We’re committed to promoting equality and preventing discrimination in both employment and education provision. We will create an inclusive environment, where everyone can contribute their best and develop to their full potential. We will celebrate the fact that everyone is different, yet valued, and make sure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

You can read more about this below, including the actions we have already taken to advance equality, diversity and inclusion in our academy and our community, and to comply with our equality duty. We’ve also set out our equality objectives, which are the things we’re going to be focusing on this year; we have defined principles of equality to guide us in everything we do.

Equality Statement

At Co-op Academy Hillside, we believe that some things matter more than others. We want to make the world a better place, so that everybody, regardless of similarity or difference, can play a valuable part in our future. So together, we accept our responsibility, to value everyone, to challenge prejudice, and to speak out for what we believe in: a world where we are all valued and where everybody can succeed. We are clear about ‘What Matters Most’.

Our school curriculum is unapologetically challenging: we teach our children about the world, as it is and as it was, and we share our learning with objectivity. Things happen in the world, and happened in the past, that are not just or fair, but by talking about things we can learn to make the world a better place and we can learn to take responsibility for shaping the future we hope for, for all of us.

Our academy community has the highest expectations of itself, and we have the same expectations of each other; this helps us to make sense of issues and inequalities in the world, helps us to grow our own perspective and identity, and empowers us to build a better future, where we feel proud of who we are. Our programmes of study support the tackling of stereotypes of all kinds, whilst celebrating the learning available to us, and promoting learning from each other.

We are not a diverse community of pupils and colleagues, and we don’t represent many backgrounds, but we know that people come from different places, speaking different languages, with different beliefs, and have experienced a wealth of different things; we are determined to learn, and we prioritise understanding: we are united our belief in inclusion, equality, compassion, empathy and humility, and we are not afraid to speak up for what is right, and to work together to make a positive difference.

Our shared journey will never be one that is complete, so every year we will reflect on our progress. We’ll celebrate our success, we’ll accept where we have fallen short, and we will plan to make ourselves and our community better. We will be guided by our Cooperative Values through our ‘Ways of Being Co-op’, and this will help us to:

Be ourselves always - unashamedly, authentically and without fear.
Do What Matters Most - challenging injustice and inequality, so that everyone feels like an important member of our community, because they are.
Show We Care - speaking out when we believe that something isn’t right, and sticking up for what we believe in
Succeeding Together - knowing that as one community and one world, we are stronger

Equality Principles

Principle 1

All learners are of equal value.

We see all learners and potential learners, and their parents and carers, as of equal value:

whether or not they have a disability
whatever their ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status
whatever their gender and/or gender identity
whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background
whatever their sexuality and/or identity.

Principle 2

We recognise and respect difference.

Treating people equally (Principle 1 above), does not necessarily involve treating them all the same. Our policies, procedures and activities must not discriminate but must nevertheless take account of differences of life-experience, outlook and background, and in the kinds of barrier and disadvantage which people may face, in relation to:

prejudices being recognised
gender, so that the different needs and experiences of girls and boys, and women and men, are recognised
religion, belief or faith background
sexuality
Race and ethnicity

Principle 3

We foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of cohesion and belonging.

We intend that our policies, procedures and activities should promote:

positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, good relations between disabled and non-disabled people, and an absence of harassment of disabled people
positive interaction, good relations and dialogue between groups and communities different from each other in terms of ethnicity, age, culture, religious affiliation, national origin or national status, and an absence of prejudice-related or judgement
mutual respect and good relations between boys and girls, and women and men, and an absence of sexual and/or homophobic harassment or bias.

Principle 4

We observe good equalities practice in staff recruitment, retention and development

We ensure that policies and procedures should benefit all employees and potential employees, for example in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development:

whether or not they have a disability
whatever their ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, age, national origin or status
whatever their gender and sexual identity, and with full respect for legal rights relating to pregnancy and maternity.

Principle 5

We aim to reduce and remove inequalities and barriers that already exist.

In addition to avoiding or minimising possible negative impacts of our policies, we take opportunities to maximise positive impacts by reducing and removing inequalities and barriers that may already exist between:

disabled and non-disabled people
people of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
girls and boys, women and men
different age pupils

Principle 6

We consult and involve widely people affected by a policy or activity should be consulted and involved in the design of new policies, and in the review of existing ones.

We aim to consult and would involve as much as is practically possible in our setting:

People with disabilities, as well as those without
people from a range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
both women and men, and girls and boys
extending fully to people who represent any of the nine protected characteristics within the community

Principle 7

Society as a whole should benefit

We intend that our policies and activities should benefit society as a whole, both locally and nationally, by fostering greater social cohesion, and greater participation in public life of:

People with disabilities, as well as those without
people of a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds
both women and men, girls and boys
People who are gay, as well as those who are straight

Principle 8

We base our practices on sound evidence

We maintain and publish quantitative and qualitative information about our progress towards greater equality in relation to:

disability
ethnicity, religion and culture
gender.

Principle 9

We set ambitious objectives in pursuit of improving Equality

Each year we formulate and publish specific and measurable objectives, based on the evidence we have collected and published, in relation to:

disability
ethnicity, religion and culture
gender.

We recognise that the actions resulting from a policy statement such as this are what make a difference.

Every three years, accordingly, we draw up an action plan within the framework of the overall school improvement plan and processes of self-evaluation, setting out the specific equality objectives we shall pursue. The objectives which we identify take into account national and local priorities and issues, as appropriate. We keep our equality objectives under review and report annually on progress towards achieving them.

Actions Taken

We have begun to implement the actions from 2022 - 2023. The following is a summary of key Actions:

The school has taken a proactive approach to recruitment, ensuring that there are opportunities to add diversity to the team. Reviewing and evaluating recruitment processes to ensure they are fair and equitable and advance the objectives the Academy has set for itself.

Displays in corridors and classrooms have been revised to reflect the diversity within and beyond the school. This includes more dialogue with colleagues and pupils, so they are conversant in our ethos and values.

The Academy’s curriculum is progressively being revised to ensure that there is a breadth of representation of learning material, texts, role models and themes within each subject. Units such as the Golden Age of Islam, The History of Textiles in the North West, Malcom X and the Civil Rights movement, The Suffragettes and Explorers, which includes study of slavery and Ibn Battuta, are being considered. In Design and Technology, a range of links have been made with inspirational figures within each strand.

Surveys and workshop activities have been undertaken with the school community to ensure that the activities of the school are meeting the needs of the community, promoting equality and eliminating discrimination.

The Academy has observed and marked significant events such as Black history month, and is increasing diversity in the assembly schedule for the current academic year.

Equality Objectives - 2023 - 2026

The following objectives were agreed in September 2023. A review of progress towards them is included in the ‘action taken’ section above.

To ensure that all children have equal access to a rich, broad, balanced and relevant Curriculum which promotes equality, diversity and celebrates differences. A curriculum which:

Celebrates the culture, heritage and background of all learners
Acknowledges the facts of history, and explores a broad range of perspectives and experience
Is unbiased
Ensures that those with management responsibility and individual staff accept responsibility for planning, organisation and delivery of appropriate educational material to ensure that this policy for equity and diversity is woven into all we do (Extra-curricular)

To ensure that teaching and learning promotes equity by:

Celebrates the culture, heritage and background of all learners
Acknowledges the facts of history, and explores a broad range of perspectives and experience
Is unbiased
Teachers will seek opportunities to highlight and challenge stereotypes of all kinds

To ensure that no-one is unfairly or illegally disadvantaged as a consequence of their gender, colour, race, age, ethnic or national origin, disability or religious beliefs

We will monitor and analyse pupil achievement and progress by ethnicity, gender and disability, and act on any trends or patterns in this data which identify the need for additional support for pupils with the aim of narrowing the gap for equality groups.
We will create and promote opportunities for Pupil Voice, parent voice and staff voice, and debate & dialogue, around these key issues.

To ensure that community cohesion drives curriculum purpose and that we have explicit opportunities to bring the equality theory to real life situations with our children. We will continue and further develop:

A curriculum that is built on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Opportunities for visitors into school and visits out to a range of venues, including in relation to the RE curriculum.
The link with other schools and academies to promote diversity
Creating links with partner organisations

To ensure that colleagues have a range of opportunities to learn about equality/diversity, including academic

To ensure that learners and parents are fully involved in the provision made by the Academy, including through opportunities for consultation and discussion

To ensure that financial planning takes account of addressing equality and diversity

and fundamentally underpins this policy, providing the means to affect change over time

Ensure that service provides and partners demonstrate a commitment to EDI

Further Information

For further information, you can contact the Headteacher at princeville@coopacademies.co.uk

Co-op Academies Trust’s Equality Diversity & Inclusion Policy can be found here https://www.coopacademies.co.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/

Review date: 01 September 2023

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement