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St Bernards Catholic

Equality Statement

At St Bernard’s we take our legal duties on equality seriously.

We welcome our general duty under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to foster good relations.

We are required to publish equality information as well as equality objectives, which show how we plan to reduce or remove particular inequalities or disadvantages. Our Equalities Policy is reviewed and updated annually. Please click on the link below to view the full document.

 

Equality of Opportunity

We aim to be a community where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We want everyone to reach their potential, and we recognise that for some pupils extra support is needed to help them to achieve and be successful.

Eliminating Discrimination

We take seriously our obligation to eliminate discrimination, believing that children should learn to respect others, for they too are made in God’s image.  All racist incidents are dealt with swiftly, logged and reported to governors and the local authority.  Our school vision states that “We will value and respect others and become good citizens of the world”.

Fostering Good Relations for All

We prepare the children for the world they will be living in and raise awareness of the needs of others. Our Personal, Social, Cultural and Health Education and Religious Education curriculum promotes understanding of a range of groups in society.

In addition, fostering good relationships, respecting others between individuals and groups in school is a key part of our daily assemblies.

Equalities Objectives for 2025-27 (reviewed annually)

Objective 1: Increase diversity and linguistic inclusivity in reading materials

Target completion: End of 2027

Rationale

Pupils should have access to a broad range of texts representing varied social, ethnic, racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Historically, authors and voices from minority and under‑represented groups have not been adequately reflected in school collections. Ensuring this diversity supports inclusion, cultural understanding and representation, particularly for pupils and families for whom English is an additional language.

Planned actions

  • Conduct a full audit of reading materials across the curriculum.
  • Update purchasing criteria to prioritise diversity, representation and accessibility.
  • Allocate and raise funds to expand and refresh stock.
  • Introduce multilingual and dual‑language texts.
  • Engage pupil groups to identify gaps and evaluate new resources.

Objective 2: Embed cross-cultural perspectives and resources throughout the curriculum

Target completion: End of 2027

Rationale

Curriculum content has traditionally prioritised Western perspectives, limiting the breadth of cultural knowledge and role models available to pupils. A more diverse curriculum strengthens pupils’ cultural capital and prepares them for life in a global and multi‑cultural society.

Planned actions

  • Review and revise curriculum content across all subjects with subject and phase leaders.
  • Ensure each subject incorporates a wide range of global examples, figures and case studies.
  • Develop a central repository of cross-cultural resources.
  • Provide staff training to support confident and meaningful integration of diverse perspectives.
  • Establish an annual review cycle to maintain consistency and avoid tokenism.

Objective 3: Improve attendance of disadvantaged and SEND pupils to at least 95%

Target completion: End of 2027

Rationale

Regular attendance is essential for academic progress, wellbeing and equal access to school life. Disadvantaged and SEND pupils may face additional barriers, making targeted attendance support crucial to securing equitable outcomes.

Planned actions

  • Senior leaders and the SENDCo will work directly with families to identify barriers and create tailored support plans.
  • Teachers will monitor attendance patterns and address emerging concerns at an early stage.
  • Strengthen communication with families to ensure a supportive and proactive approach.
  • Work with external agencies where necessary to support individual pupils.
  • Review attendance data regularly to ensure timely intervention.

Shared Responsibility

All members of the school community are responsible for upholding and promoting the school’s Equality Policy and ensuring that its principles are embedded in everyday practice.

Link to Equality Policy 2026 - waiting for LGC approval