Pencil Pots Day Nursery is committed to providing equality for all. We believe that all people have a right to live in an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination. We welcome all sections of the community as children, parents/carers, students and staff.
The nursery aims to ensure that in the recruitment, employment, promotion and training of staff and in the admission, care and education of children and students, all individuals are given equal concern and treatment.
The nursery aims to treat all children, families, students and staff members fairly and as individuals regardless of, for example, their age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, religion, culture, differing ability or health status.
We believe that all people:

• Should be valued and respected as individuals.
• Have their needs recognised and met and be given the opportunity to develop to their full potential.
• Have the right to grow and learn in an environment that is free from prejudice and discrimination.

We aim to achieve this by:

• Treating all individuals with courtesy and respect.
• Providing positive role models.
• Positively reinforcing each individual's self-esteem.
• Celebrating diversity.
• Providing an anti-bias curriculum.
• Working with parent/carers to ensure that their children’s individual needs are met.
• Ensuring that, as far as possible, all children and students have full access to the curriculum.
• Ensuring that the nursery displays a range of materials and images that offer a positive and non-stereotypical view of different cultures, religions, genders, family backgrounds etc.
• Encouraging children, students and staff members to celebrate differences, ask questions and learn about people who are different from themselves.
• Working within the local and wider community to develop the children's, students' and staffs' knowledge and understanding of the diverse society in which we live.
• Regularly reviewing our practice to ensure that it is non-discriminatory.

The nursery is committed to providing appropriate and high quality care and education to all the children who attend. We believe that all children and students, including those identified as having special educational needs, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is accessible to them, and fully inclusive.
We pay particular attention to the provision for and the success and achievement of different groups, including:

• Male and Female
• Children for whom English is an additional language (EAL)
• Children with special educational needs
• Children with disabilities
• Children who are gifted and talented
• Others such as: those who are sick; those who are young carers; those who are in families under stress; any learners who are at risk of disaffection and exclusion.

We recognise that children learn and develop at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity. We believe that all children and may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and recognise that these may be long or short term. At Pencil Pots Day Nursery we aim to identify these needs as they arise and provide support, which enables every child to achieve his or her full potential.
We believe that every member of staff is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all.
We aim to achieve this by:

• Ensuring that promotion, training and development of staff are determined on capability alone.
• Ensuring that members of staff who are involved in the recruitment, training and promotion of staff understand their responsibility for the practical application of this Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Ensuring that all staff members have sufficient training to enable them to fulfil their role.
• Ensuring that any staff member who considers that they have been unfairly discriminated against has access to the nurseries Grievance Procedure.
• Ensuring that any member of staff who has been determined to have committed an act of discrimination is subject to disciplinary action according to the nurseries Disciplinary Rules and Procedures.

We aim to achieve inclusion and diversity through nursery policies and procedures, staffing, relationships with parents/carers and through links with the local and wider community. We aim to make the nursery environment as inclusive as possible within the restrictions of the buildings in which we are situated.
All members of staff and students have personal responsibility for the practical application of this policy, which applies to the treatment of children, families and the general public as well as to fellow members of staff and students.