Equality Statement & PSED

Equality Statement

Our Commitment to Equality

At The Beeches Primary School, we are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. We believe that all members of our school community should be treated with dignity and respect and given the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

We work to ensure that no pupil, member of staff, parent or visitor is disadvantaged or treated unfairly on the basis of personal characteristics.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 provides a single legal framework to protect individuals from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. It identifies protected characteristics, which are:

Disability
Gender reassignment
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion or belief
Sex
Sexual orientation

In addition, age and marriage and civil partnership are protected characteristics for staff.

The school does not unlawfully discriminate against pupils, staff or others with whom we engage.

Public Sector Equality Duty

As a maintained school, The Beeches Primary School complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). In carrying out our functions, we have due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

How We Comply with the Equality Duty

We meet our duty by:

Ensuring equality considerations inform school policies, decision-making and practice
Monitoring pupil progress, attainment, behaviour and participation to identify and address gaps between groups
Promoting inclusive teaching and learning that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
Creating a school culture that promotes respect, understanding and positive relationships
Taking action to prevent and respond effectively to prejudice-related incidents
Providing staff training to raise awareness of equality, inclusion and unconscious bias
Improving accessibility of the physical environment, curriculum and communication for pupils, staff and visitors with disabilities

Equality information is reviewed and updated annually.

Equality Objectives

The school sets equality objectives to support continuous improvement and meet the specific duties of the Equality Act. These objectives are reviewed at least every four years.

Current Equality Objectives (2024–2028):

To reduce attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and their peers through targeted support, high-quality teaching and effective use of assessment information.
To improve inclusion and participation in wider school life, including enrichment and extra-curricular activities, for all groups of pupils.
To continue improving accessibility across the school for pupils, staff and visitors with disabilities, in line with the school’s Accessibility Plan.
To strengthen understanding of diversity and respect through the curriculum, assemblies and RSHE education, supporting positive relationships and reducing prejudice-related language and behaviour.
To ensure equality of opportunity for staff, including in recruitment, professional development and leadership.

Progress towards these objectives is monitored by senior leaders and governors.

The Beeches Primary School

Equality Statement & PSED