Holding Together-Equalities, Difference and Cohesion: Guidance for School Improvement Planning

Schools have legal responsibilities to promote equality in relation to disability, ethnicity and gender and to promote community cohesion. Further, they are expected to observe the spirit of legislation concerning age, religion and sexuality. British legislation was introduced piecemeal at different times and in different contexts and use slightly different terminology, which can be confusing for schools. This book shows ways the legal duties can be harmonized with each other and how they can be applied holistically to all curriculum subjects, and to a school’s organization and ethos.

All the different strands are explained in Part 1: age, class, cohesion, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender, sexuality, global issues. In Part 2, all the strands are brought together to show what equality and diversity mean for school policy and action. The implications for every curriculum subject are outlined in Part 3, and Part 4 sets out practical guidance in the shape of legal frameworks, relevant organisations, useful websites and publications.

Schools have legal responsibilities to promote equality in relation to disability, ethnicity and gender and to promote community cohesion. Further, they are expected to observe the spirit of legislation concerning age, religion and sexuality. British legislation was introduced piecemeal at different times and in different contexts and use slightly different terminology, which can be confusing for schools. This book shows ways the legal duties can be harmonized with each other and how they can be applied holistically to all curriculum subjects, and to a school’s organization and ethos.

All the different strands are explained in Part 1: age, class, cohesion, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender, sexuality, global issues. In Part 2, all the strands are brought together to show what equality and diversity mean for school policy and action. The implications for every curriculum subject are outlined in Part 3, and Part 4 sets out practical guidance in the shape of legal frameworks, relevant organisations, useful websites and publications.

Robin Richardson is Director of the Insted Consultancy and was formerly director of the Runnymede Trust and before that Chief Inspector in Brent. Highly regarded as a lecturer at conferences and training events, his publications include Inclusive Schools, Inclusive Society and Inside Stories, both with Insted colleague Angela Wood.