Equality statement and Objectives
Equality Statement and Objectives
Academy: Co-op Academy Woodlands
Approved by: Adele Clark (Headteacher)
Equality Statement and Objectives
Equality and Diversity Objectives 23-26
Introduction
At Co-op Academy Woodlands, we are committed to promoting equality and preventing discrimination in both employment and education provision. We will create an inclusive environment, to ensure that every member of the Woodlands community can contribute and is given an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential. Each individual is entitled to learn, teach or work in a supportive environment and to benefit from the diversity, equality and inclusivity of our school community.
We will foster an appreciation of our diversity and celebrate this in the environment, curriculum and experiences. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum, and consider our pupils' varied experiences, abilities and needs. The achievements, attitudes and well-being of all members of our school community matters.
Equality Statement
We recognise that the overall ethos and climate of the school contributes to what our children learn from us in school; that children pick up on the values and expectations we promote. Children learn as much from the subtle ‘little things’ that go on, all the hidden messages that are so powerful (the hidden curriculum) – as in their formal lessons.
At Co-op Academy Woodlands, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where every member of our community feels valued, respected, and empowered. As part of the Co-op Academies Trust, we are guided by our shared values of fairness, equality, and social responsibility.
We recognise and celebrate the diversity of our pupils, staff, and wider community, and we are dedicated to promoting equality of opportunity regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or socioeconomic background.
In order to achieve this, we will:
- Creating an Inclusive Culture:
- Ensuring all individuals feel welcome, supported, and able to achieve their full potential.
- Regularly seeking input from students, staff, and parents to ensure their voices shape our policies and practices.
- Celebrating cultural, religious, and social diversity through events, assemblies, and curriculum content.
- Developing clear expectations and positive behaviors that promote mutual respect across the school community.
- Promoting Understanding and Respect:
- Always challenge in an open and frank manner, behaviour and language which threaten the promotion of equal opportunities and take time to discuss with children the negative and damaging effect it has.
- Encouraging open dialogue, challenging discrimination, and celebrating the rich diversity within our academy and society.
- Actively addressing and resolving instances of prejudice, harassment, or discrimination, reinforcing our zero-tolerance approach.
- Using diverse and representative materials in classrooms, including literature, media, and historical studies.
- Providing Equal Opportunities:
- Delivering a curriculum and educational experience that is accessible, representative, and empowering for all learners
- Be sensitive to the needs of all individuals; recognising each in his or her own right, and without placing labels on individuals or groups of children.
- Ensuring enrichment programs, clubs, and leadership opportunities are inclusive and accessible to all students.
- Encouraging and supporting children to pursue ambitious goals, regardless of their background or circumstances.
- Embedding equity-focused monitoring and evaluation practices to ensure all learners have opportunities to succeed.
- Removing Barriers to Success:
- Ensuring accessible physical environments, including adaptive technologies and support for individuals with disabilities or special educational needs (SEND).
- Providing tailored academic support, such as differentiated teaching strategies, one-on-one interventions, and access to additional resources for learners who need them.
- Actively identifying and addressing inequalities in access, outcomes, and experiences within our school community.
- Offering mentoring and counseling services to support emotional well-being and resilience.
- Delivering training and professional development for staff to equip them with the tools to recognize and challenge unconscious bias, promote equity, and support diverse learners effectively.
Actions Taken
During the last year we have taken the following actions to advance equality, diversity and inclusion, and to comply with our equality duty.
Pupils
- The school building is inclusive and inviting for all
- Children are involved in Pupil Voice in all aspect of academy life
- Rewards, activities and acknowledgement for children with good attendance, data is tracked to ensure equity and equality
- Zero tolerance of racism and/or any hate crime,
- Behaviour data is tracked taking all groups in consideration and recorded, half termly report is produced for stakeholders
- The curriculum knowledge and skills meet the needs of the community we serve
- Hearing equipment available and maintained
- Have access to books that represent them as well as reflecting different cultures, religions, gender identities, sexual identities and family make up
- Celebrate a range of religious and cultural festivals
- Lessons are planned and delivered so that all pupils including pupils with SEND and English as an additional language can access the learning alongside their peers with the help of enablers.
Staff
- Recruitment including adverts represents the diversity in school and encourage and welcome applicants with a diverse background
- A wellbeing group to be a spokesperson for their needs and ensure mental wellbeing in the workplace
- Show appreciation of all staff and the work they do by ensuring that we reward all through our reward and recognition scheme in school
- Ensure all staff are listened and responded to by consulting with them on key policies as well as key plans through the use of google surveys
- Take religion, culture and ethnicity in consideration when planning staff events and staff rewards.
- Have access to occupational health referrals which support with both physical and mental health
- Have risk assessments to support medical needs, pregnancy or mental wellbeing
Our community
- A strong pastoral team to support and assist parents and carers with issues that will affect our pupils learning and well-being
- Celebration and the opportunity to celebrate all religions in our Academy
- Include and celebrate significant people in our curriculum that is representative of our community
Equality and Diversity Objectives 23-26
Equality objective 1: Behaviour
To ensure positive behaviour and misbehaviour systems are fair and equitable to support our children and to improve their emotional development including mental health.
Planned actions:
- The development and implementation of our character curriculum to teach children how to behave which in turn will create psychological safety for our children.
- Further improve the use and understanding of the Zones of regulation so that children can regulate and share their emotions and be equipped to manage these.
- Monitor all behaviour incidents and track these to ensure rewards and consequences are not disadvantaging a particular cohort and group of children
- Learning mentors to map out interventions as directed by the DHT leading on behaviour and PD.
- Ensure all staff have received CPD on key policies in school including the behaviour policy, the anti-bullying policy and attendance policy
- Provide staff and parents with appropriate support on behaviour management strategies
- Monitor the consistency and application of the behaviour policy and attendance policy
- Provide staff and parents with appropriate support on behaviour management strategies
- Monitor the consistency of recording systems to ensure fair and consistent use of of rewards and sanctions
Equality objective 2: Personal development
To promote equality of opportunity in enrichment activities and learning experiences
Planned actions:
- Offering sufficient places to enrichment activities so all who wish to participate are able to
- Track participation and use pupil voice to inform activities on offer
- Complete funding applications where applicable to ensure all enrichment activities after school remain free of charge.
- Where possible include parents/carers in enrichment activities to support and promote parent/carer and child relationships
- The curriculum offer a range of experiences in all year groups to enhance the curriculum but to also provide opportunities to do things and go places our children may not be able to do otherwise
- Participate in inter school competitions to improve attendance and support children’s wellbeing.
Equality objective 3: Curriculum
To further promote understanding and respect for diversity within the school and school community through our curriculum and community engagement
Planned Actions
- Ensure parents gain a better understanding of our curriculum and seek feedback through parent voice
- To engage hard to reach parents through the use of mission 44 to break down communication barriers and build positive relationships with parents so they can support the academy
- Teach children about diversity and understand their rights and responsibilities in relation to the protected characteristics
- Ensure we continue to develop and purchase resources and books to represent the diversity in our curriculum
- Ensure learning is inclusive and that enablers and challenge is used to support all learners
- Track assessment data and ensure achievement data is analysed by all key pupil groups
- Use of Oracy 21 to promote good language and communication skills amongst our pupils to support and enhance their learning experience in school.