Equality Duty

Cranfield Church of England Academy is committed to ensuring that it meets its specific duties in relation to current equality legislation. Under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) we are required to publish information about how the school addresses equality issues. The Equality Act 2010 states that the following protected characteristics must be considered when making decisions or formulating policy:

• Disability
• Gender
• Race
• Pregnancy and Maternity
• Religion and Belief
• Sexual Orientation
• Gender Reassignment
• Age (only in role of employer, not in relation to pupils)
• Marriage and Civil partnership (in role of employer)

The information we publish will have “due regard” and be linked to the three main elements of the Public Sector Equality Duty.

• To eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.
• To advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
• To foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Due regard is defined as giving relevant and proportionate consideration to the duty, which in school means that:

• Decision makers must be aware of the duty to have “due regard” when making decisions or taking an action, and must assess whether it may have implications for people with particular protected characteristics.
• We must consider equality implications before, and at the time of, developing policy and taking decisions, not as an afterthought. These must be kept under review on a continuing basis.
• The Public Sector Equality Duty must be integrated into the carrying out of the school’s functions and the analysis necessary to comply with the duty has to be carried out seriously, rigorously and with an open mind.
• Schools can not delegate responsibility to any other agency for carrying out this duty.

At Cranfield Church of England Academy we are committed to preparing annual Equality Objectives. These will be interwoven into our Whole School Objectives and Subject Action Plans, and our Accessibility Plan, and will contribute towards our drive towards providing exceptional schooling for all pupils.

Cranfield Church of England Academy will publish information annually to demonstrate how we are complying with the duty, in the form of a review of the Equality Objectives.

Equality Objectives 2020 – 2021:

Develop the support for children’s emotional wellbeing and resilience through involvement in projects with The Mind Map Charity (Caterpillar Club /Shields of resilience) and with The Jigsaw Service. (Sunshine Circles).

• Objective 1: To create and resource an outdoor nurture space at St Peter’s site to meet the needs of pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs.

  Objective 2: To ensure planning and resourcing for continuous provision in Reception and Year 1 reflect, ceclebrate and promote opportunity for the diversity within our community.

  Objective 3: To ensure that our PSHE curriculum promotes and enhances equality of opportunity for all regardless of any protected characteristic.

These objectives will be planned for and met through our process of Whole School Development, and reviewed on a regular basis.