Nurture Educational Multicultural Society
Equality Policy

The Equality Act 2010 replaced all previous equality legislation such as the Race Relations Act, Disability Discrimination Act, and Sex Discrimination Act. It also provides some changes about which our Education Centre staff need to be aware.

The Equality Act 2010 provides a single, consolidated source of discrimination law, covering all the types of discrimination that are unlawful. It simplifies the law by removing anomalies and inconsistencies that had developed over time in the existing legislation, and it extends the protection from discrimination in certain areas.

As far as we are concerned, for the most part, the effect of the new law is the same as it has been in the past – meaning that Education Centers cannot unlawfully discriminate against pupils because of their sex, race, disability, religion or belief, and sexual orientation. Protection is now extended to pupils who are pregnant or undergoing gender reassignment.

Nurture Educational Multicultural Society seeks to foster warm, welcoming, and respectful environments, which allow us to question and challenge discrimination and inequality, resolve conflicts peacefully and work and learn free from harassment and violence.

We recognize that there are similarities and differences between individuals and groups but we will strive to ensure that our differences do not become barriers to participation, access, and learning and to create inclusive processes and practices, where the varying needs of individuals and groups are identified and met. We therefore cannot achieve equality for all by treating everyone the same.

We will build on our similarities and seek enrichment from our differences and so promote understanding and learning between and towards others to create cohesive communities.

This Equality Policy for Nurture Educational Multicultural Society brings together all previous policies, schemes, and action plans around equality including those that we had previously for Race, Gender, and Disability. It includes all the protected characteristics covered under the Equality Act 2010 as well as other aspects, which have the potential to discriminate against or devalue any individuals within our community. We are further committed to the development of cohesive communities both within physical boundaries and within our local, national, and global environments. Our Charity embraces the aim of working together with others to improve children’s educational and well-being outcomes and notes the rights set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Scope and Aim

Our Equality Policy is inclusive of our whole Charity community – children, young people & their parents/guardians staff, adults, volunteers, visitors, and partner agencies – who we have engaged with and who have been actively involved in and contributed to its development.

It explains how we aim to listen to and involve children, young people, staff, parents, volunteers s, and the community in achieving better outcomes for our children and young people.

Overall aims of our Equality Policy

  • To provide a secure environment in which all our students can flourish and achieve all five outcomes of ‘Every Child Matters’ (be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and enjoy economic well-being)
  • To eliminate discrimination, harassment, and
  • To promote equality of access and opportunity within our Charity and within our wider
  • To promote positive attitudes to difference and good relationships between people with different backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, faiths, abilities, and ethnic

Our Duties

We recognize and accept our equality duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010 and have sought to involve the whole Charity community in the process in order to ensure better outcomes for all.

We have due regard to the need to ensure that persons with protected characteristics are not disproportionately, or negatively impacted as a result of our decision or policy making.

We positively foster good relations between different groups of children, young people, and the wider Charity community.

We will consider whether to provide auxiliary aids that are directly related to disabled children’s educational needs as a reasonable adjustment, particularly where the child is not provided for under an SEN statement, or where the statement does not provide the auxiliary aid or service.

The United Nations Convention also guides us on the Rights of the Child.

We will ensure we identify opportunities for promoting our vision, the key concepts, and our duties on equality legislation across all aspects of Charity life, including the provision of extended services.

These opportunities are likely to include all or some of the following, dependent on our current priorities.

  • preparation for entry to the Charity Building
  • school policies
  • breaks and lunchtimes
  • interaction with peers
  • opportunities for assessment and accreditation
  • exam arrangements
  • behavior management approach and sanctions
  • exclusion procedures
  • clubs, activities, and Education Centre trips
  • Charity’s arrangements for working with other organizations
  • preparation of children & young people for the next phase of education
  • learning and teaching and the planned curriculum
  • classroom organization
  • timetabling
  • grouping of children
  • access to Charity facilities

a. Pupils/ Children

All children/ pupils should at all times feel safe from harassment, insult, or discrimination and have access to help should any offense occur.

All Children/ pupils should have the right to functional access to all curriculum areas and should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential in each of those areas.

 

All Children/ pupils are equally entitled to their tutor’s attention, use of sanctions, and access to an extracurricular activity.

Children/ Pupils’ needs differ, and this must be recognized by both staff and pupils if all are to have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.

a. Staff

All staff will be mindful of the unintentional nature of discrimination and will adopt good practices in relation to expectations, and the use of appropriate language, resources, and guidance.

All pupils should have the right to functional access to all curriculum areas and should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential in each of those areas.

Teachers will strive to plan work and organize and manage classes to take into account such factors as ethnicity, disability, gender, socio-economic backgrounds, and giftedness whilst maintaining consistently high expectations.

APPENDIX A: KEY LEGISLATION

Equality Act 2010

Harmonizes and streamlines existing equality legislation into one Single Act.

The Act protects pupils from discrimination and harassment based on ‘protected characteristics:

  • Age.
  • Disability.
  • Gender reassignment.
  • Pregnancy and maternity.
  • Marriage and Civil Partnership
  • Race.
  • Religion or belief.
  • Sex.
  • Sexual orientation.

This relates to: