Equality, Diversity and Cohesion Framework for Schools in Birmingham

Spring 2018 WE’RE ALL DIFFERENT BUT EQUAL AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND COHESION FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOLS IN BIRMINGHAM A great city to grow up in 3 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK Contents 4 INTRODUCTION 17 DEFINITIONS VISIONS AND VALUES 4 DISCRIMINATION 17 COMMITMENTS AND PRINCIPLES 4 INDIRECT DISCRIMINATION 17 HARASSMENT 17 7 THE FRAMEWORK POSITIVE ACTION 18 ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS 18 AND COMPLIANCE 7 VICTIMISATION 18 KNOWING YOUR PUPILS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR DELIVERING AND COMMUNITY 7 THIS FRAMEWORK 18 CONSULTING WIDELY 8 THE GOVERNING BODY 19 SAFEGUARDING AND EQUALITY 8 THE HEAD TEACHER 20 A SKILLED AND COMMITTED ALL STAFF 20 WORKFORCE 8 TEACHING STAFF 20 BIRMINGHAM CURRICULUM VISITORS 21 STATEMENT 9 GOOD PRACTICE IN SUPPORTING SCHOOLS 22 11 LEGAL DUTIES AND UNICEF RIGHTS RESPECTING OTHER REQUIREMENTS SCHOOLS 22 PROTECTED CHARACTERISTICS 11 NO OUTSIDERS IN OUR SCHOOL; 23 PUBLIC SECTOR EQUALITY DUTY 14 FAITH MAKES A DIFFERENCE 24 UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 1990 23 APPENDIX A: EQUALITY HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 1998 14 AND COHESION TooLKIT EDUCATION AND INSPECTIONS ACT 2006 s 38(1) 15 32 EQUALITY, DIVERSITY EDUCATION ACT 1996 s 406-7 15 AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION ACT 2002 s78 15 COHESION AUDIT COUNTER TERRORISM AND SECURITY ACT 2015 s 64 15 45 APPENDIX B: GUIDES, TOOLS, EDUCATION ACT 2002 s176 16 AND GOOD PRACTICE BIRMINGHAM CURRICULUM STATEMENT 16 4 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION This local guidance should be read alongside the non-statutory advice produced by the Department for Education; The Equality Act for Schools 2014. It has been produced to help schools to understand how the Equality Act affects them and how to fulfil their duties under the Act. It has been updated to include information on same-sex marriage and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf 5 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK VISIONS AND VALUES Birmingham schools are committed to serving Birmingham is one community made up of many the community in which they are located. people. It is a city that aspires to be a place They recognise the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, where everyone values being treated fairly and multi-faith and ever-evolving nature of their with respect and takes personal responsibility for neighbourhoods. They also understand the making these standards a reality in daily life. vital role they have in ensuring that groups or individuals within their school are not The pride people feel about our unique city – subjected to intimidation or radicalisation by its history as well as its future – is reflected in those wishing to unduly, or illegally, influence our shared commitment to make Birmingham them. Consequently, Birmingham schools are a welcoming, safe, creative, and prosperous dedicated to preparing pupils for their adult life place for everyone. Birmingham City Council’s beyond the formal examined curriculum and priorities are: ensuring that they promote and reinforce British values with all pupils. • Children – Birmingham is a great city to grow up • Housing – Birmingham is a great city The government emphasises that schools are to live required to ensure that fundamental British • Jobs and skills – Birmingham is a great values are taught in schools. The government city to succeed first set out its definition of British values in the • Health – Birmingham is a great city to 2011 Prevent Strategy as: grow old • democracy • the rule of law • individual liberty • mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs 6 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK COMMITMENTS AND PRINCIPLES In our pursuit of these outcomes, we are guided Birmingham schools are committed by the following principles. to building respect for all, tackling discrimination and achieving the PRINCIPLE 1: We recognise and respect following goals. We will do this by: identity, valuing all learners equally Changing culture and attitudes through PRINCIPLE 2: We promote positive civic leadership attitudes and relationships through a shared • Encouraging a strong voice for children and sense of cohesion and belonging young people at district and city wide level PRINCIPLE 3: We value our staff whatever their Strengthening early years, education and age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual social mobility orientation, ethnicity, culture and whether or not • Giving young people a better start in life by they are disabled. tackling deprivation and inequalities relating to family background and improving social PRINCIPLE 4: We will consult widely to ensure mobility that people affected by policy or activity are consulted and involved in the review or design Engaging with a fair and flexible of new policies. labour market • Working with business to develop a fairer PRINCIPLE 5: Society as a whole should benefit, and more flexible labour market that draws locally and nationally by fostering on the skills and talents of young people greater integration and greater participation and builds a strong economy in public life. 7 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK THE FRAMEWORK This framework is built around five key areas: rights should be integrated into the carrying out • Organisational commitment and compliance of a school’s functions. • Knowing your pupils and community • Consulting widely This will require staff to be well supported with • Safeguarding and equality high-quality training, access to best practice, and • A skilled and committed workforce sufficient time to carry out their duties. ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT KNOWING YOUR PUPILS AND COMPLIANCE AND COMMUNITY This section contains all the actions needed Fundamental to meeting your obligations under to ensure that schools are meeting the various the Public Sector Equality Duty is understanding statutory and regulatory requirements listed in whether different pupils and parents experience the last section. It focuses on the specific inequalities in relation to access, outcomes, outputs schools should deliver, such as: and experience. This means gathering data on your pupils’ protected characteristics1 and • Equality objectives understanding the demographics of the school • Equality information report community. This will involve gathering internal • Accessibility plan pupil data and making use of national and • Curriculum that promotes cohesion, local data, such as Census surveys, knowledge tolerance, and respect obtained from local stakeholders, or research reports on particular protected characteristics. It also recognises that to meet their statutory duties schools, when making a decision or taking It also means that the schools will gain a better an action, must assess whether it may have understanding of keys areas such as attainment, implications for people with particular protected participation in school activities, ensuring pupils characteristics. These considerations can not engage effectively in learning, bullying and be an add-on as an afterthought; it should be exclusions. clear how these considerations have fed into the decision making process. Furthermore, the equality duty and consideration of pupils’ human 1 Guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission recognises that it ‘may not always be appropriate’ to monitor the sexual orientation or gender reassignment status of young people (EHRC (2014) Public Sector Equality Duty Guidance for Schools in England). 8 AN EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND COHESION FRAMEWORK Schools should establish and strengthen SAFEGUARDING AND EQUALITY partnerships with other schools to share good Governors and staff must understand their practice, exchange information and foster multi- safeguarding responsibilities, as set in ethnic, multi-faith, multi-geographical, and multi- documents such as Working Together to generational activities. It may be that fostering Safeguard Children (DfE, 2017) and Keeping good relations between people of different Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2016). In background and encouraging respect and particular, they should have due regard to the tolerance can best be promoted by exposing equalities implications inherent in assessing pupils to different views and perspectives. In a child’s need and the necessity of taking a this respect, it is important that schools establish child-centred approach. Governors and staff links with community groups and organisations should also be aware of their role in preventing to increase range of activities and services extremism, as set out in the Prevent Duty (2015). they can offer. Indeed, members of the local community should regularly join in school A SKILLED AND COMMITTED WORKFORCE activities that celebrate diversity, including As part of their work to promote equality and religious festivals and cultural celebrations. cohesion, schools need to ensure that they reflect these aspirations in their role as an CONSULTING WIDELY employer. Schools must not discriminate in People affected by a policy or activity should employment unlawfully on grounds of sex, race, be consulted and involved in the design of disability, sexual orientation, religion or other new policies and in the review of existing ones. belief, gender reassignment status, or maternity/ Schools must consult with pupils and staff, pregnancy status. This includes discrimination parents, carers, and guardians to identify what in relation to recruitment, terms and conditions, their opinion is in terms of the schools’

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