Equal Opportunities

Real commitment or just going through the motions?

If you read our school’s aims you will recognise our commitment to the promotion of equality of opportunity. However, it is only too easy to mouth platitudes about equal opportunities The crucial questions are, “What is the school doing to make things better?”, and, “How does the commitment to equality of opportunity permeate school life?”

Taking great care over appointments

For anyone who spends time in the school it does not take long for them to recognise that equality is taken very seriously indeed. Whenever we appoint a new member of staff we are rigorous in ensuring that they will be solidly committed to the school’s principles and ask them at interview to supply us with practical examples from their lives.

How do we monitor our work and go about making it better?

The school has three committees (the Race Equality Group, the Gender Equality Group and the Disability Equality Group) with representatives of governors and staff (including the headteacher). These groups monitor the school’s performance and more importantly advise on how things can be improved.

Examples of how the school makes a difference

Here are just a few examples of the school’s work in promoting equality of opportunity:

Girls and sport

Our PE teacher, Jef Gooding, is a leading light in Camden School Sports Association. Years ago there were football leagues just for boys. It was Jef who proposed successfully that schools could only take part in the leagues if they entered both boys and girls teams. As a result the standard of girls’ football across Camden has risen considerably, and of course because of Jef’s skilful coaching it is Gospel Oak which is one of the most successful schools!

Disability Week

The Disability Equality Group proposed that we should raise children’s awareness of disability so in November 2008 we held a disability week. Disability was the theme of the week’s assemblies and each class had a lesson about disability. One of the highlights of the week was when a group of children from Frank Barnes School for Deaf children took two assemblies. Later in the term our School Council attended the Christmas Concert at Frank Barnes

After school clubs

We are fortunate in having a school population drawn from all over the world and it is both our responsibility and pleasure to help our minority ethnic groups celebrate their own cultures and languages. Every Monday after school we run Afro-Caribbean, Albanian, Bengali and Somali clubs.

Helping the boys to catch up

In 2008 two of our teachers attended a course on promoting boys’achievement. They reported back to all of the teachers and with the encouragement of the Gender Equality Group ran a session for parents. Boys’ underachievement, particularly in literacy, is a national issue and we don’t claim to have cracked the problem but at Gospel Oak the gap between boys and girls is definitely narrower than many schools.

White working class

The group that shows the most persistent underachievement nationally is what is called loosely White working class. We have some very high achieving White children from working class backgrounds but also some low achievers so we are delighted to have been asked by Camden to run a project in 2009 on raising the achievement of this group.

Some quotes from children, parents, staff and governors

"At Gospel Oak children from all backgrounds learrn and play together and seem to be able to acknowledge their differences without dwelling on them. The staff know how to ensure that children of all abilities and backgrounds are given the chance to thrive and shine, and the new project to support white working class children is just the latest in a long line of imaginative ways the school tackles inequality head on."

Amanda Blinkhorn - Nursery Parent

"I love working at Gospel Oak because it feels like one big family where everyone is valued and celebrated; children, staff and parents."

Alexa Sutton - Year 2 Teacher

"I like Gospel Oak because everyone is respected equally, and are made to feel special and welcome" - Inayah (6C)

Last updated 21st May 2009