Equal Opportunities

Sherwood Playgroup aims to provide a secure environment in which all our children can flourish and in which all contributions are valued. We will include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity. Providing positive non - stereotyping information about gender roles, diverse ethnic and cultural groups and people with disabilities. We aim to improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti - discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity and make inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities in the setting.

1. We advertise our service widely
2. We reflect the diversity of members of our society in our publicity
3. We provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written form.
4. We base our admissions policy on a fair system, the only criteria being age.
5. We ensure that all parents are made aware of our equal opportunities policy.
6. We do not discriminate against a child or their family, or prevent entry to our setting, on the basis of colour, ethnicity, religion or social background.
7. We do not discriminate against a child with a disability or refuse a child entry to our setting because of any disability. We ensure that any child with a disability can participate fully.
8. We do not accept any discriminatory behaviour by staff or parents. Displaying of openly racist insignia, distribution of racist material, name calling, or threatening behaviour are unacceptable on or around the premises and will be dealt with in the strongest manner.

Job vacancies are advertised and open to all applicants from all backgrounds. The applicant who best meets the criteria of the vacancy is offered the post, subject to references and checks by Criminal Records Bureau.
This ensures fairness in the selection process. All job descriptions include a commitment to equality and diversity as part of their specifications.

We seek out training opportunities for staff and volunteers to enable them to develop anti - discriminatory and inclusive practices, which will enable all children to flourish. We review our practices to ensure that we are fully implementing our policy for equality, diversity and inclusion.

The curriculum offered at Sherwood Playgroup encourages children to develop positive attitudes about themselves as well as to people who are different from themselves. It encourages children to empathise with others and to begin to develop the skills of critical thinking. We do this by:

1. Making children feel valued and good about themselves,
2. Ensuring that children have equality of access to learning
3. Recognising the different learning styles of girls and boys, making appropriate provision within the curriculum to ensure each child receives the widest possible opportunity to develop their skills and abilities,
4. Positively reflecting the widest range of communities in choice of resources,
5. Celebrating a wide range of festivals, including learning about a wide range of foods, and of cultural approaches to mealtimes and eating, and respect the differences among them,
6. Creating an environment of mutual respect and tolerance, and helping children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are hurtful and unacceptable,
7. Ensuring the curriculum offered is inclusive of children with special educational needs and children with disabilities.

Our special needs co - coordinator is Louise Holland.

From September 2008 we will be putting in place an equality of opportunities co - coordinator, who will actively ensure children are valued and free from discrimination, and who will oversee diversity and inclusion within our setting. They will also take responsibility for monitoring and reviewing all related policies and practice.

We welcome the diversity of family lifestyles and work with all families; we encourage children to contribute stories of their everyday life. We encourage parents / carers to take part in the life of the Playgroup and to contribute fully.

Committee meetings are held on a regular basis to ensure families who wish to, may be involved in the running of the Playgroup.