Equality
Equality at St Peter Chanel, Sidcup
Equality Information and Objectives
Every child welcomed, valued and given the chance to thrive.
St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School is committed to advancing equality of opportunity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, and fostering good relations between people from different backgrounds. This duty applies to every child, every member of staff, every parent and every visitor to our school.
We are a Catholic school, and our Catholic ethos shapes our understanding of equality: that every person is made in the image of God, deserves dignity and respect, and is entitled to the chance to flourish. Children of all faiths and none are warmly welcomed at our school.
The Public Sector Equality Duty
Under the Equality Act 2010, as a public body we have three duties:
- To eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- To advance equality of opportunity between people with different protected characteristics
- To foster good relations between people with different protected characteristics
Protected characteristics
The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination on the basis of:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
Our Equality Objectives 2024–2028
We publish at least one specific, measurable equality objective every four years, reviewed annually by the Governing Body. Our current objectives are:
Objective 1 — Closing the disadvantaged attainment gap
To narrow the attainment gap in reading, writing and maths between pupils eligible for Pupil Premium and their peers, through high-quality first teaching, targeted intervention and family engagement.
How we measure success: Annual review of Pupil Premium pupils' progress and attainment data, reported to Governors.
Objective 2 — Equality of opportunity for pupils with SEND
To ensure every pupil with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities can fully access our curriculum and all aspects of school life, including extra-curricular activities, residentials and school visits.
How we measure success: SEND participation rates in extra-curricular activities; SEND pupil outcomes against age-related expectations; parent feedback through the annual SEND review.
Objective 3 — Promoting respect and understanding of diversity
To deepen pupils' understanding of diversity, equality and Catholic Social Teaching through our curriculum, our assemblies and the lived experience of our school community.
How we measure success: Pupil voice surveys; curriculum scrutiny by subject leaders and Governors; evidence of Catholic Social Teaching woven through every subject.
How we live out these duties
In day-to-day school life this means:
- Making reasonable adjustments — physical, environmental, academic and emotional — to enable every child to access our curriculum
- Teaching about diversity, fairness and respect through PSHE, RE, Catholic Social Teaching and our wider curriculum
- Treating all incidents of discrimination, prejudice or bullying with seriousness, in line with our Behaviour and Anti-Bullying policies
- Welcoming children of all faiths and none, and celebrating the cultural and religious diversity of our school community
- Ensuring fair and inclusive recruitment, training and treatment of staff, in line with the trust's Equal Opportunities in Employment policy
As a Catholic school
As a Voluntary Aided Catholic school designated as having a religious character, we operate within the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 that apply to faith schools, including in our admissions arrangements (where places may be offered to Catholic families under our oversubscription criteria) and in certain employment matters where the role requires a Catholic post-holder. In all other respects, the Public Sector Equality Duty applies in full.
Trust-level policy
St Peter Chanel is a proud member of St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust. The trust's full Equality Information and Objectives Statement Policy applies to all schools in the trust and can be read in full on the trust's policies page.
Read the SORCAT Equality Information and Objectives Statement Policy →
Reviewed annually by the Governing Body. Next full review: 30 June 2027.