Equality Statement 2023 - 2024

St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School

Equality Statement

This equality statement complies with advice set out in the 2010 Equality Act and should be read in conjunction with the school Equality Policy.

Our equality objectives 2022 - 2023 were:

1. To close the attainment gap between boys and girls.
2. To celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our school through positive representation in fiction books.
3. To educate all children on respect and diversity.
4. Identify and support children who have SEND

The impact has been:

Point 1:

Reading: The attainment gap between boys and girls is closing: Boys 80% met the expected standard and Girls 82% met the expected standard.

Writing: The attainment gap reduced slightly (by 1%) but boys continue to attain significantly below girls: Boys 63% met the expected standard and Girls 82% met the expected standard. This remains an improvement priority across the school.

Maths: There is no attainment gap between girls and boys within this subject (KS2 results, 2023).  Progress measures are below national average for girls by the time they complete KS2.

Point 2:

The English Lead has liaised with the School Library Service and online and local book retailers to stock our classrooms and library with books that celebrate and represent the wide cultural diversity within our school.  Each class teacher has reviewed their year group’s literacy spine – the collection of core books from which the reading and writing curriculum is taught during the academic year. The literacy spines are now culturally and gender diverse which has inspired supporting books to also celebrate and reflect our school community.

Point 3:

The RHSE long-term plan has been reviewed by teachers and leaders.  Additional resources have been added to support the teaching of respect and celebration of diversity.  Staff training was delivered at the beginning of the academic year to highlight the need to be selective in our choice of images to display or use as a learning hook.  Monitoring of learning and books has demonstrated a more balanced representation of our school community.

Point 4:

Policy and processes were reviewed by leaders and the SENCO.  The introduction of a weekly parent circle, led by a teacher, to facilitate discussion and identification of need has been received positively by the school community.  OFSTED and Local Authority inspection reports have recognised the positive impact of the work that has taken place in the school to identify and support children with SEND.

Our equality objectives 2023 - 2024 are:

1. To bring all groups’ progress measures in-line with or above the national average.
2. To celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our school through whole-school and community celebration days – Passport to the World.
3. To close the attendance gap between the average school absence rate and the absence rate for vulnerable pupil groups.