St. Joseph's School Statement on Equality

We are a Catholic community, in a modern society, where everyone is equal.As a Catholic School, we strive to reflect the teachings of Christ and live out the Gospel Values in everything that we do. The most loving and merciful Jesus Christ isour role model, and He welcomed everyone. All children are welcome inour school; they and their families become part of our St. Joseph's family. We will love and nurture them,and do our best to help them to become everything that God intends them to be. Every person in our school community has been made in the image of God and is loved unconditionally by God. Everyone is equal and we treat each other with dignity and respect. Our school is a place where everyone should be able to flourish in a loving and hospitable community. Each person in all their unique difference should be able to thrive, irrespective of physical appearance, gender, age, race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, academic ability, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.

At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School our values reflect our commitment to a school where there are high expectations of everyone. Children are provided with high quality learning opportunities so that each childattains and achieves all that they are able to. Everyone in our school is important and included. We promote an ethos of care and trust where every member of our school community feels that they truly belong and are valued. We work hard to ensure there are no invisible children here, recognising everyone’s uniqueness and success. We recognise learning in all its forms and are committed to nurturing lifelonglearners. We are a safe school, committed to improving children's confidence and self-esteem. We know that safe and happy children achieve.

PROMOTING THE NINE PROTECTED CHARACTERISITICS

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. Under the Equality Act, there are

Nine Protected Characteristics:

1. Age
2. Disability
3. Gender reassignment
4. Race
5. Religion or belief
6. Marriage or civil partnership
7. Sex
8. Sexual orientation
9. Pregnancy and maternity

Under the Equality Act you are protected from discrimination:

• When you are in the workplace
• When you use public services like healthcare (for example, visiting your doctor or local hospital) or education (for example, at your school or college)
• When you use businesses and other organisations that provide services and goods (like shops, restaurants, and cinemas)
• When you use transport
• When you join a club or association (for example, your local tennis club)
• When you have contact with public bodies like your local council or government departments

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

• Our school ethos statement and SEF
• Our school core values
• Our school behaviour policy
• Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
• Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
• Assemblies
• British Values themes for a day, week and term
• Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
• Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) sessions
• Religious Education (RE) lessons, RSE lessons and Protected Characteristic talks
• Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
• Pupil Voice
• Educational visits
• Real-life learning outside the classroom
• Guest speakers
• Developing links with local, national and international communities
• Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, charity work and work within the local community

Embedding Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of St Joseph's promotes:

• Self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence
• Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
• Acceptance of responsibility for their own behaviour
• Respect for their own and other cultures
• Understanding of how they can contribute positively to school and home life and to the lives of those living and working in the locality and further afield
• An understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
• An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
• An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
• An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
• An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination