Awarded 'Outstanding' by OFSTED

Policy Statement

We believe in the dignity of all people and their right to respect and equality of opportunity. We value the strength that comes with difference and the positive contribution that diversity brings to our community. Our aspiration is for our setting and the wider region to be safe, welcoming and inclusive.

 

Our Equalities Coordinator is: Natalie Follenfant

 

Our aims are to:

• Actively include all families and value the positive contribution they make to our setting.

• Promote equality and value diversity within our setting and foster good relations with the local community.

• Provide a safe and secure and accessible environment in which all our children can flourish and in which all contributions are valued;

• Promote a positive non-stereotyping environment that promotes dignity, respect and understanding of difference in all forms.

• Improve our knowledge and understanding of issues relating to anti-discriminatory practice.

• Challenge and eliminate discriminatory actions on the basis of protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marital and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Sex

• Sexual orientation.

• Where possible, take positive action to benefit groups or individuals with protected characteristics who are disadvantaged, have a disproportional representation within the setting or need different things from the setting.

 

Procedures

 ​We have adopted the Cambridgeshire pledge

 

Admissions

​Our pre-school is open and accessible to all members of the community.

• We advertise our service widely.

• We reflect the diversity of members of our community and wider society in our publicity and promotional materials.

• We provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written form. [provided in other languages wherever possible]

• We base our admissions policy on a fair system.

• We do not discriminate against a child or their family preventing their entry to our setting based on a protected characteristic as defined in the Equality Act 2010

• We ensure that all parents are made aware of our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

• We take action against any discriminatory, prejudice, harassing or victimising behaviour by our staff, volunteers or parents whether by:

-Direct discrimination – someone is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic e.g. preventing families of a specific ethnic group from using the service;

-Indirect discrimination – someone is affected unfavourably by a general policy e.g. children must only speak English in the setting;

-Discrimination arising from a disability – someone is treated less favourably because of something connected with their disability e.g. a child with a visual impairment is excluded from an activity;​

• discrimination on the basis that it is thought someone has a protected characteristic e.g. making assumptions about someone's sexual orientation.

• We will not tolerate behaviour from an adult who demonstrates dislike or prejudice towards individuals who are perceived to be from another country (xenophobia).

• Displaying of openly discriminatory xenophobic and possibly offensive or threatening materials, name calling, or threatening behaviour are unacceptable on, or around, our premises and will be dealt with immediately and discreetly by asking the adult to stop using the unacceptable behaviour and inviting them to read and to act in accordance with the relevant policy statement and procedure. Failure to comply may lead to the adult being excluded from the premises.

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Employment​

• Posts are advertised and all applicants are judged against explicit and fair criteria.

• The applicant who best meets the criteria is offered the post, subject to references and suitability checks. This ensures fairness in the selection process.

•  All job descriptions include a commitment to promoting equality and recognising and respecting diversity as part of their specifications.

• We monitor our application process to ensure that it is fair and accessible.

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Training

• ​We seek out training opportunities for staff and volunteers to enable them to develop anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices which enable all children to flourish.

• We review our practices to ensure that we are fully implementing our policy for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

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Curriculum

​The curriculum offered in our setting encourages children to develop positive attitudes about themselves as well as about people who are different to themselves. It encourages development of confidence and self-esteem, empathy, critical thinking and reflection.

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We do this by:

• Creating an environment of mutual respect and tolerance.

• Modelling desirable behaviour to children and helping children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are hurtful and unacceptable.

• Positively reflecting the widest possible range of communities within resources.

• Avoiding use of stereotypes or derogatory images within our books or any other visual materials

• Celebrating locally observed festivals through food, resources, visitors.

• Ensuring that children learning English as an Additional Language [EAL] have full access to the curriculum and are supported in their learning.

• Ensuring children speaking other languages other than English are supported in their home language.

• Ensuring that disabled children with and without special educational needs are fully supported

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Valuing Diversity in Families

• ​We welcome the diversity of family lifestyles and work with all families.

• We encourage children to contribute stories of their everyday life into the setting.

• We encourage mothers, fathers and other carers to take part in the life of the setting and to contribute fully.

• For families who speak languages in addition to English we will develop means to encourage their full inclusion.

• We offer a flexible payment system for families of differing means and those experiencing financial difficulties offering information on sources of support.

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Food​

• We work in partnership with parents to ensure that the dietary requirements of children that arise from their medical, religious or cultural needs are met where ever possible.

• We help children to learn about a range of food, and of cultural approaches to mealtimes and eating and to respect the differences among them

 

Meetings

• Meetings are arranged to ensure that all families who wish to may be involved in the running of the setting.

• We positively encourage both mothers and fathers to be involved in the setting, especially those who do not live with the child.

• Information about meetings is communicated in a variety of ways – written [notice boards, email, social media, websites], verbal – to ensure that all parents have information about, and access to the meetings.

 

The legal framework for this policy is:

• The Human Rights Act 1998

•  The Equality Act 2010

•  Children act 1989 and 2004;

•  Children and Families Act 2014

•  Special Education Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 2014[0-25years]

 

This Policy is reviewed every 3 years