Spring Meadow Primary School and 'School House' Nursery's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

Spring Meadow Primary School and School House Nursery is a fully inclusive school where the wellbeing, social emotional and mental health, and academic success of every child is the highest priority, and where every member of our school community is valued and welcomed and given the tools that they need to succeed and be the best  that they can be .

We believe that the Equality Act 2010 provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships between people. It also ensures that we continue to tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups.

We recognise that these duties reflect international human rights standards as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Legal Duties

As a school we welcome our duties under the Equality Act 2010. The general duties are to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advance equality of opportunity
• foster good relations 

We understand the principle of the Act and the work needed to ensure that those with protected characteristics are not discriminated against and are given equality of opportunity.   

A protected characteristic under the act covers the groups listed below:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage or civil partnership (in employment only)
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation.

We also understand that the Act provides for protection against discrimination by association, which means that we are also concerned that individuals in our school community are not discriminated against because someone close to them falls under the definition of one of the protected characteristics.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Practice 

Our approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is rooted in the following principles:

Our Vision and Values drive everything that we do

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are embedded in the culture and ethos at Spring Meadow Primary School through the daily enactment of our Vision and Values, which inform our attitudes, actions, relationships and curriculum.

We value all members of our school community equally with a principle of ‘unconditional positive regard’

This principle applies whatever a persons’ (dis)ability, ethnicity, culture, national origin or national status, whatever their sex and gender identity, whatever their religious or non-religious affiliation or faith background and whatever their sexual orientation.  It also applies regardless of background, socio-economic status, lifestyle choices and behaviour.

We recognise, respect and value difference and diversity
We believe that diversity is a strength, which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit here.  We take account of differences and strive to remove barriers and disadvantages which people may face, in relation to disability, ethnicity, sex, religion, belief or faith and sexual orientation.

We understand that it is not enough to be non discriminatory in our approach, seeking instead to actively challenge discrimination wherever it exists in our community and beyond. 
In this regard we reject the notions of ‘colour blindness’ and ‘tolerance’, instead we choose to acknowledge, celebrate and be an ally.

We understand the value of positive attitudes and relationships, creating a shared sense of belonging
We actively promote positive attitudes and mutual respect between groups and communities who are different from each other.  Fostering strong, supportive relationships is central to all that we do.  We want all members of our school community to feel a sense of belonging within the school and wider community and to feel that they are respected and able to participate fully in school life.

We have the highest expectations of all our children
We expect that all or our pupils, regardless of their backgrounds, (dis)ability, ethnicity, gender or other characteristics, will make good progress and achieve to their highest potential.  We do not 'label' our children and and make assumptions about limits to their abilities.

We work hard to raise standards for all pupils, but especially for the most vulnerable
We believe that improving the quality of education for the most vulnerable groups of pupils raises standards across the whole school.

We observe effective equalities practice for our staff
We ensure that policies and procedures benefit all employees and potential employees in all aspects of their work, including in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development. 

Our Equalities objectives are evaluated yearly by SLT and Governors.