Ormiston South Parade Academy is dedicated in promoting equality for opportunity, celebrating diversity and reducing discrimination to create a positive and safe environment, where all pupils are able to thrive and succeed. The academy works as a team to ensure all staff, pupils and members of the school community feel they are treated fairly with respect, listened to and valued by all. This ethos is reflected within our Equality Policy, which is aligned together with this statement to further demonstrate our commitment of equality and fulfilment of our legal obligations.
Since April 2012 all public bodies, including all local authorities and all schools have been bound by what is known as the Public Sector Equality Duty (Section 149 of the Equality Act). This replaces previous statutory duties on race, gender and disability and covers the 9 protected characteristics.
All schools have a duty to promote equality. This legal duty has 3 main elements; which all schools must have due regard to the need to:
(a) Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010.
(b) Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; by removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people which are connected to a particular characteristic they have, taking steps to meet the particular needs of people who have a particular characteristic, encouraging people who have a particular characteristic to participate fully in any activities.
(c) Foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
Our academy also challenges prejudice and promotes understanding and discussion through:
To fulfil our legal obligations, we will be guided by the following statements: