EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
Groombridge Pre-school works in accordance with all relevant legislation, including:
Disabled Persons Act 1995
Race discriminations Act 2000
Sex Discrimination Act 1995
Children’s Act 2004
Age Discrimination Act 2010
Admissions
Our Pre-school is open and welcoming to ALL families in the community. We will describe the Pre-school and its practices in terms which make it clear that it welcomes both fathers and mothers, other relations and other carers, including childminders, and people from all cultural, ethnic, religious and social groups, with and without disabilities and medical needs.
We will make our Equal Opportunities Policy widely known and families joining Pre-school are made aware of our Equal Opportunities Policy.
We will consult with families about the opening times of the Pre-school to avoid excluding anyone.
We will be flexible about attendance patterns, where possible, so as to accommodate the needs of the individual children and families.
Employment
We welcome applicants from all ethic, religious and cultural back grounds as well as from any age group, with or without disabilities and medical needs. The Pre-school will appoint the best person for each job and will treat fairly all applicants for jobs. All applicants will be required to have regard and respect for the racial origins, religious persuasions, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds of all children.
The Pre-school recognises that children can be damaged by attitudes and assumptions - assumptions that may not be fair or accurate.
Families
The Pre-school recognises that many different types of family successfully love and care for children.
The Pre-school recognises that not all children live in a two parent family.
The Pre-school acknowledges that children growing up in a largely white community need the chance to understand they are part of a wider racially diverse community.
The Pre-school offers a flexible payment system for families with differing means.
Festivals
Our aim is to show respectful awareness of all the major events in the lives of the children and families in the Pre-school, and in our society as a whole, and to welcome the diversity of backgrounds from which they come. In order to achieve this, we aim to acknowledge all the festivals which are celebrated in our area and/or by the families involved in the Pre-school:
Without indoctrination in any specific faith, children will be made aware of the festivals which are being celebrated by their own families or others, and will be introduced, where appropriate, to the stories behind the festivals. Children and families who celebrate at home festivals with which the rest of the Pre-school is not familiar will be invited to share their festival with the rest of the group if they themselves wish to do so.
Children will be encouraged to welcome a range of different festivals, together with the stories, celebrations and special food and clothing they involve, as part of the diversity of life.
Education
All children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured. Activities and the use of play equipment offer children opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination. Appropriate opportunities will be given to children to explore, acknowledge and value similarities and differences between themselves and others.
Resources
These will be chosen to give children a balanced view of the world and an appreciation of the rich diversity of our multicultural society. Materials will be selected to help children to develop their self-respect and to respect other people by avoiding stereotypes and derogatory pictures or messages about any group of people.
Individual Needs
The Pre-school recognises the wide range of individual needs of children and families in the community, and will adapt to meet these needs. Planning for Pre-school meetings and events will take into account the needs of people with disabilities and special educational needs and will ensure that all families have an equal opportunity to be involved in the running of the Pre-school.
A named SENCO will be appointed as responsible for special educational needs.
See SEN Policy and Inclusion Policy
Discriminatory Behaviour and Remarks
These are unacceptable in the Pre-school.
The response will aim to be sensitive to the feelings of the victim and to help those responsible to understand and overcome their prejudices. Incidents will be handled in a developmentally appropriate fashion, respecting individual children's level of understanding and maturity. The unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes will be made clear immediately, but by means of explanations, rather than personal blame.
Language
Information, written and spoken, will be clearly communicated in as many languages as necessary and in any format required
Food and Drink
After discussion with parent/carer about any medical, cultural and dietary needs, we will meet these needs.
Meetings
The pre-school will make every effort to ensure that the time, place and conduct of meetings enable the majority of parents to attend so that all families have an equal opportunity to be involved in and informed about the pre-school.
This policy is known, agreed and implemented by all staff.
This policy is known and made available to all parents.
This policy was reviewed April 2011