Equality our work and whole school aims 2023 - 2024
INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY
We at Mill View are committed to creating a truly inclusive school. We believe in our ability to harness the power of collaboration to create a world that is inclusive and fair for all young people.
We believe every young person must be able to thrive in the present in order to shape their future.
We believe that all people in our community deserve and can expect fair treatment and opportunity. We know that to achieve this we must take positive action and actively educate our community. This is the responsibility of all the staff, students and parents within our community.
Inclusion Labs
At Mill View we have committed to work with Inclusion Labs through a process to reflect on and review our practices, right through the whole school, from governors and SLT through to families. Addressing inequalities requires a long term commitment as culture change can be difficult to instigate quickly. We are committed to implement actions and resources for systemic change.
The SLT and governing body will take responsibility and demonstrate their full commitment to this process. It is a high priority within the school. We will ensure all members of this community feel they can discuss openly and will have their views respected. We will challenge views and processes we believe discriminate against any member of our community, especially those identified as having a protected characteristic by the Equalities Act 2010.
Katie Hetherington will be the Diversity, Equalities and Inclusion Lead on this project. Jane Beston will be the DEI Governor Lead. They will ensure that the project is led to a conclusion across the year. They will be responsible for leading an Inclusion Working Party, created of staff and parents, through this process through to a year-end impact report.
We are working with Inclusion Labs through their schools programme, which encompasses race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, identity – everything that creates a diverse world. We, like them, believe inclusion initiatives should include everyone.
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Mill View Equality Objectives 2022 - 2024 |
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Area of focus |
Actions |
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Embed representation of all protected characteristics within all areas of our curriculum and extended curriculum, ensuring positive experiences for all children.
The audit with Inclusion labs suggested that faculty would like ‘More face to face training to provide practical ideas to use in class’ and ‘Greater visible highlight and celebration of the existing diversity within our school community.’ |
Curriculum lead to plot out new curriculum for children, ensuring representation opportunities; Curriculum lead to lead training for all staff through Staff Meetings to ensure staff are aware of responsibilities in relation to Equalities Act, and further to support staff in their conversations/teaching with children Explore opportunities to promote equity of protected characteristics – Pride Month, Black History Month, and further ensure this learning is taken through the whole year; Ensure delivery of No Outsiders curriculum across whole school and extend this learning to nursery provision. |
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Ensure the dialogue of diversity and equity which happens in school is shared and promoted within the homes of our families. Ensure all families are aware of the learning their children have regarding diversity.
It was clear from the recent audit with Inclusion Labs that parents were not fully aware of the learning their children have regarding diversity. Some statements included: ‘More guidance for families to support teaching inclusivity at home’, ‘Continued sharing of information about how children are encouraged to be more inclusive, and how they are encouraged to 'celebrate diversity.’ |
Currculum lead to monitor use of SeeSaw as a way of promoting work already undertaken in school Explore ways to embed a wider variety of visitors in to school in meaningful contexts, and ways for children to be immersed in multi-cultural environments through visits and excursions. Ensure this is explicitly planned for and written out.
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Ensure policies and procedures within school promote equity and celebrate diversity within our school community.
In our Inclusion Labs audit, SLT felt that an ‘increased representation of people from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and beliefs in our policy making and face to face roles across school’ was needed. Parents reported wanting to ‘increase the racial diversity of teaching staff’. |
· SLT to consider ways to make our recruitment process more equitable for all protected characteristics; · SLT to ensure all data gathering is equitable and promotes a celebration of diversity; · Curriculum Lead to embed the use of equity and diversity statements within each curriculum area, ensuring opportunities to teach and explore diversity are taken and valued. |
