Our school is committed to equality both as an employer and a service provider.  This is embedded in our school ethos and aims.

We aim to help and enable all students to:

• Develop their learning dispositions and their potential for learning
• Develop a deep love of learning
• Develop a full range of skills to meet a variety of challenges
• Develop lively, enquiring minds and the ability to question and argue rationally
• Be honest and understand the importance of having integrity
• Appreciate human achievement and aspirations
• Understand the interdependence of all
• Gain self-confidence and a sense of worth
• Learn how to work responsibly and with consideration for others.

The fulfilment of these aims creates a well-ordered community, with high standards and a caring approach, which recognises that the purpose of school is to equip pupils with the skills they will require as balanced, mature and fulfilled individuals in our society.

The Equality Act 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Our Equality Act Information and Objectives is outlined below:

Walthamstow School for Girls Equality Act Information and Objectives

Walthamstow School for Girls is committed to achieving the highest standards of effort, behaviour and commitment so that all students realise their full potential.  As a school we inspire a love of learning and a genuine respect for all members of our multi-cultural, multi-faith community.  Our commitment to a quality education for all girls acknowledges our special responsibility in the education of girls so that they can play a full part in society.

At Walthamstow School for Girls we have a strong commitment to fairness and equality in everything that we do.

• We endeavour to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect
• We work hard to make sure that the school is a safe and secure environment for everyone
• We recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them all exactly the same
• We recognise that for some students extra support is needed to help them to achieve and be successful
• We try to make sure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example through talking to students and parents/carers, and through our School Council
• We aim to make sure that no-one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment or discrimination because of their age; any disability they may have; their ethnicity, colour or national origin; their gender; their gender identity or reassignment; their marital or civil partnership status; being pregnant or having recently had a baby; their religion or beliefs; their sexual identity and orientation
• All cultures and languages are valued equally regardless of numbers
• All students and staff are invited to join the student or staff Equal Opportunities meetings
• Each member of the school is regarded as an individual and should not be stereotyped or discriminated against in line with the protected characteristics

We welcome our general duty under the Equality Act 2010 to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination; to advance equality of opportunity; and to foster good relations.

We also welcome our specific duties to publish information about our school population; to explain how we have due regard for equality; and to publish equality objectives which show how we plan to tackle particular inequalities or disadvantages.

Meeting our duties to promote community cohesion, and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students, also supports how we meet the needs of different groups of students and how we foster good relations.

We welcome the emphasis in the Ofsted inspection framework on the importance of narrowing gaps in achievement which affect, amongst others:

• Students from certain ethnic and cultural backgrounds
• Students who are supported by the pupil premium
• Students who are disabled
• Students who have special educational needs

In our last Ofsted Inspection, June 2018, the following comments were made about effective work on equalities at Walthamstow School for Girls:

‘Pupils have an extremely well-developed understanding and tolerance for others who are different from them. Pupils were keen to explain that they find racism, homophobia and any kind of discrimination is unacceptable. Tolerance and diversity are strengths of the school’.

 

‘Effective use of additional funding supports pupils who are behind in their literacy or mathematics when they transfer to Year 7. Work to ensure that disadvantaged pupils do as well as their peers is particularly successful, as is provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities’.

 

‘Valuable experiences, woven into the curriculum, help pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Pupils are highly attuned to fairness and to what is right or wrong. They are encouraged to be socially responsible and are involved in a range of charity and fundraising activities throughout the year. For example, a group of Year 10 pupils have raised money to visit and support a school in Zanzibar’.

 

‘The progress of disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, is better than that made by other pupils nationally because teachers have very high expectations of all pupils. Leaders use the additional funding judiciously to make sure that disadvantaged pupils make substantial progress’.

‘Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress from their starting points. This is because of well targeted support through a structured programme of effective interventions. Recent changes in teaching are bolstering progress for this group. Current information supports forecasts of further improvement this year’.

Consultation and engagement

We will engage and consult with students, staff, parents and carers, and the local community, so we can continually develop our awareness of equality issues, learn about the impact of our policies, set equality objectives and improve what we do.

For more information about our work on equalities at Walthamstow School for Girls please contact:

Helen Marriott, Headteacher
Tel: 020 8509 9446