Equality and Diversity

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School is a place where learning without limits is for all. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the school community have the opportunity to learn, develop and make progress regardless of membership of any protected group. 

The equalities act 2010 requires protection from discrimination for people based on:

•        Age

•        Disability

•        Gender reassignment

•        Marriage and civil partnership

•        Pregnancy and maternity

•        Race

•        Religion or belief

•        Sex

•        Sexual orientation

As a school we also include socio economic group using pupil premium as an indicator within our equalities analyses and planning. 

At EGA we actively promote an ethos where everyone, regardless of background, can achieve their best in whatever field they choose. We are a school with a diverse community and because our students work together and play together they will take this spirit of understanding and tolerance into the community and their adult lives, building the future for us all.

We have a broad curriculum offer where we strive to meet the interests and needs of all our learners and maximises the number and range of subjects students can study. In lessons all students are challenged to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world. In tutor time students are encouraged to discuss key issues, so sharing and understanding a range of perspectives. School events celebrate success and progress in all its forms and celebrate the diversity of our population. Parents work in partnership with the school and a range of events are held for all parents and for groups of parents who have particular shared interests. As a school we use a restorative approach if any individual shows intolerant behaviour. This is based on the belief that education changes understanding and so behaviour. 

We routinely collect and analyse information about the school community which is used to inform development priorities ensuring we pay due regard to the opportunity and progress of all protected groups. Outcomes and development plans are scrutinised routinely by governors to ensure we meet our equalities’ requirements.

EGA works consistently and tirelessly towards being an actively anti racist school. We understand that, set against the social and cultural backdrop within which we work, that this will be long term and ongoing work.  For us, being an anti racist school means that we will :

• Actively challenge racism at all levels

• Ensure our  curriculum reflects the positive contributions of all our communities as well as tackling the challenges which the  legacy of colonialism presents us

• Seek to engage with students, staff and families to better understand and improve the education we provide for the benefit of all

Our equality challenges arise from and are informed by our routine scrutiny of student progress data.

1.   Namely to ensure that students from all groups make progress that shows we add value to their learning.

2.   Aspiration amongst all groups so that students select option choices that maximise their future opportunities covering the spectrum of subject areas, including the creative subjects.

More detailed information follows:

At EGA we are preparing our students to live well balanced, healthy and successful lives. We are committed to ensuring all students achieve in whatever field they choose regardless of starting point and background.

This includes:
- ensuring students are safe;  both in and out of school
- maximising academic progress  and outcomes 
- ensuring students flourish socially, morally, spiritually and cultural 

To achieve this we use information about students. We also have information about staff. To ensure information about our community is kept safe we have a rigorous set of procedures and policies that ensure we are GDPR compliant.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School is committed to meeting the needs of all its students and ensuring they make progress in all aspects of their learning. This is in line with our aspiration to remove barriers and help students learn and achieve without limits. 

Islington has one of the highest proportions of children living in poverty, both nationally and in London, and many of our students come from families who face significant disadvantages.

The profile of our school community is diverse and changes year on year as our school continues to become the first choice for families in the area.

As a school we have available the following information, most is reported by Parents/Carers at interview:

•        Students with disabilities

•        Student ethnicity

•        Languages spoken by the student and at home

•        Religious belief

•        Special educational needs

•      Vulnerable students who need additional support, including those who are looked after, those subject to a child protection plan and those with a health care plan

We regard some information in relation to the protected characteristics as sensitive. We do not discriminate against students who are pregnant or who are young mothers, and have procedures in place so they can continue and return to learning. We are aware that some of our students may have experience of, or be at risk of, gender specific harm such as honour based violence, FGM or forced marriage and have procedures in place to support students where needed. It is not always appropriate for the school to collect information from students, for example about their gender identity and sexual orientation.  We are aware that there may be equality issues for lesbian and bisexual students, as well as those who are undergoing or who have undergone a reassignment of their gender including those who may wish to identify themselves but may not do so for fear of possible discriminatory behaviour they may encounter both in and out of school.

We raise awareness of all the above with students in a tolerant and supportive way informing students of individual rights and responsibilities and signposting the variety of support services available. Individual students who experience difficulties are well supported by the school pastoral structure.

How we have due regard for equality      

The information provided here aims to show that we give careful consideration to equality issues in everything that we do in the school. We are committed to advancing equality for all our students.

a.           Eliminating discrimination. 

EGA school does not tolerate bullying in any form and deals effectively with all incidents.

Below are listed some of the policies and practices in place that help us show due regard to the need to ‘eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act’.

• Equalities Policy

• Child Protection Policy

• Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy

• Social Moral Spiritual and Cultural Development Policy

• Admission procedures

• Monitoring for incidents including incidents of: Harassment, exclusion, attendance, progress and achievement.

• Complaints procedure

• Staff Code of Conduct

• Aceptance use of IT Policy

• Staff Disciplinary Policy

 

b.   Advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations

For all students, including protected groups, we:

• Deliver quality learning that challenges thinking and stereotypes

• Ensure there is a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available

• Raise standards through the curriculum, information and guidance

• Setting aspirational targets

• Celebrate events that raise awareness and tolerance such as International Women’s Day (IWD), Black History Month (BHM), Refugee Week , European Day of Languages, Diversity week and World Mental Health Day

• Promoting the Spiritual Moral Social and Cultural (SMSC) development of all our students

• Provide a supportive pastoral structure which students feel confident to access as needed

• Provide quality information, guidance and experiences about progression and career pathways enabling students to consider and strive for all routes available to them

•  Monitor attainment, attendance and progress intervening as needed to maximise individual success regardless of group

•  Make reasonable adjustment to the curriculum to support engagement access and achievement

• Put in place support, as appropriate in lessons and around the school

•  Brief staff, as appropriate, about how to ensure student needs are met

•  Ensure there is ongoing professional development in place

Disability

We are committed to advancing equality for people with and without disabilities. The building is accessible for disabled students, staff and members of the community.

Ethnicity and race (including EAL learners)

We are committed to advancing equality for all ethnic groups.  Students who speak an additional language can be entered for a GCSE in that language (where a qualification is available)

Gender

We are committed to advancing gender equality for our students when they leave the school and join further education and the world of work. We work in partnership with other organisations, including FE and HE institutions to develop innovative and inventive ways of tackling gender segregation in subject and career choice.

Religion and belief

We are committed to advancing equality for all faiths, and for those who do not belong to any religion or have no faith. We have a multi faith contemplation space available. Our catering service meets the dietary needs of all of our school community. Student representatives have attended borough-led Youth SACRE events so they can influence the focus and decisions of SACRE (Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education)

Sexual orientation

We are committed to advancing equality for those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex (LGBTQ). As part of our PSHE program there is work on diversity, planned with colleagues from across Islington.

Children from low income families

We are committed to working for equality for students from low income families. Funds are made available to support school trips, uniform and music tuition.

The impact of our work and next steps:

Examination results have continued to improve across all groups within the school. Our most recent  Ofsted inspection judged us to be an outstanding school. This does not mean that we are complacent. We continue to strive to improve our practice in all areas and enhance our monitoring of individual pupil progress so that we can put in place better support to all students earlier so improving student outcomes.

Our equality objectives

The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish one or more specific and measurable equality objectives at least every four years. We aim to address areas where we have identified a need to take action to improve equality and tackle disadvantages.

We regularly review the progress we are making to meet our equality objectives.

1. To ensure the Progress 8 and value added figures for all groups of students, including those entitled in receipt of pupil premium, show similarly high scores – This will be shown by year on year analysis of examination results. We are aiming for a Progress 8 score of +1.

2. Preparing our students to leave us ready to lead and be a positive force for change outside of school.

We aim to engage and consult with students, staff, parents and carers and the local community in order to improve our information, learn about the impact of our policies, develop our equality objectives and improve what we do. Consultation with students includes the year and school councils and pupil discussion groups as part of school based reviews. Parents consultation includes the parent governors and  parent workshops.

For further equalities information, such as the following statistical data:

• Examination results analysed by: Ethnicity, pupil premium, prior attainment, special educational needs, disability and children who are looked after. (Available from the end of September in any academic year)

• Student profile information by: Ethnicity, free school meals, special educational needs, disability and children who are looked after.

please contact: Evelyn Markey (PA  to the Executive Headteacher) by email at: evelyn.markey@egas.islington.sch.uk

Single Equalities Policy