Equality and Diversity goes beyond meeting legal obligations or targets. It is about making a difference to the lives of the communities we serve, treating all people with dignity and respect, and recognising the value of each individual. This means an ongoing commitment to ensuring that our services meet the varied and individual needs of all members of the school community.
To that end, through our school ethos, curriculum and community links, we will work towards
- a common vision;
- a sense of belonging for all;
- similar life opportunities for all.
Guiding Principles
At The Edge Academy we fully endorse and accept the following principles:
- All learners are of equal value – “Achievement for All”
All learners and potential learners are of equal value and benefit equally from school policies, practices and programmes, whatever their ability, background, gender identity or cultural identity. - Relevant differences are recognised
Treating people equally can mean treating them differently. Practices and programmes do not discriminate, but may be differentiated to take account of differences of life experience, outlook and background.
We foster positive attitudes, relationships and a shared sense of belonging
Programmes promote:
- positive attitudes and interactions;
- mutual respect and good relations;
- an absence of harassment or prejudice-related bullying between people of different ability, special educational need, sex, race, religion and belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or anyone else belonging to a vulnerable group.
The Edge Academy is committed to ensuring all regulations are followed:
- Implementation – We will ensure implementation through action in the following areas:
- Relationships and ethos – to foster behaviour based on rights, responsibilities and mutual respect between all members of the school community; to support pupils’ personal development and well-being; to address and record all forms of prejudice- related bullying; to promote The Edge Academy as a ‘Telling School’, expecting all pupils to pass on information to staff that threatens equality, diversity and community cohesion.
- Equity and excellence – to ensure equal opportunities for all to succeed at the highest possible level achievable, removing barriers to access and participation in learning and wider activities and minimising variations in outcomes for different groups.
- Teaching, learning and curriculum – to teach pupils to understand others, promote common values and value diversity, to promote awareness of human rights and of the responsibility to uphold and defend them, and to develop skills of participation and responsible action.
- Engagement and extended services – to provide a means for children, young people and their families to interact with people from different backgrounds and build positive relations, including links with different school communities locally, across the country and internationally.