Equality impact assessment - schools buildings and places

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1. What is the name of the function, policy or service that is being assessed?

School Buildings and Places

2. What are the aims of the function, policy or service? Whose needs it is designed to meet? What are the current priorities?

The service supports the education of 4 to 16 year old pupils in Wiltshire schools through commissioning school building works. This can be through the provision of new schools, extending existing schools, and improving existing buildings. We also have to close schools where pupil numbers become so low that a high quality education cannot be delivered. As such the contact with the groups listed below is through the schools and not directly with the service. The service faces a maintenance backlog of £64 million with an annual government grant of £4.7 million to address this. We therefore have to prioritise investments and have well established consultative procedures to do this. For example the electrical systems that are in worst repair get repaired first, irrespective of whether the school is a primary, secondary, or special school.

All building projects have to accord with Building Regulations etc that ensure disability access.

3. In what ways might this function, policy or service affect some groups of people differently? Might some groups find it harder to access the service? Do some groups have particular needs that are not well met by the current policy or service? Please ensure that you comment against each of the dimensions listed below and where no issues are identified that you state this clearly against the relevant dimension.

Age

Investment decisions are needs led in building terms and not age related. No issues are, therefore, identified

Disability

All building projects have to meet Building Regulations and other legislation that ensures disability access. Furthermore we receive specific government funds to improve access and inclusion and the priorities for this work are determined in association with the Physical and Sensory Impairment Service.

Gender

All but 4 schools are co-educational so this is not an issue. The single sex schools provide places for boys and girls from the same area so again this is not an issue. Building Bulletins require the provision of appropriate facilities for both sexes in schools.eg. toilets, changing rooms

Race

National legislation determines the admission policies that schools have to operate and they cannot discriminate on race. This is, therefore, not an issue.

Religion/belief

Some schools do admit on faith grounds but in doing so they have to accord with national legislation so, again, this is not an issue.

Sexual orientation

National legislation determines the admission policies that schools have to operate and they cannot discriminate on sexual orientation.

4. What evidence do you have for your judgement? Is there evidence of public concern (e.g. complaints)? Have staff raised concerns? Is there local or national research to suggest that there could be a problem?

There is national and local concern about the level of resources available to tackle this issue. Inevitably some schools who do not get the priority and level of investment that they hope for express their disappointment. However headteacher briefings and meetings feed back that they believe the system is fair and equitable.

5. How and with whom have you consulted with as part of your assessment? What were the results? Have you published the results of that consultation? If so, where?

The principles underpinning our investment priorities are consulted on with representative governors, headteachers and diocesan representatives. Schools are informed of the outcome of these. The resultant capital programmes are in the public domain and available to schools and members.

6. If you have found that the function, policy or service might have an adverse impact on a particular group of people, can you justify this?

The function does not have an adverse effect on some groups.

7. If the impact cannot be justified, what do you intend to do about this? Are there changes that you could introduce which would make the function, policy or service work better for this group of people? Is further research or consultation required?

Further consultation on priorities for the next three years priorities is currently underway .

8. How will you monitor the take-up or impact of the function, policy or service in future?

As detailed above then impact is really through the schools. Better buildings benefit pupils in a number of ways and not just through examination success. Better facilities broaden and strengthen the educational and social experience-eg better design can reduce bullying, the provision of quality science labs improves the enjoyment of science, improved community facilities benefit the wider community.

OFSTED inspections are monitored regularly and all schools are surveyed for buildings related issues on a regular basis.

9. What actions do you plan to take as a result of this EIA? Please include target dates for completion of actions and resource implications where possible

None, other than continue with our current consultative processes

10. If no actions have been identified in section 9 above, please state when a further review of this assessment is planned

Every two years

11. Name of person completing form

Head of School Buildings & Places

Date assessment completed

12. Name of senior manager approving assessment

Assistant Director Schools

Date assessment approved by senior manager

8 October 2007

Last updated: 14 May 2009