Equality Impact Assessment (Eqia)
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Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) Guidance is available on Compass. Completion of an EqIA should be proportional and relevant to the anticipated impact of the project on equalities. The form can be tailored to your project and should be completed before decisions are made. Key EqIAs should be reviewed by the Business Manager or Service Head, signed off by your department’s Equality Action Group (EAG) and sent to the Equality and Diversity team to publish on HertsDirect. For support and advice please contact [email protected]. STEP 1: Responsibility and involvement Title of proposal/ Land acquisition Head of Service or Pauline Davis project/strategy/ for the Croxley Business Manager procurement/policy Green Free School Names of those Adrian Bentley Lead officer Rachael Greenlees involved in Pauline Davis contact details: Tel: 01992 556722 completing the EqIA: Karen Crowhurst Date completed: 24 June 2015 Review date: STEP 2: Objectives of proposal and scope of assessment – what do you want to achieve? Proposal objectives: The Local Authority has a legal duty to secure sufficient what you want to achieve school places to meet the needs of existing and new intended outcomes communities. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC), in its purpose and need role as commissioner of school places and with its statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places across its area, is working to ensure that there are enough school places to meet demand from across the area. St Clement Danes School has been awarded funding for the opening of a 6 f.e. secondary school on the condition that HCC fund the necessary site acquisition. Stakeholders: - Department for Education (DfE)/Education Funding Who will be affected: Agency (EFA) the public, partners, staff, - St Clement Danes School service users, local Member etc - Local Pre-Schools, Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special schools; - Three Rivers District Council - Residents in the local and surrounding areas - Local Town and Parish Councils - Parents/carers/pupils and the local community - Schools in the education planning area - MPs, County Councillors, District Councillors, Parish and Town Councils and the Local Authority Chief Executive; - Church Diocese representatives; - National Health Service (NHS) representatives; - Local resident and parent groups with a specific interest in the proposal Template updated February 2014 Please email completed EqIAs to [email protected] Page 1 of 11 Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) STEP 3: Available data and monitoring information Relevant equality information What the data tell us about equalities For example: Community profiles / service user demographics, data and monitoring information (local and national), similar or previous EqIAs, complaints, audits or inspections, local knowledge and consultations. The current pupil forecasts in the The percentage of minority ethnic pupils is Watford and Rickmansworth secondary higher than the county average for all of the school planning areas demonstrate a secondary schools listed in the tables above deficit of school places from 2017/18 except for St Clement Danes School, where reaching a peak of 12 f.e.in 2020/22. it is lower. At three of the schools, Westfield The latest secondary forecast can be Academy, Watford Grammar School for found at: Boys and Watford Grammar School for http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/edle Girls, the percentage of minority ethnic arn/aboutstatesch/planning/ pupils is considerably higher than the county average. The Free School currently does not The percentage of pupils with English as an yet have any actual pupil or additional language is higher than the admissions data. This information county average for all of the schools listed will become available when the Free in the tables above except for three of the School Trust initiates the next stage schools, St Michael’s Catholic High School, of its consultation. This information St Clement Danes School and The Watford will be available in due course. UTC, where it is lower. At two of the However, given that the new school schools, Westfield Academy and Watford will meet the needs of the existing Grammar School for Girls, the percentage community it can be reasonably of pupils with English as an additional assumed that existing school language is considerably higher than the census data for local secondary county average. schools is a good representation of the profile of secondary-age children The percentage of pupils with SEN in the local area. provision is lower than the county average for all of the schools listed in the tables above except for five of the schools, Westfield Academy, Francis Combe Academy, St Joan of Arc Catholic School, The Reach Free School and The Watford UTC, where it is higher. The percentage of pupils eligible for Free School Meals is lower than the county average for all of the schools listed in the tables above except for four of the schools, Westfield Academy, Francis Combe Academy, The Reach Free School and The Watford UTC, where it is higher. Template updated February 2014 Please email completed EqIAs to [email protected] Page 2 of 11 Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) At The Watford UTC there is a significantly higher percentage of male pupils than female pupils. See appendix A for specific school census data for each secondary school in The Watford and Three Rivers secondary planning areas. STEP 4: Impact Assessment – Service Users, communities and partners (where relevant) Protected Potential for differential What reasonable mitigations characteristic impact (positive or negative) can you propose? Age It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of age. the Action will be amended accordingly. The establishment of the Free School will enable additional school places to be available as close as possible to local demand. In this way, they will improve access to school places and avoid children having to travel longer distances to access education. Disability It is not anticipated that the The new school will be fully Including Learning proposals will affect people inclusive. The new school Disability disproportionately because of building will be designed so that their disability, but the position it can be accessed by those with will be monitored. The new disabilities. The school operator school buildings will be will be responsible for meeting designed and built to ensure the needs of children in the local compliance with the Equality area, including those with Act and to allow accessibility Special Educational Needs and to all. Disability (SEND). The establishment of the Free The position will continue to be School will enable additional monitored and if any issues in school places to be available respect of the protected as close as possible to local characteristic are identified then demand. In this way, they will the Action will be amended improve access to school accordingly. places and avoid children Template updated February 2014 Please email completed EqIAs to [email protected] Page 3 of 11 Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) Protected Potential for differential What reasonable mitigations characteristic impact (positive or negative) can you propose? having to travel longer distances to access education. Race It is not anticipated at this The Free School will be required stage that the proposals will to accept all children regardless affect people of race or ethnicity. disproportionately because of the issue of race. No mitigation is currently required but the position will continue to be monitored and if any issues in respect of the protected characteristic are identified then the Action will be amended accordingly. Gender It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be reassignment stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of gender the Action will be amended reassignment. accordingly. Pregnancy and It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be maternity stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of pregnancy and the Action will be amended maternity. accordingly. Religion or belief It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of religion or belief. the Action will be amended accordingly. Sex It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of sex. The school is the Action will be amended proposed to be co- accordingly. educational. Sexual orientation It is not anticipated at this The position will continue to be stage that the proposals will monitored and if any issues in affect people respect of the protected disproportionately because of characteristic are identified then the issue of sexual orientation. the Action will be amended accordingly. Marriage & civil It is not anticipated