Equality Information and Objectives

At Oakengates Nursery School, we are proud to be part of the Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery Federation.

Our mission is:

We want our children to love, laugh and learn.

From the very earliest stages of life, we place children at the heart of everything we do, nurturing happy, confident and resilient learners.

Our vision is to provide an inclusive, equitable and holistic environment that supports children’s development from birth to age four. We recognise that every child is unique, and their relationships with families, communities, cultures and the natural world are central to their development.

Our Commitment to Equality

We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for all children, families and staff.

We aim to meet our obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), as set out in the Equality Act 2010, by having due regard to the need to:

Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
Foster good relations between different groups

Protected characteristics include: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Equality Information

At Oakengates Nursery School, we recognise that children join us at very different starting points.

We consider the needs of all children and families, including:

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Disadvantaged children
Children with English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Children known to or supported by Early Help or social care
Children from a wide range of cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds

We carefully monitor children’s development, progress, attendance and wellbeing to ensure all children are supported to thrive. Early identification of need is a key priority, particularly in communication, language and social development.

Our Approach

We promote equality through:

Providing a nurturing, inclusive environment where every child feels safe, valued and respected
Supporting children’s development through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), recognising the importance of play, relationships and individual learning journeys
Building strong partnerships with parents and carers from the earliest stages
Ensuring high standards of care, safety and wellbeing, particularly for our youngest children
Promoting positive relationships, kindness and respect through daily interactions
Working closely with external professionals and services to support children’s needs
Offering early help and family support through links with Family Hubs and other services
Actively challenging discrimination and addressing any prejudice-related incidents

Roles and Responsibilities

The Governing Board ensures compliance with equality legislation and monitors progress
The Executive Headteacher and Nursery Leadership Team lead on inclusive practice
Staff promote equality, identify and respond to children’s individual needs, and work in partnership with families
Families are valued partners in supporting children’s development and wellbeing

Equality Objectives (Summer 2025 – Review Summer 2026)

The following objectives were set in Summer 2025 and will be formally reviewed in Summer 2026.

Objective 1: Develop children’s understanding of belonging within a diverse community

Actions:

Provide opportunities for children to experience and celebrate diversity through stories, play, experiences and celebrations
Support children in developing a sense of belonging within their nursery, family and wider community
Encourage early pupil voice through communication, interaction and child-led learning

Success Criteria:

Children show awareness of similarities and differences through play and discussion
Children demonstrate a sense of belonging and confidence within the nursery environment
Increased participation in inclusive activities and experiences

Objective 2: Ensure all children make good progress from their starting points

Actions:

Use ongoing assessment to identify children’s needs and plan targeted support
Provide early intervention, particularly in communication and language development
Work closely with families and external professionals to support children’s progress
Monitor progress of different groups of children

Success Criteria:

Children make good progress from their individual starting points
Narrowing of gaps between different groups of children
Improved outcomes in communication, language and personal development

Objective 3: Identify and reduce barriers to learning for vulnerable children and families

Actions:

Provide targeted support through the Learning Mentor Programme, including Drawing and Talking
Deliver parent workshops in partnership with the Educational Psychologist (EP) service, focusing on behaviour, emotional wellbeing and early development
Offer a range of family learning opportunities to support children’s development at home
Provide Early Help support through links with Family Hubs and external agencies
Build strong, trusting relationships with families from the earliest stages

Success Criteria:

Improved attendance and engagement for targeted children
Reduction in behavioural concerns through early support
Positive feedback from families
Increased engagement with Early Help and family support services

Monitoring, Review and Publication

We monitor the impact of our equality work through:

Ongoing assessment of children’s development and progress
Monitoring attendance, behaviour and wellbeing
Feedback from children (where appropriate) and families
Reports to the Governing Board

We publish equality information annually and review our objectives at least every four years, in line with statutory requirements.

The current objectives will be formally reviewed in Summer 2026.

Further Information

This webpage should be read alongside our Equality Information and Objectives Policy.

What This Looks Like in Practice

At Oakengates Nursery School:

Children learn about kindness, respect and inclusion through play, stories and daily routines
Staff support children to develop communication, relationships and confidence
Families are supported through workshops, family learning and Early Help services
Each child’s individual needs and starting points are recognised and supported