Schools, under the Equalities Act (2010) Public Sector Duties, are now required by law to publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with Public Sector Duty. At St Mary’s we are committed to fostering good relations, advancing equality of opportunity and eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
Our school community is made up of a wide range of families and below is a summary of our census data showing the range of differing groups we have in the school:
- 207 pupils on roll
- 57% girls, 43% boys
- 7 EHCP’s
- 13% SEN
- 38% BME
- 26% EAL
- 18 languages spoken – the most common being English, Arabic, Greek and Polish
- 23% FSM
- 23% PP
At St Mary’s, fair means that everybody gets what they need, not that everybody gets the same.
We all have equal rights but may have different needs. We build on our similarities and seek enrichment from our differences and so promote understanding and learning between and towards others to create cohesive communities.
We do this in a variety of ways:
Fostering good relations:
- We have a carefully planned and full EPR curriculum which includes lessons on gender and family diversity, disability education, cultural diversity and relationship education in each year group.
- We have varied programme of assemblies throughout the year which celebrate important festivals from all religions.
- We have an RE curriculum which includes visits and visitors from a range of religions.
Advancing equality of opportunity:
- We have worked to ensure better access to our school grounds and buildings for those with physical disabilities, installing ramps and rails and markings on the playground.
- We have an active school council to give pupil voice a clear platform
- We run a number of intervention and booster groups to ensure all children reach their full potential.
- We have close links with Ethnic Minority Advisory Service (EMAS) and provide support and translation for pupils for whom English is not a first language.
Eliminating discrimination:
- Our antibullying work including an antibullying week in November, with recent themes focusing on challenging stereotypes and prejudiced name calling
- Our Key Stage 2 children take part in the citywide Safe and Well School survey, and the findings from this inform our planning for further work on bullying and well being at school
- We have a robust system of reporting racist, homophobic, religiously motivated and other prejudiced based incidents
- Annual pupils, parents and carers, staff and governors questionnaires are carried out each year, and the findings of these are reported to the school community and inform our school development planning
Our last Ofsted stated that:
School leaders successfully promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is an atmosphere of kindness and respect for each other. The warm school ethos and broad curriculum promote pupils’ interest in school and sense of wonder in the world around them.
Pupils are polite and well-mannered and respect each other’s cultures and backgrounds. New arrivals, including those who come directly from abroad with little or no English, are given good support and settle well.
In order to further meet our Equalities Objectives, in the academic year 2022-2023
We will be:
- Holding a family diversity week and timetabling other weeks that celebrate diversity within our school
- to undertake Primary PSHE Racial Literacy Training as part of the Brighton and Hove Anti-Racist Curriculum Framework
- To develop a community supported Racial Awareness and Curriculum Working Party to support the development of our curriculum
- Raising awareness of different disabilities through assemblies and celebration days
