About our School

Equality Information and Objectives 2022-2025

St. Edmund’s Catholic School has a firm Catholic ethos which is committed to ensuring fairness, justice and equality of education and opportunities for all pupils, which actively promotes and celebrates diversity. We demonstrate this through our commitment to developing a curriculum and culture of inclusion, diversity, and prioritising the well-being and progress of every child, and making all members of the school community feel welcomed and valued.

The Public Sector Equality Act 2011, provides us with a framework to support the achievement of pupils valuing race, gender, disability, challenging discrimination, harassment and victimisation of all kinds, promoting respectful, healthy relationships between people.

We have high expectations of all and celebrate positive promotion of equality, challenging bullying and stereotypes and creating an environment which champions respect for all. We address and tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups in school by advancing equal opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Taking into account the needs of the school, national priorities that have been identified by OFSTED and the priorities for Tower Hamlets which have been identified by the Education Commission, we have identified 4 equality objectives which we want to accomplish over the next 3 years. We will measure yearly our success in meeting the Public Service Equality Duties by the extent to which we achieve these objectives over the next 3 years and by how much outcomes improve for all priority groups within the school.

Ethos and Our Mission Statement

At St Edmund's Catholic Primary School our mission is to learn through Christ.  The children understand this to mean that we “learn with the love and support of Jesus”

In order to carry out our Mission, we believe that we should aim to:

• Provide a happy secure caring and stimulating learning environment within a welcoming Christian Community.
• Create a Catholic community, encouraging an understanding of our faith through teaching and active prayer in the home, school and parish.
• Encourage the highest standards of academic excellence and behaviour.
• Encourage children to take responsibility for themselves and become independent learners.
• Educate and celebrate the whole child as an individual, preparing them spiritually, morally, physically, socially, intellectually and emotionally for their future lives.
• Provide a firm and consistent framework of discipline and encourage children to take responsibility for themselves.
• Actively involve parents in the education of their children.
• Encourage an awareness of and a respect for other faiths.
• Provide effective liaison with the local secondary school and ensure continuity of the children’s education.
• Encourage children to do their personal best, enjoy their school experiences and build upon their successes.

 Our Pupils

Our pupils are our greatest asset.

 We are very proud of our children and their achievements.  We help them to grow in their faith in a supportive Catholic environment.  Through carefully planned lessons, daily prayer, Mass and reflection and enrichment opportunities we help to prepare them for transition to secondary school as confident, responsible, caring young people.

The Staff

The staff are our greatest resource

We have an experienced, talented and dedicated staff at St. Edmund’s who work together to support the school’s Catholic ethos and ensure that each pupil reaches his or her potential.

Our excellent standards reflect the children’s positive attitudes to learning, consistent good teaching and the high level of pastoral support we provide.  All of which are strengths of the school.  The combined strength of our staff ensures that the ethos and values of our mission statement provide all pupils with high quality teaching and learning within a supportive environment. 

High Standards of Pastoral Care

Our staff go the extra mile

We are proud to provide a positive and caring environment for our pupils where they can achieve, feel safe and be happy.

Pupil Behaviour and Presentation

Our children are great ambassadors for the school

We understand that this can only be achieved in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.   Our success depends on the close working partnership and commitment of parents, staff, governors and the parish.

Parents are encouraged to become fully involved in the education of their child, working together with the school for the benefit of the child.

Our staff team works to ensure that any problems are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.  If it is necessary, we will inform parents or carers and seek their support.  All our pupils wear full school uniform.  High standards of appearance reinforce our values of self-respect and pride in being a pupil of St. Edmund's Catholic Primary School.

Values

In order to achieve this ethos within our school and the wider community that we serve, there are a number of values and principles which guide our actions in school.

 First and foremost are the values that are at the heart of the Gospels:

•  Love and solidarity
• Faithfulness and Integrity
• Dignity and Compassion
• Humility and Gentleness
• Truth and Justice
• Forgiveness and Mercy
• Purity and Holiness
• Tolerance and Peace
• Service and Sacrifice

It is clear that as a Christian country Gospel values underpin the values of the British Society in which we live:

• Democracy
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

Examples of the actions we take to promote British values include:

Democracy

Having an elected School Council

Highlighting the importance of democratic ideas in history lessons

Ensuring all pupils are listened to by adults

Visiting the Houses of Parliament

Taking part in Student Voice

The Rule of Law

Creating “class rules”

Having a clear behaviour policy that is explained to all

Highlighting the rules of the Church and God in the RE curriculum, for example the 10 commandments and the Precepts of the Church

Individual Liberty

Encourage students to be independent in their learning

Provide children with opportunities for reflection as they take responsibility for discerning their vocation

Mutual Respect

Having a Mission Statement that is inclusive

Constantly promoting respect for others as good manners

Reinforcing the value of everyone’s opinion in class discussions

Having an effective anti-bullying policy

Emphasising in RE and PSHE lessons that every person is unique and created in the image of God

Having active links with other schools

Supporting charitable works

Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

RE lessons provide pupils with a deep understanding of their own faith as well as awareness of the faith and tradition of other religious communities as a basis for understanding and respecting them

Using the witness of Jesus as an example of tolerance in stories such as the Good Samaritan and the Women at the well.