Nightingale School

Equality

Our school is committed to equality both as an employer and a service provider: we strive to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We want to make sure that our school is safe, secure and stimulating place for everyone. We recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them all exactly the same. We recognise that for some students need extra support to help them achieve and be successful e.g. all those that fall within the protected characteristics. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity in which all those connected to the school feel proud of their identity and ability to participate fully in school life.

We make sure that people from different groups are consulted and involved in our decisions, for example through talking to students and parents/carers, staff and the governing body. We tackle discrimination through the positive promotion of equality, by challenging bullying and stereotypes and by creating an environment which champions respect for all.

We aim to make sure that no one experiences harassment, less favourable treatment or discrimination because of their age; any disability they may have; their ethnicity, colour or national origin; their gender identity or reassignment; their marital or civil partnership status; being pregnant or having recently had a baby; their religion or beliefs; their sexual identity and orientation. At Nightingale we believe that diversity is a strength which should be respected and celebrated by all those who learn, teach and visit us.

We welcome our duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2011 to promote community cohesion.

We welcome the emphasis in the OFSTED inspection framework on the importance of narrowing gaps in achievement which affect, amongst others:

Students from certain cultural and ethnic backgrounds
Students who belong to low income households and students know to be eligible for free school meals
Student who are disabled
Students who have special education needs
Boys in certain subjects and girls in certain other subjects.

All staff have responsibility for promoting equality in all that we do.

Staff member and governor with overview of Equality: Romaine Sweeney

Tel: 020 8985 4259

The Equality Act of 2010 requires us to publish information that demonstrates that we have due regard for the need to :

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
Advance quality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Our Equality Policy can be found in our Policies section.