At Whitefield Infant School and Nursery, we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for every child, family, member of staff and visitor. We value and celebrate the diversity of our school community and work hard to ensure that everyone feels that they belong, is treated with respect and is able to participate fully in school life.

We are committed to meeting our duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

Equality information last reviewed: September 2026
Next annual review: September 2027
Equality Objectives period: 2024–2028

Our Public Sector Equality Duty

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.

• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

At Whitefield, equality is an integral part of our school culture, curriculum, policies and everyday practice. We consider equality when making decisions, developing policies, planning our curriculum and reviewing the provision we make for our children and families.

Protected Characteristics

The Equality Act 2010 identifies nine protected characteristics:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

We recognise that not all protected characteristics apply to pupils in exactly the same way. However, our school is committed to ensuring that discrimination is not tolerated and that children learn, in an age-appropriate way, to understand and respect the diversity of the world in which they live.

Equality Objectives 2024–2028

We have identified the following equality objectives, which reflect the context and needs of our school community.

Objective 1 – Improve outcomes and participation for disadvantaged pupils

To reduce barriers to learning, attendance and participation for pupils experiencing disadvantage and ensure that they have equitable access to the full curriculum and wider opportunities offered by the school.

We will measure this through: analysis of attainment, progress, attendance and participation data for disadvantaged pupils; monitoring the impact of Pupil Premium provision; and reviewing access to enrichment and wider school opportunities.

Objective 2 – Strengthen inclusion for pupils with SEND and disabilities

To continue to develop our inclusive practice so that pupils with SEND and/or disabilities can access learning, participate fully in school life and achieve the best possible outcomes.

We will measure this through: monitoring the progress and participation of pupils with SEND; reviewing the effectiveness of reasonable adjustments, adaptive teaching and targeted provision; gathering parent and pupil views; and evaluating the impact of our specialist and inclusive provision.

Objective 3 – Promote equality, diversity and respectful relationships through our curriculum

To ensure that our curriculum, resources and wider school experiences enable children to see themselves and others positively represented and develop respect for people from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and experiences.

We will measure this through: curriculum and subject-leader monitoring; reviews of texts, resources and learning experiences; pupil voice; and monitoring children's understanding of our school values, British Values and respectful behaviour.

Objective 4 – Reduce inequalities in attendance

To identify and address barriers to good attendance, particularly where attendance data indicates differences between groups of pupils, and work in partnership with families to improve children's access to education.

We will measure this through: regular analysis of attendance and persistent absence by pupil group; monitoring the impact of attendance interventions; and reviewing individual and group attendance trends throughout each academic year.

How We Meet the Public Sector Equality Duty

We demonstrate our commitment to equality in many ways across school. These include providing an inclusive and ambitious curriculum for all pupils; making reasonable adjustments for children with disabilities and additional needs; identifying and responding to barriers to learning and attendance; monitoring the achievement, attendance and participation of different groups; and using this information to inform school improvement.

We promote positive attitudes towards difference and diversity through our curriculum, assemblies, books, resources and wider experiences. Our school values of Belonging, Respect, Courage, Teamwork and Pride, alongside The Whitefield Way – Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe, support children in learning how to treat themselves and others with dignity and respect.

We work closely with parents, carers and external professionals to identify children's individual needs and remove barriers wherever possible. We also ensure that staff understand their responsibilities in relation to equality, inclusion and preventing discrimination.

Monitoring and Review

The Headteacher and Governing Body monitor the school's work in relation to equality and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Our equality information is reviewed and updated annually, with consideration given to relevant school data, the needs of our community and the impact of the actions we have taken.

Our Equality Objectives are reviewed at least every four years. Progress towards these objectives is monitored during the four-year period and informs our ongoing school improvement work.

Current Equality Objectives: 2024–2028
Equality information last reviewed: September 2026
Next annual review: September 2027
Next full review of Equality Objectives: By September 2028

Our full Public Sector Equality Duty Policy 2024–2028 can be viewed below.