NORTHWAY SCHOOL

EQUALITY INFORMATION
AND OBJECTIVES

2026–2030

Policy owner	Headteacher
Date updated	September 2026
Equality information review	Annually
Next full objectives review	By September 2030

“We celebrate all success”

 

Contents

1. Purpose and commitment

2. Legal framework

3. Protected characteristics

4. How Northway demonstrates compliance with the PSED

5. Equality in key areas of school life

6. Equality information and monitoring

7. Equality objectives 2026–2030

Appendix 1 – Equality at a Glance

 

1. Purpose and commitment

Northway School is committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity, tackling discrimination and fostering positive relationships across our school community. We provide a specialist teaching and learning approach, environment and strategies for pupils with SEND so that they can achieve their potential, develop independence and progress towards fulfilling adult lives.

We are an inclusive all-through special school. We focus on the wellbeing and development of every pupil and member of staff and recognise that equality does not always mean treating everyone in exactly the same way. We make reasonable adjustments and adapt provision where this is needed to remove barriers and enable equitable access, participation and opportunity.

Support for families remains fundamental to our ethos. We seek to ensure that disadvantage, disability, background or protected characteristics do not create avoidable barriers to achievement, wellbeing, participation or belonging.

NORTHWAY'S COMMITMENT

High expectations • Removing barriers • Valuing difference • Accessible communication • Meaningful participation • Belonging

 

2. Legal framework

This document sets out how Northway School demonstrates compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), including the specific duties applying to maintained schools.

In carrying out its functions, the Governing Body and school must have due regard to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010;
• advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and
• foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

Northway will publish information demonstrating how it complies with the PSED and update this information at least annually. The Governing Body will agree and publish one or more equality objectives at least every four years. Objectives will be clearly defined, specific and measurable.

3. Protected characteristics

The protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are:

• age (subject to the way the Act applies to schools);
• disability;
• gender reassignment;
• marriage and civil partnership;
• pregnancy and maternity;
• race;
• religion or belief;
• sex;
• sexual orientation.

The way particular Equality Act provisions apply differs between pupils, employment and other school functions. Northway will apply the relevant legal duties to each context and will also consider disadvantage and vulnerability where these create barriers to equitable participation or outcomes.

4. How Northway demonstrates compliance with the PSED

Eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation

Northway reviews policies, procedures and decision-making through an equality and safeguarding lens. We promote respectful relationships, address discriminatory language and behaviour, make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and staff, and seek to ensure recruitment, employment and access to provision are fair and lawful.

Advancing equality of opportunity

All Northway pupils have SEND and require specialist provision. Equality of opportunity therefore includes individualised communication support, accessible teaching, appropriate sensory and physical environments, reasonable adjustments, personalised assessment and support to develop independence. Leaders consider patterns in participation, progress, attendance, behaviour, enrichment and other relevant information so that avoidable barriers or disparities can be identified and addressed.

Fostering good relations

We teach pupils, at an appropriate developmental and communication level, about respect, relationships, difference and belonging. Our curriculum, assemblies, community activities and wider opportunities seek to reflect and value the diversity of the school and wider community. We work collaboratively with parents, carers and external professionals.

5. Equality in key areas of school life

Curriculum and assessment

Curriculum access is adapted to individual need while maintaining high expectations. We monitor whether groups of pupils have equitable access to learning, enrichment, community experiences and preparation for adulthood.

Communication

Northway uses a total communication approach and provides appropriate AAC and other communication supports so that communication needs do not unnecessarily restrict participation, choice, pupil voice or access to learning.

Accessibility and reasonable adjustments

We work alongside our Accessibility Plan and SEN Information Report to improve curriculum access, the physical environment and access to information. Reasonable adjustments are considered for pupils, families, staff and visitors as appropriate.

Behaviour and regulation

Behaviour is considered in the context of communication, regulation, disability and individual need. Policies and practice seek to avoid discriminatory responses and to provide appropriate individual support and reasonable adjustments.

Personal development and wider opportunities

Leaders monitor access to purposeful experiences, educational visits, swimming, PE, work-related learning, community participation and other enrichment so that opportunities are not unnecessarily limited by site, disability, sex, background or other relevant factors.

Employment

Northway seeks to apply fair recruitment, development, appraisal and employment practices and to make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants and employees where required.

Families and community

We seek accessible and respectful communication with families, remove avoidable barriers to engagement and consider different communication, cultural and accessibility needs.

6. Equality information and monitoring

Northway will use proportionate information to understand whether its policies and provision are advancing equality. Because some cohorts or protected-characteristic groups may be small, particularly within individual classes or sites, published information will be presented in a way that protects individual privacy.

Evidence considered may include:

• pupil progress and assessment information;
• attendance and persistent absence;
• behaviour, restrictive intervention and safeguarding patterns where appropriate;
• access to curriculum, enrichment, trips, swimming, PE, work-related learning and community opportunities;
• pupil, parent/carer and staff voice;
• complaints and concerns relating to discrimination or accessibility;
• accessibility and reasonable-adjustment information;
• staff recruitment, development, retention and wellbeing information where proportionate;
• the impact of actions within the School Improvement Plan and other relevant plans.

7. Equality objectives 2026–2030

The following objectives address meaningful equality priorities for Northway. Progress will be reviewed at least annually and reported to governors. Actions may be refined during the four-year period in response to evidence, while the published objectives will be formally reviewed no later than 2030.

1. Equitable access to curriculum and wider opportunities

Aim	Ensure pupils across all three sites have equitable access to curriculum, educational visits, PE, swimming and enrichment, with reasonable adjustments based on individual need.
Actions / measures	Review participation in key opportunities annually by site, phase and relevant pupil groups; identify barriers and record actions taken through SIP and accessibility monitoring.
Success measures	Evidence of meaningful pupil participation in learning, educational visits and wider school activities, supported by pupil voice and family feedback.
Lead / review	SLT / Site Leads • Annual review

 

2. Communication, voice and participation

Aim	Increase meaningful communication, choice and pupil voice for pupils with different communication needs.
Actions / measures	Embed total communication and the Grid rollout; review access to AAC and accessible pupil-voice approaches across sites; use findings to improve provision.
Success measures	Pupils increasingly communicate, make choices and express preferences in ways appropriate to them, evidenced through pupil voice, observations and progress towards applicable individual targets.
Lead / review	SLT / Communication Leads • Annual review

 

3. Preparation for adulthood and independence

Aim	Improve equitable access to independence and preparation-for-adulthood learning across the 4–16 curriculum.
Actions / measures	Map progressive independence opportunities across phases; review access to functional skills, community experiences and work-related learning where age appropriate.
Success measures	Pupils demonstrate progress in independence and functional skills appropriate to their individual needs and starting points, evidenced through applicable individual targets, observations and family feedback.
Lead / review	SLT / Curriculum Leads • Annual review

 

4. Inclusive engagement with families

Aim	Reduce avoidable barriers to parent and carer participation in school communication, reviews and decision-making.
Actions / measures	Review family feedback and engagement; offer accessible formats, interpretation or alternative meeting arrangements where appropriate; act on identified barriers.
Success measures	Family feedback demonstrates that parents and carers feel informed, listened to and able to participate in decisions about their child’s education.
Lead / review	SLT / Family Support Leads • Annual review

 

Reference framework

Prepared with reference to the Equality Act 2010; the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017; Department for Education guidance on what maintained schools must or should publish online; and the Department for Education Maintained Schools Governance Guide (updated July 2026).

 

 

APPENDIX 1

EQUALITY AT A GLANCE

Northway School • 2026–2030

 

OUR DUTY

Eliminate discrimination • Advance equality of opportunity • Foster good relations

 

WHAT THIS MEANS AT NORTHWAY

We remove avoidable barriers, make reasonable adjustments, provide accessible communication, maintain high expectations and ensure pupils can participate meaningfully in learning and school life.

 

OUR FOUR EQUALITY OBJECTIVES

1. Equitable access to curriculum and wider opportunities 2. Communication, voice and participation 3. Preparation for adulthood and independence 4. Inclusive engagement with families

 

EVERY MEMBER OF STAFF SHOULD

Promote equality • Challenge discriminatory behaviour or language • Follow agreed reasonable adjustments • Consider communication and accessibility needs • Raise barriers or inequalities with leaders

 

MONITORING

Progress is evaluated primarily through pupil participation, pupil voice, family feedback and progress towards applicable individual pupil targets. Evidence is considered in the context of each pupil’s individual needs and starting points. SLT reviews progress annually and governors receive an annual equality update.

 

We celebrate all success