Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Olympus Academy Trust and Winterbourne Academy are strongly committed to equality, inclusion and promoting and celebrating diversity in all aspects of our work.

We value the different contributions and experiences of all who make up our community. The Trust’s values of collaboration, excellence and opportunity and our school values of participation, respect, integrity, determination and excellence underpin everything we do.

Equalities legislation

As a public body the Olympus Academy Trust complies with The Equality Act (2010), which protects individuals against direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation on the basis of nine protected characteristics. The nine protected characteristics are:

Age
Disability
Gender reassignment– including people who have proposed, started or completed a process to change their sex but who are not under medical supervision
Marriage/civil partnership– not including those who are not married/in a civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity– defined as all stages of pregnancy and the 26 week period following the birth of a child
Race– including caste, nationality, ethnicity and skin colour
Religion or belief– including atheism or agnosticism
Sex– a man or a woman
Sexual orientation

The Equality Act (2010) consolidates and replaces all previous equalities legislation such as the Race Relations Act, Disability Discrimination Act and Sex Discrimination Act.

The Public Sector Equality Duty places additional duties on public sector organisations such as multi-academy trusts. The duties include working proactively to eliminate discrimination on the basis of the nine protected characteristics. The duties also require public bodies to have due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other prohibited conduct under the Equality Act (2010)
Advance equality of opportunity between people of different groups
Foster good relations between people from different groups.

What this means for Olympus Academy Trust & Winterbourne Academy

The Trust has worked alongside the school to set Equality Objectives to support our compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty. Our Equality Objectives help focus attention on our priority equality issues in order to deliver improvements in the delivery of high quality education, policy making and employment.

Our policies are designed to promote and ensure equality for all pupils and staff, and are underpinned by our overarching Equality and Diversity Policy. Staff benefits such as leave entitlements; support for parents and carers; career development opportunities and flexible working provisions are open to all staff irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage/civil partnership status, race, religion/belief or sexual orientation.

Our schools are committed to supporting and promoting inclusion for pupils. A key aim of the Trust and each of its schools is to help all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, to achieve their very best and become successful, well rounded individuals.

Our Equality Objectives Are:

To use performance data to monitor student achievement and respond to variations between groups of learners, subjects, courses and key stages, trends over time and comparisons with other schools.
To improve the progress and attainment of disadvantaged students, and of SEND students.
To improve attendance and promote mental health and wellbeing in children with protected characteristics.
To further develop, promote and celebrate the work of diversity initiatives, anti-bullying awareness, and the student body within school, and to support their engagement with the wider community.
To develop understanding and promote good relations between different groups within school through assemblies, Jigsaw (PSHE), religious studies and citizenship within our Curious Curriculum themes.
To further improve accessibility across the school for students, staff and visitors with disabilities, including access to specialist teaching areas.

Equality Objectives 2022-2026

At Winterbourne Academy we aim to provide the best possible educational experience to all learners, irrespective of ethnic or national origin, culture, religion, gender, special educational need, disability, sexuality or economic circumstance. Our specific quality objectives are:

Ensure the curriculum reflects inclusion and diversity and prepares learners for modern life in Britain through regular curriculum reviews
Ensure that staff recruitment is in line with the Equality Act and works to achieve a staffing and leadership profile which reflects the diverse communities we work with and serve
Ensure staff are aware of and follow the Inclusion Policy of the Academy and current legislation through quality induction, CPD and policy review
Actively close the gaps in attainment and achievement for key groups of students; including special educational needs, disability, boys and girls, disadvantaged and looked after; through quality first teaching, tailored intervention and a robust PP strategy
Enhance our already strong reputation as an inclusive academy and increase the sense of belonging and pride for learners from all groups through student voice and leadership opportunities focused on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion