Supporting the board with Equality, diversity and inclusion (A) (online)

Through Devon County Council’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) pupil forums, children have told us that racism and prejudice occur in all of their schools and these have significant impacts on the children involved:

Recent Devon County Council data shows that over 57% of incidents in schools have a racism element:

• 1 in 6 girls are missing school days due to fear of unwanted comments from boys
• Children who experience bullying are likely to receive 2 grades lower in their GCSEs
• 84% of LGBTQ+ children who experienced prejudice considered taking their own life

With the changing demographics in our Devon schools, your school’s equality duty has never been more significant to make positive impact to children’s lives.

Ofsted’s framework outlines that inspectors ‘will assess the extent to which the provider complies with the relevant legal duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010 including, where relevant, the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Human Rights Act 1998.’

Their handbook further explains that they will review how a school ‘promotes equality of opportunity so that all pupils can thrive together, understanding that difference is a positive, not a negative, and that individual characteristics make people unique. This includes, but is not limited to, pupils’ understanding of the protected characteristics and how equality and diversity are promoted.’

The Ethnically diverse education achievement service (formerly EMTAS) has partnered with the Devon schools wellbeing partnership to deliver fully funded Equality, diversity and inclusion training to schools and governors. 

This event will be free to attend for all Devon governors and trustees (including non-subscribing schools, Plymouth and Torbay schools and independent schools.)