The Pre-School Learning Alliance is committed to helping pre-schools provide equality of opportunity for all children and families.  As a member of the Alliance, Rainbow Pre-School works in accordance with all relevant legislation, including:
  • Disabled Person Acts 1958, 1986
  • Race Relations Act 1976
  • Sex Discrimination Act 1986
  • Children’s Act 1989

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY

We believe that the group’s activities should be open to all children and families, and to all adults committed to their welfare.  We aim to ensure that all who wish to work in, or volunteer to help with our Pre-school have an equal chance to do so.

 Rainbow Pre-School and staff believe that all children are entitled to have equal access to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum. 

 The Pre-School are committed in providing equal opportunities for all individuals involved with the setting.

 

To ensure equal opportunities for all children and adults our setting is committed to:

  • Ensuring equal opportunities for all children and adults.
  • An appreciation of different cultures, custom’s and beliefs
  • Ensuring all children and staff develop a positive self-image and a high self-esteem.
  • Preparing children for life in a society which reflects and values cultural and ethnic variety.
  • Regular reviewing of the settings Equal Opportunities Policy.

 

ADMISSIONS

Rainbow Pre-School is open to every family in the community.  The waiting list is not operated on a first come, first served basis but on a fairer system – please see the Admission Policy.

 On admittance to the group parents/carers are asked to complete a form to enable staff to gain individual information for each child – family customs and beliefs, dress code, dietary requirements, individual needs etc.

 

EMPLOYMENT

Rainbow Pre-School will appoint the best person for each job.  No job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, cultural or national origin or sexuality – see Staffing and Employment Policy.

 Commitment to implementing the group’s Equal Opportunities Policy will form part of the job description for all employees.

 

FAMILIES

Rainbow Pre-School recognises that many different types of family successfully love and care for children.

 Rainbow Pre-School offer a flexible payment system for families with different means.

 Parents/carers/families are given the opportunity to be involved in the group by:

  • Being invited to join committee / attend committee meetings.
  • Helping on the rota.
  • Welcomed into the group to discuss/demonstrate different activities/talents related to topics, themes, including cultural/national traditions.

 Parents/carers/families are given information concerning their child by:

  • Being made welcome to discuss confidentially anything concerning their child with staff at anytime.
  • All polices of the group available to parents/families and carers.
  • By child development progress reports.
  • Via newsletters.
  • Via letters, posters, the notice board and photographic displays.
  • The time, place and conduct of meetings will ensure that all families have an equal opportunity to be involved in the running of Rainbow Pre-School.
  • Information, written and spoken will be clearly communicated in as many languages as is necessary.
  • Bi-lingual and Multi-lingual children and adults are an asset.  They will be valued and their language recognised and respected in Rainbow Pre-School – see Parental Involvement Policy.

 

FESTIVALS

Our aim is to show respectful awareness of all the major events in the lives of the children and families in Rainbow Pre-School, and in our society as a whole, and to welcome the diversity of backgrounds from which they come.

 In order to achieve this, we aim to acknowledge all the festivals, which are celebrated in our area and/or by the families involved in Rainbow Pre-School:

  • Without indoctrination in any specific faith, children will be made aware of the festivals which are being celebrated by their own families or others, and will be introduced where appropriate to the stories behind the festivals.
  • Before introducing a festival with which the adults in Rainbow Pre-School are not themselves familiar, appropriate advice will be sought from people to whom that festival is a familiar one.
  • Children and families who celebrate at home festivals with which the rest of Rainbow Pre-School is not familiar will be invited to share their festival with rest of the group, if they wish to do so.
  • Children will be encourage to welcome a range of different festivals, together with the stories celebrations and special food and clothing they involve, as part of the diversity of life.

 

RESOURCES
These will be chosen to give children a balanced view of the world and an appreciation of the rich diversity of out multi-racial society.

 Materials will be selected to help children to develop their self-respect and to respect other people by avoiding stereotypes and derogatory pictures or messages about any group of people.

  • Multicultural food/cooking utensils.
  • Dressing up clothes.
  • Posters/Displays/Signs.
  • Books/Puzzles.
  • Musical instruments, tape recordings from various cultures.
  • Small world equipment, families from different cultural backgrounds in dolls house.
  • Baby dolls.
  • Cooking opportunities that reflect food and cooking styles from various cultures.
  • Snack time – variety of food that reflects various cultures.
  • Appropriate teaching materials to support acknowledgement for various cultural festivals that are valued and celebrated – see Selecting Equipment Policy.
  • All staff will have equal access to training.

 

THE CURRICULUM

All children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured.  Activities and the use of play equipment offer children opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination.  Appropriate opportunities will be given to children to explore, acknowledge and value similarities and differences between themselves and others.

 The Staff will regularly monitor the curriculum by reviewing their practice, resources and planning to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects our culturally diverse society.

 

SPECIAL NEEDS

Rainbow Pre-School recognises the wide range of special needs of children and families in the community, and will consider what part it can play in meeting those needs.

 See Special Needs Policy

 Planning for Pre-School meetings and events will take into account the needs of people with disabilities

 

DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR/REMARKS

These are unacceptable in Pre-School.

 The response will aim to be sensitive to the victim(s) and to help those understand and overcome their prejudices.

 ‘Bullying’ of any kind, whether racial, verbal or physical is unacceptable in Pre-School.  The unacceptability of such behaviour and attitudes will be made clear immediately by means of explanations rather than personal blame.

 See Behaviour Management Policy

 All staff will have a copy of the policy and are committed to the implementation of it.

 The policy is monitored by reviewing annually or more often if necessary (following an Ofsted inspection).

 All staff will be involved in reviewing and discussing the contents of this policy and practice reviewed regularly to ensure it’s implementation.

 The person in this setting responsible for Equal Opportunities is Linda Talbot.

 All staff have attended training on promoting Equal Opportunities.

 All Staff are aware of the need to jeep up to date with relevant training.

 The Equal Opportunities co-ordinator attended training for  Looked After Children and Equal Opportunities, in 2004.