Equality Duty

Our School Commitment

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

• Eliminate Discrimination 
• Provide Equality of Opportunity 
• Foster Positive Relationships 

Our Aim 

At Cherry Tree Hill Primary School we aim to promote equality and develop positive relationships, by tackling any form of discrimination. We seek to remove any barriers that may prevent children from participating in all aspects of all life, making progress and achieving their full potential. We seek to remove barriers to access and participation that may prevent parents and carers being fully involved in the wider education of their child at school. 

Our aim is to:

• Ensure that everyone is treated fairly and respectfully.
• Make our school a safe and secure place for everyone.
• Recognise that people have different needs, and we understand that treating people equally does not always involve treating them the same.
• Ensure that no-one experiences less favourable treatment or discrimination because of:

• Age
• Disability
• Race
• Gender
• Gender identity 
• Religion or belief
• Sexual identity and orientation
• Marriage or civil partnership
• Pregnancy/maternity

We aim to: 

• Provide a safe environment where there is a strong focus on high expectations and challenge to improve outcomes for all our children.
• Provide a learning environment where all learners learn to be independent and resilient with the support of those around them. 
• Prepare children for life in a culturally diverse society where the children are able to be confident in understanding their place and responsibilities in their local, regional, national and international communities. 
• Include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity with a clear focus on the participation of children and parents in decision-making.
• Provide positive non-stereotyping information about different groups of people regardless of protected characteristics under the law (age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnershipand pregnancy/maternity) 
• Plan systematically to improve our children’s understanding and promotion of diversity
• Actively challenge all types of discrimination.
• Ensure that positive messages and actions about inclusion, equality and diversity are part of our daily practice.

To achieve these aims we will: 

• Work closely with other agencies to actively promote inclusion, equality and diversity.
• Involve stakeholders in the development, review, evaluation, and impact assessment of relevant improvement plans, policies and procedures. 
• Publish and share our policies and impact assessments with the whole community.
• Collect and analyse data to ensure all groups are progressing well and no group is disadvantaged. 
• Use all available information to set suitable learning challenges, respond to children’s individual needs and support children in overcoming potential barriers to their success.
• Ensure that the broader school curriculum promotes and celebrates inclusion, equality and diversity. 
• Maintain high expectations of behaviour which demonstrate respect to others. 
• Ensure that all reasonable adjustments are made to ensure equality of opportunity with respect to disability or varying needs.
• Apply a graduated approach to identifying and supporting pupils and students with SEND. 
• Have a co-ordinated assessment process towards an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan) for those children identified as having significant and complex needs, where families are fully involved in planning, commissioning and reviewing services.
• Actively promote parent/carer engagement to monitor that needs are met and provision is appropriate. 

Our School Population April 2025

• 613 children on roll from Nursery to Year 6
• 18.7% of our children are on the SEND register with a range of needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder, hearing impairment, cognition and learning needs, social and emotional needs, speech and language needs.
• 37.8% of our children are classified as disadvantaged.
• 85.5% of our children are White British. The remaining 14.5% of our children come from a range of different ethnic backgrounds.
• 92.5% of our children speak English at home as their first language

The Odyssey Collaborative Trust Equality and Diversity Policy can be downloaded below.

Our Equality Objectives 2025–2028

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty

Objective 1: To further close the attainment and progress gap for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND across all key stages.

Why: While progress has been made, ongoing work is needed to ensure all pupils, regardless of background or need, can achieve their full potential.

Actions: Continue to refine data tracking, strengthen targeted intervention, and ensure teaching is consistently adaptive and inclusive.

Objective 2: To promote inclusive representation and positive visibility of all protected characteristics across the curriculum and wider school life.

Why: Representation helps pupils to feel valued and builds understanding and respect for others.

Actions: Audit curriculum content; embed diverse texts, role models, and perspectives; celebrate key awareness events.

Objective 3: To increase parental and community engagement from underrepresented groups.

Why: Strong partnerships with all families support student outcomes and foster an inclusive school culture.

Actions: Improve communication strategies; provide translated materials where needed; hold inclusive, accessible events that reflect the school’s diversity.

Objective 4: To ensure that all staff feel confident in challenging discrimination and promoting equality through high-quality training and ongoing support.

Why: Empowering staff to act decisively and knowledgeably is essential to maintaining a safe and inclusive school environment.

Actions: Provide regular, high-quality CPD on issues including unconscious bias, cultural competence, and inclusive teaching practice.

Objective 5: To further reduce incidents of discriminatory behaviour and language through a whole-school approach to respect, kindness, and inclusion.

Why: A safe, respectful environment benefits all pupils and staff.

Actions: Strengthen behaviour policies, embed inclusive values through PSHE and assemblies, and involve pupils in peer-led initiatives promoting equality.

These objectives will be monitored annually and reviewed at the end of the cycle in 2028 to assess impact and inform future planning.