Equalities and accessibility

Our core purpose

At Harrogate Grammar School, our core purpose is to provide ‘excellence for all’ and we achieve this through the five REACH values that we embody, role model and teach: Respect, Excellence, Adventure, Commitment and Honesty. In practical terms, we have three pillars in our school of focus – a culture of respectful relationships, an aspirational and inclusive curriculum and expert teaching.

Within our Culture Pillar, our school community demonstrates.

• A culture of respectful relationships and exceptionally good behaviour for learning
• A community where we all manage our emotions and take responsibility for our choices
• A community where everyone feels safe, well supported and that they belong
• A community where all members are given the opportunity to develop

At Harrogate Grammar School, we actively seek to promote equality and to celebrate the diversity within our school and community and the world beyond Harrogate.

As a school we have a duty under the Equality Act 2010, to ensure protection on the grounds of specific characteristics (referred to as protected characteristics). For schools, this means that it is unlawful to discriminate against students or treat them less favourably because of their sex; race; disability; religion or belief; gender reassignment; sexual orientation; pregnancy or maternity.  Marriage and civil partnerships and age are also ‘protected characteristics’.  These apply to staff but not students in schools.

What is our duty?

• To eliminate discrimination, harassment, and victimisation
• To promote equality of opportunity and outcomes for all
• To foster good relationships between people of different groups
• To support our students in becoming kind, responsible and knowledgeable global citizens
• To meet the statutory duties of the Equalities Act 2010

Equality and Accessibility Policy

Our Equality and Accessibility Policy contains information about how we comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Equality policy

Equality Objectives

In accordance with the Equality Act (2010), we have published a series of Equality Objectives, which we are working towards.

This includes the following key objectives:

1. To undertake an audit of the curriculum to ensure full coverage of all aspects of equality, diversity, social justice, and global citizenship.
2. Within this curriculum, to ensure that we embed work on homophobia / biphobia / transphobia and discrimination linked to race, faith, gender, and disability.
3. To continue to build understanding of, and empathy with, refugees and asylum seekers and those facing socio-economic disadvantage.
4. To challenge stereotypes, which can deny opportunities to students.
5. To promote equality, diversity, and inclusion across our staff body. This will be achieved through a variety of means, including promoting flexible working, transparency in the gender pay gap, and training for staff to raise awareness and as a result eliminate any unconscious bias in all aspects of school life.
6. To use data to monitor student achievement and attendance, in order to narrow the gaps between groups of learners, subjects, courses and key stages.
7. To further improve accessibility across the school for staff, students, and visitors with disabilities, including access to specialist teaching areas.
8. To work towards achieving the Equalities award – www.equalitiesaward.co.uk
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