Downs Junior School

We all have equal rights but we have different needs and we recognise that to provide for these we need to ensure equality of opportunity for all pupils. We aim to build on our similarities and to seek enrichment from our differences and so promote understanding and learning between and towards others to create a cohesive community.

The Equality Act 2010 requires schools to publish information to show how we are working to:

• Eliminate discrimination
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic* and people who do not share it
• Foster good relations between groups of people

*Protected characteristic is the term used in the Equality Act to describe a range of different groups, including:

· age;

· disability;

· gender reassignment;

· marriage and civil partnership;

· pregnancy and maternity;

· race;

· religion or belief;

· sex;

· sexual orientation.

In addition to these groups, we believe it is vital to consider the specific needs of other vulnerable pupils such as those who are looked after, children from refugee families, those who have a carer’s role and children eligible for pupil premium funding.

Our school community is made up of a wide range of families and below is a summary of our census data showing the range of differing groups we have in the school:

Contextual information about our school community September 2023

504 pupils:  269 boys and 235 girls

17.1 % Disadvantaged 

20.5% Special Educational Needs 

4.2% Education Health and Care Plans 

10.5% English as an Additional Language (National 17%)

Gender identity- We are aware that there may be individual children in our school community who question their gender identity and may express their gender identity in a way that does not conform to stereotypical norms or the biological sex they were born as. We would work with any child and their family to support them if they were gender questioning.

We also know that our parents and carers will be represented across all the protected groups.