Equality Statement and Objectives

Equality Statement 

At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all members of our school community. We recognise our duties under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. 

We have identified the following equality objectives based on our school context and the needs of our diverse community. These objectives will guide our work over the next four years and will be reviewed regularly to measure progress. 

Our Equality Objectives 

Objective 1: Strengthen community links and belonging 

To develop stronger community links with our diverse community through events, including school parish events and cultural days, so all members of our community feel they belong. 

Why we have chosen this objective:

We want to ensure that all families, regardless of their background, feel welcomed and valued as part of our school community. 

To achieve this objective we plan to: 

•       Organise regular cultural celebration days that reflect the diversity of our school       community 

•      Hold joint school and parish events that bring together different groups within our community 

•      Actively seek feedback from families about how welcome and included they feel 

•      Create opportunities for families to share their cultures, traditions and experiences with the school 

Objective 2: Diversify our reading materials to reflect our community and develop understanding 

To diversify our reading books throughout the school so they reflect our community and develop understanding around differences and other protected characteristics. 

Why we have chosen this objective: It's important that the stories children listen to and read provide both mirrors (stories that reflect their cultures and help build their identity) and windows (stories that offer them a view into someone else's experience).  

To achieve this objective we plan to: 

•      Conduct an audit of our current reading materials to check how many books have main characters from underrepresented groups, whether characters are well-developed and well-rounded, and whether books include diverse authors and illustrators  

•      Purchase new books that represent the ethnic, cultural and diversity of our school community 

•       Include books that feature characters with SEND and neurodiversity in positive, well-rounded ways 

•       Ensure diverse books are prominently displayed with covers facing outwards, making it obvious and easy to find books that feature characters from underrepresented groups  

•       Involve pupils in selecting books and gathering their views on the current selection 

Objective 3: Ensure our curriculum reflects and celebrates diversity 

To ensure our curriculum reflects and celebrates diversity and promotes respect and inclusion across all protected characteristics. 

Why we have chosen this objective:

Our curriculum is central to shaping pupils' understanding of the world and their place in it. By embedding diversity throughout our curriculum, we can ensure all pupils see themselves represented and develop respect for people with different backgrounds and characteristics. 

To achieve this objective we plan to: 

•      Review our curriculum across all subjects to identify where diversity is currently represented and where there are gaps 

•      Ensure our curriculum includes the histories, achievements and contributions of people from diverse backgrounds and with different protected characteristics 

•      Teach about different cultures, religions, family structures, disabilities and other protected characteristics in age-appropriate ways across the curriculum 

•      Use diverse examples, case studies and role models across all subject areas, not just in specific topics 

•       Plan opportunities for pupils to learn about and celebrate different cultures, religions and identities throughout the year 

•       Ensure our curriculum prepares pupils for life in modern Britain by promoting fundamental British values and understanding of diversity 

•      Monitor the breadth of our curriculum to ensure all subjects contribute to pupils' understanding of diversity and equality 

•      Provide staff training on how to embed diversity across the curriculum and address sensitive topics confidently 

•      Regularly review our curriculum statement to ensure it reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion