Equality Policy

Learn Laugh Play Equality Policy

The Learn Laugh Play Equality Policy includes all the protected characteristics covered under the Equality Act 2010 as well as other aspects which have the potential to discriminate against or to devalue any individuals within our community. We are committed to the development of a cohesive community. Learn Laugh Play embraces the aim of working together with others to improve children’s educational and health and wellbeing outcomes, and notes the rights set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The purpose of this policy is to set out how our practice and policies have due regard to the need to:

– foster good relations between groups and to promote community cohesion

– eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation;

– advance equality of opportunity

  1. The Learn Laugh Play community is made up of families from the UK and beyond from a diverse cultural, social and economic background.  We are committed to support all of our families within our lessons and within our community as a whole
  1. We aim to help children to become confident, independent and empathetic learners who are supportive, caring, and respectful of all other learners and people in the world beyond their lessons with Learn Laugh Play.
  1. Learn Laugh Play aims to deliver a creative and inspiring curriculum that constantly evolves and enables our children to be successful citizens of the 21st Century.
  1.  Learn Laugh Play seeks to foster a warm, welcoming and respectful learning environment, which allows us to question and challenge discrimination and inequalities, resolve conflicts peacefully and work and learn free from harassment and violence.
  1. We recognise that there are similarities and differences between individuals and groups but we will strive to ensure that our differences do not become barriers to participation, access and learning and create inclusive processes and practices, where the varying needs of individuals and groups are identified and met. We therefore cannot achieve equality for all by treating everyone the same. We believe we all have equal rights, but may have different needs.
  1. We will build on our similarities and seek enrichment from our differences and so promote understanding and learning between and towards others to create cohesive communities. We recognise and accept our equality duties as set out in the Equality Act 2010 and have sought to involve the whole school community in order to ensure better outcomes for all. We aim:
  • To eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
  • To promote equality of access and opportunity within Learn Laugh Play 
  • To promote positive attitudes to difference and good relationships between people with different backgrounds, genders, cultures, faiths, abilities and ethnic origins
  1. We recognise that it is unlawful to discriminate against a pupil, prospective pupil or member of staff by treating them less favourably if they have protected characteristics:
  • sex,
  • race,
  • disability,
  • religion or belief
  • sexual orientation
  • gender reassignment,
  • pregnancy or maternity
  1. We are committed to supported disabled pupils in the following ways where appropriate:

• increase the extent to which disabled pupils can participate in the curriculum;

• improve the availability of accessible information to disabled pupils.

  1. We actively seek out opportunities in and outside of the curriculum to embrace the following key concepts:
  • Shared humanity. Identifying commonality and shared values, aspirations and needs underpins our approach to equality. We value our fundamental similarities and universality
  • Valuing difference and diversity. We appreciate the richness within our differences and look for ways of celebrating and understanding them better
  • Interdependence, interaction and influence. We recognise that, as they evolve, distinct cultures, beliefs and lifestyles will impact on and inform each other
  • Social cohesion within Learn Laugh Play
  • Excellence. We aim to inspire and recognise high personal and collective achievement throughout our community, the UK and the wider world. Excellence is to be found everywhere
  • Personal and cultural identity. We will provide opportunities to explore and value the complexity of our personal and cultural identities
  • Fairness and social justice. We will develop our understanding of the inequality that exists in society and explore ways of individually and collectively promoting a more equitable society
  1. We retain the right to exclude a child as there could be a situation where this is deemed to be in the best interest of the child and other children although we work hard to try to avoid this happening.
  1. We respect the religious beliefs and practice of all staff, children and parents/carers, and comply with reasonable requests relating to religious observance and practice. However we cannot endorse religious beliefs that go against the rights of individuals or groups of individuals.
  1. We will ensure the safety and well-being of our teachers and administrators and take seriously and act on incidents of harassment and discrimination recognising that our staff may be either victims or perpetrators.
  1. We recognise that hate incidents and prejudice–based bullying behaviour is driven by negative assumptions, stereotypes or misinformation. These are then directed against an individual or group, based on difference (real or perceived), and linked to, for example, racism, transphobia, homophobia, negative views of disabled people or sexism. We will take action to prevent, challenge and eliminate any such behaviour.
  1.  We recognise that we as individuals and society often struggle with difference of any kind (perceived or actual), which can result in seizing upon the most visible sign of difference e.g. skin colour or disability.
  1. Through our ethos and curriculum, we want our students to understand better the diversity that exists in society. We want to provide opportunities for them to explore the subtleties and complexities in order to prevent and respond to incidents and situations. We will address the experience, understanding and needs of the target, the perpetrator, bystanders and the wider learning community through our actions and responses.
  1. We will record prejudice/hate incidents and prejudice based bullying. We will use this information to identify trends and patterns, so that we have approaches in place to provide appropriate responses in terms of support for victims and their families, sanctions and support for perpetrators and their families and education for our children, young people and community. 
  1. Types of discriminatory incidents that can occur are:
  • Physical assault against a person or group because of their colour, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or gender or gender identity;
  • Use of derogatory names, insults and jokes;
  • Racist, sexist, homophobic or discriminatory graffiti;
  • Provocative behaviour such as wearing racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic or discriminatory badges or insignia;
  • Bringing discriminatory material into school;
  • Verbal abuse and threats;
  • Incitement of others to discriminate or bully due to victim’s race, disability, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation;
  • Discriminatory comments in the course of discussion;
  • Attempts to recruit others to discriminatory organisations and groups;
  • Ridicule of an individual for difference e.g. food, music, religion, dress etc;
  • Refusal to co-operate with other people on grounds of race, gender, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation. 

Last updated 29.1.2025