Equality Objectives

Darwen Vale High School – Equality Objectives​

Darwen Vale High School, part of Aldridge Education, values, promotes and celebrates the diversity that exists within our student and staff populations, the communities we serve and beyond. We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and this statement sets out how we comply with our Public Sector Equalities Duties, and includes our equalities objectives.

The Equality Act 2010 requires all public organisations, including schools and trusts to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty which has 3 broad aims:

• Eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by the Act,

• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it,

• Foster good relations across all characteristics - between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Regardless of the statutory responsibilities Aldridge Education recognises the positive impact that a cohesive approach to EDI can achieve. We acknowledge and recognise the existence of structural discrimination within the education sector and wider society and are fierce in our approach to address these within our Trust.

In addition to the protected characteristics identified within the Equalities Act 2010, the English Indices of Deprivation show that Aldridge Education works in geographical locations with the highest deprivation in the country. Our understanding of the issues of disadvantage facing our learners and the wider communities we serve drives our purpose.

Our mission is to bring true equity to education through academic rigour and whole-learner development; supporting aspiration for all and leaving no one behind.

• Leaving no-one behind

• Bringing learning to life

How we do this

Our operating norms are the non-negotiable behaviours that we expect from all who work for and support us. Our equitable approach and framework around the cultural capital offer for all allows for every member of the Aldridge family to have access to opportunities and experiences that enhance their future opportunities and helps level the playing field.

 

Our Standard is Excellence:

Excellence is our bar: we hold ourselves and each other to account for high standards.

This means policies, processes, practices that are of a high standard and are consistently followed. Using our decision making framework and using the expertise available through the academy and national team.

 

We champion equality:

Inclusion and equality are central to our mission. We aim to leave no-one behind and we are fiercely anti-discrimination.

We understanding who our people are. We develop and use tools, such as a trust standard risk index to identify and respond to the challenges facing our learners, preparing for the 80, the 15 and the 5 in everything we do. we will strive towards ensuring that inclusion and diversity is explicit within the curriculum.

We recognise that attracting, advancing, developing, engaging and retaining a diversity of talent is important. We provide an equitable opportunity for professional development and opportunities to progress careers within the organisation.

 

We are in the work together:

We each stand by our missions and we act with transparency and clarity. Because we share accountability, we both give and receive feedback. We celebrate honest support that makes us collectively better.

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We behave with integrity:

​Professionalism, honesty and humanity underpin every word and action. Truth and kindness work hand in hand.

 

We lead by example:​

We own our responsibility to live our norms. We expect to be role models to those around us in matters both small and large.

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We use time well:​

We select actions and tools that provide the most benefit from time invested

 

Achievements

​School to provide a brief summary of key equalities related activities with impact.

Consider some key facts about the school (community, context etc)

 

Objectives:

​We will review the data that we hold and what it tells us about equalities in our school

We will review the data we hold in school and across the trust to understand completeness. We will consider what equalities related insight this data currently provides.

We will identify opportunities to enhance this data, both in terms of breadth, completeness, accuracy and where helpful, standardisation.

We will review the way in which data, including the trust wide risk index, is used to understand our pupils, families, staff and communities, in order to meet need and further reduce inequality.

We will ensure that all data is used to provide the support, both academic and pastoral, to reduce inequality for all students and families within our community.

We will review and enhance Staff, Governor and Volunteer equalities training opportunities

EDI training currently forms part of induction for all Aldridge Education staff but there is no formal program of ongoing training.

This equalities objective commits to a review of the training in place and identify opportunities for further training and awareness raising for all staff, governors and volunteers in consideration of the wider Equalities Act 2010 and also local context.  

Specific consideration will be given to training for staff and pupils in relation to identifying and responding effectively to prejudice-related bullying to ensure all staff have the relevant understanding and confidence to challenge.

We regularly teach, demonstrate and promote 'Equality, Diversity & Inclusion' to and with our students through our Character Curriculum.   

Pupil awareness and understanding will be developed through the Character Curriculum and wider Personal Development programme, with explicit reference to the Fundamental British Values and the Protected Characteristics, ensuring pupils are supported to recognise, challenge and respond appropriately to prejudice-related behaviour.

We will review our current communications including key language we use within our school, in parallel to work across our trust to improve engagement and belonging.

We will work with trust colleagues to engage in a review of language use to agree and commit to a consistent use of language that supports our wider equalities commitment. This includes considering the use of language that may have an unconscious bias, especially around careers and gender stereotypes.

Input any language related points into the development of training as covered in the second objective above.

We will analyse and review our communications methods (including newsletters and social media) to see who within our community is engaging and then develop ways to engage with those who are not currently access communications.