bullying and/or harassment complaint made within the school is not a sign of failure; the failure is not taking appropriate and timely action.
5.1.7. Bullying and harassment of any kind benefits no-one. It is damaging to the health, performance and morale of those on the receiving end of it and may ultimately result in them leaving **** School employment altogether. It also damages the operational effectiveness of teams and the reputation of the community. Examples of unacceptable behaviour which will not be tolerated include:
a. unwelcome sexual attention or ‘environmental’ harassment such as the open display of pornographic material;
b. ridiculing someone (e.g. making fun of the way they look or speak) or insulting them (e.g. on the grounds of sex, gender reassignment, race or ethnic or national origin, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age);
c. encouraging, verbalising or acting on negative stereotypes of men, women or members of minority groups;
d. ostracising someone, excluding them from group activities (or conversely, coercing them into taking part in unwanted activities through fear of being ostracised), or spreading malicious rumours about them;
e. deliberately setting someone up to fail (e.g. by giving them unrealistic targets or deadlines to meet, or by giving them duties or responsibilities beyond their capability), unduly criticising their performance, or unfairly picking on them;
f. publicly undermining someone’s authority;
g. labelling someone who has made a complaint of bullying or harassment a “troublemaker”, or retaliating against/victimising them;
h. pressurising someone into not making a complaint.
5.1.8. If possible and appropriate, early informal resolution of bullying and harassment allegations should be attempted in the first instance and at the lowest, appropriate level. However, all personnel have a right to make a formal complaint if they feel they have been bullied/harassed.
5.1.9. Formal complaints under grievance procedures should normally be made within 3 months of the alleged incident or, if the complaint is about a series or pattern of incidents, the latest incident. If it is just and equitable to do so, a formal complaint may be considered even if it is outside the 3-month time limit. Complaints will be taken seriously and investigated without delay, impartially, thoroughly, sensitively and confidentially.
The ***** School will make contractors and agency staff aware of the Inclusion policy and procedures. Similarly, bullying and harassment of contractors or agency staff by community members is unlawful and both **** School and the individual(s) responsible may be held responsible for this.
If anyone in the school feels that this policy is not being followed then they should raise the matter with the Head teacher who will facilitate the appropriate action, which may include an investigation and report on the issue. The Headteacher will discuss advice and support – this includes moral support, impartial advice and support, practical assistance, confidential advice and support (Service Agencies, Help Lines, and External Agencies).
Help Lines. Personnel may also seek guidance from the following confidential support lines:
• list support
RAISING A COMPLAINT
After having obtained advice, there are three ways a complaint can be raised:
1. As statistical data – no action taken
Anyone to report an instance of bullying and harassment completely anonymously (for example) via the QR code and link.
2. Attempt to resolve the matter informally
In many cases, a Complainant simply wants the behaviour in question to stop and for its effect on them to be acknowledged. Quite often, the Respondent(s) will not have realised the adverse effect of their behaviour and will be willing to change. In such cases, the aim should be to take action promptly at the lowest appropriate level in order to achieve a mutually acceptable solution. This in turn should enable operational efficiency and/or a harmonious working environment (or accommodation area) to be restored as quickly as possible.
Making an attempt at informal resolution does not mean that the Complainant cannot make a formal complaint during the attempt, or if the attempt fails.
The informal route involves the Complainant explaining clearly to the Respondent(s) that their behaviour was unwanted and unacceptable, and what the Complainant wants them to do about it (e.g. to acknowledge its impact on the Complainant, to agree not to do it again and to apologise). Action can include:
a. Speaking to the Respondent directly
b. Writing to the Respondent
c. Using the Command/Line Management Chain
d. Using a Colleague or Official representative
e. Using Mediation
3. Make a formal complaint of bullying and harassment
Formal complaints must normally be submitted within 3 months of the incident complained about, or, if the complaint is about a series or pattern of incidents, the latest incident. In this latter case, the entire series or pattern of incidents will be considered.
5.4.4 A complainant should contact the Headteacher/ SGC for advice and to ensure that the formal complaint is recorded.
5.4.5. A formal complaint must be submitted in writing (it may be type-written, but must be signed by the Complainant). Although a complaint may initially be submitted in any written format, the Complainant will be expected to complete and submit a complaint form (template).
5.4.6 A formal complaint for community members must be submitted to the Senior Line Manager (Headteacher).
5.4.10. Complainants who are reluctant to make a formal complaint because of the stress or anxiety this may entail should be advised to seek welfare/pastoral support and/or medical help.
5.4.11. Complainants should not feel discouraged from making a formal complaint for fear of negative consequences and should be reassured that they will be protected against victimisation.
6. Implementing this School Inclusion Policy
This School Inclusion policy is linked to our SIP action plan for promoting equality and raising achievement of all pupils. Subject Leaders should refer to this policy in their personal action plans and priorities for action in the future.
7. Key areas in promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
7.1. The ethos of the school
• This Inclusion policy reflects the ethos of the school and is explicit in all the school's policies.
• Steps are taken to ensure that everyone associated with the school is kept informed about this Inclusion policy and procedures, and abides by them.
• The policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and their effectiveness evaluated, taking into account the views of all sections of the school community.
7.2 Pupils' achievements and progress
• Pupils' attainment and progress in individual subjects are monitored.
• The school develops strategies for tackling differences in the attainment and progress of particular groups.
• The school values the achievements and progress of pupils. All pupils have equal access to extended provision.
• Every pupil is offered the support and guidance they need.
• Staff challenge racism, stereotyping and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in education, employment, training and career choice.
7.3 Curriculum, teaching and learning (including language and cultural needs)
• This school promotes an inclusive curriculum which reflects the multi-cultural nature of our society.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are promoted and racism and discrimination are challenged in all areas of the curriculum. Curriculum planning takes account of the socio-cultural background and language needs of all pupils.
• Phase leaders and subject leaders model and provide guidance and examples of good practice for colleagues.
• The school monitors and evaluates its effectiveness in providing an appropriate curriculum for all pupils.
• Assessment outcomes are used to: identify the specific needs of all pupils, inform policies, planning and the allocation of resources.
• Teaching methods and styles take account of the needs of all pupils and encourage positive attitudes to equality, diversity and inclusivity.
• The school takes active steps to ensure that resources in all areas of the curriculum are inclusive. It promotes a greater understanding of cultural diversity and racial equality. There is acknowledgement of the importance of challenging racism and racial discrimination in all areas of the curriculum.
• Resources are made available to meet the specific needs of all pupils, including dual language resources.
• The school makes full use of the resources available.
7.4 Guidelines for working with pupils who have English as an additional language
• The school recognises and values multi-lingualism.
• The language and learning needs of multi-lingual pupils are clearly identified and appropriate support identified and used. The school will reflect and develop pupils' and communities' languages and cultural backgrounds through resources and displays throughout the school. For example multilingual signs, notices, children's writing.
• The school will explore a broad range of other media, for example computer software, the Internet, audio and videotapes, films, songs, games etc., to support the maintenance and development of home/community language skills and cultural heritage.
• The school will seek to provide community languages and dual language texts, both fiction and non-fiction, in order to facilitate access for pupils and communities who are developing literacy in their first language.
• The school will draw on the skills of parents and local communities in producing resources.
• The school will seek to provide high quality interpretation and translation across all areas of the school's work as appropriate.
7.5 Pupil behaviour, discipline and exclusion
• The school’s procedures for managing, rewarding and disciplining pupils are fair and applied equally to all pupils.
7.6 Racism and racial harassment
• There is a clear policy and established procedures for dealing with incidents of racism and racial harassment which is understood by everyone in the school community.
• The monitoring system used by the school enables the school to report the relevant details to the governing body and to the Local Authority each term.
7.7 Admissions and transfer procedures
• ***** School will take active steps to ensure that the admission process is fair and equitable to all pupils.
• Steps are taken to ensure that all selection methods are fair and equitable to all pupils.
• The school monitors pupil attendance and uses the data to develop strategies to address poor attendance. Provision is made for pupils to take time off for religious observance, leave of absence and authorised absence.
7.8 Staff recruitment and career development
• Section 10 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 requires the selection of people for appointment to be ‘on merit on the basis of fair and open competition’.
• Everyone involved in recruitment and selection adheres to the Principles.
• The recruitment and selection process is monitored and reviewed to ensure that discrimination is not taking place and to identify examples of good practice.
• The school monitors the employment and professional development of all staff.
• Staff and governors go through regular and systematic training programmes on equality, diversity and inclusion issues.
• Proactive steps are taken to identify, support and provide opportunities for the professional development of all staff.
• The school takes active steps to ensure that selection for redundancy is fair.
7.9 Parents, governors and community partnership
• Parents are welcome and respected in school.
• All community members are encouraged to become school governors.
• Governors are encouraged to play an active role in the life of the school in order to fulfill their monitoring duties.
• The school seeks to support all governors in performing their role, for example, through school induction procedures for new governors.
• All parents are regularly informed of their child's progress.
• Proactive steps are taken to involve all parents in the school.
• The school has active links with various community groups.
8. Monitoring the Inclusion policy
• To monitor all pupils' attainment, we collect information about pupil performance and progress, analyse it and use it to examine trends.
• Pupil voice is collected regularly and Local Authority staff surveys are analysed and findings shared, in the journey of optimizing Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity.
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