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Gender Equality: A Toolkit for Education Staff

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Quality Indicator 6: Policy development and planning

6.1 Policy review and development

  • All new and existing policies are subject to a Gender Impact Assessment ( GIA) which includes asking such questions as:
    • Does the policy/procedure address issues of gender equality?
    • Is there evidence to suggest that girls and boys or women and men have different needs, experiences, concerns or priorities in relation to this policy area or procedure?
    • Could the policy/procedure unintentionally disadvantage people of one sex or the other, or transsexual people?
  • School policies provide clear guidance on equality and anti-discrimination (including gender equality)
  • The ethos the establishment wishes to project is reflected in policy statements, courses and programmes. These contain explicit references to gender issues, domestic abuse, homophobia etc.
  • A programme is in place whereby all policies will be updated with reference to the legal requirement of the Gender Equality Duty and guidance from the Equal Opportunities Commission/Commission For Equality And Human Rights ( CEHR) and the local authority

6.2 Participation in policy and planning

  • Male and female staff, pupils, parents and carers are well represented in relevant stakeholder forums, such as pupil councils, Parent Councils, working groups and focus groups
  • The school uses a wide range of approaches to communication and consultation ( e.g. formal meetings, questionnaires, informal conversations, small group discussions, web-based/email surveys). This facilitates confident contributions from a diverse range of male and female learners, parents and carers

6.3 Planning for improvement

  • The development planning cycle includes a discrete element on gender equality
  • In producing the improvement plan the school makes systematic use of data relating to and comparing boys' and girls' attainment and achievements

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Page updated: Thursday, August 30, 2007