City of York Council

Equalities Impact Assessment

Who is submitting the proposal?

Directorate:		People Directorate
Service Area:		Children Young People and Education
Name of the proposal:		Capital Projects – 2024/25
Lead officer:		Claire McCormick and Alison Kelly
Date assessment completed:		09-08-23
Names of those who contributed to the assessment:
Name	Job title		Organisation	Area of expertise
Claire McCormick & Alison Kelly	Planning & Policy Officers		CYC	Project Managers responsible for devising and delivering the capital programme for schools.

Step 1 – Aims and intended outcomes 

1.1

What is the purpose of the proposal? Please explain your proposal in Plain English avoiding acronyms and jargon.

1) The report provides details about the capital work needed to: · Deliver critical the annual programme of maintenance works within the maintained school estate, dealing with the most urgent issues for 2024/25. · Expand three school sites to accommodate the demand for mainstream and special school pupil places for those children with complex special educational needs. · Refurbish the science labs at Huntington School to resolve health and safety issues within the existing science labs to allow teachers to deliver the full science curriculum and to ensure these labs are future-proofed for existing pupil numbers prior to the increased pupil numbers expected from planned housing developments.

1.2	Are there any external considerations? (Legislation/government directive/codes of practice, etc).
	N/A

1.3	Who are the stakeholders and what are their interests?

	The stakeholders are CYC and a number of SEN, primary and secondary schools.  All stakeholders need appropriate learning and other appropriate provision for their pupils that meets SEN, curriculum, catering and health and safety needs.
1.4	What results/outcomes do we want to achieve and for whom?  This section should explain what outcomes you want to achieve for service users, staff and/or the wider community. Demonstrate how the proposal links to the Council Plan (2019- 2023) and other corporate strategies and plans.
1.4	As above, the outcomes are for the pupils attending the school and the staff that teach and supervise those pupils. Links to the Council Plan: A greener and cleaner city   Reducing carbon emissions through the delivery of the capital maintenance schemes by for example: · Insulating roofs, replacing lead single glazed windows for double glazed efficient windows, refurbishing kitchens and science labs with sustainable, modern equipment that saves both time and energy. · Replacing old wiring and heating mains pipework. · New builds will be created to the most current building specifications. Getting around sustainably By expanding at 3 school sites (St Oswald’s for mainstream pupils and Hob Moor Oaks and Danesgate for SEN pupils), we will prevent increased transport journeys and costs around the city. Good health and wellbeing · Better tinted windows means less solar gain so rooms and corridors are not affected by extreme temperatures during hot summers and cold winters. · Better teaching environments are created when roofs are not leaking and heating is more temperate and more efficient. · Improved kitchen environments and equipment for catering staff means temperatures can be more easily controlled.  · New kitchen equipment is easier to use and control, leading to healthier methods of providing meals. A better start for children and young people · Refurbish science labs will mean improved teaching facilities thereby encouraging pupils to choose science at GCSE and A level. · Expansion at St Oswald’s CE VC Primary will create more teaching accommodation to aid education progression through the foundation stages and into key stages. An open and effective council · Expansion of alternative learning spaces at Danesgate and a science lab refurbishment at Huntington will encourage pupils to succeed and go on into apprenticeships around the city.

Step 2 – Gathering the information and feedback 

2.1	What sources of data, evidence and consultation feedback do we have to help us understand the impact of the proposal on equality rights and human rights? Please consider a range of sources, including: consultation exercises, surveys, feedback from staff, stakeholders, participants, research reports, the views of equality groups, as well your own experience of working in this area, etc.
Source of data/supporting evidence		Reason for using
Feedback from stakeholders – school		Helps to demonstrate the full and wider impact of the proposed works.
City of York Council		Preventing the decline of the school estate and meeting the needs of pupil place planning and SEN requirements.  Contributing towards the council’s climate change targets and reducing the possibilities of appeals and tribunals.
Schools having maintenance works		Preventing the decline of school buildings and the reducing the day-to-day operational costs to school budgets
Schools having extensions		Helping schools to address catchment demands and meeting parental preferences.
Huntington science lab refurbishment		Providing quality science labs that will deliver a modern, safe learning environment.

Step 3 – Gaps in data and knowledge

3.1	What are the main gaps in information and understanding of the impact of your proposal?  Please indicate how any gaps will be dealt with.
Gaps in data or knowledge		Action to deal with this
N/A

Step 4 – Analysing the impacts or effects.

4.1	Please consider what the evidence tells you about the likely impact (positive or negative) on people sharing a protected characteristic, i.e. how significant could the impacts be if we did not make any adjustments? Remember the duty is also positive – so please identify where the proposal offers opportunities to promote equality and/or foster good relations.
Equality Groups and Human Rights.		Key Findings/Impacts	Positive (+) Negative (-) Neutral (0)	High (H) Medium (M) Low (L)
Age		All schemes will positively affect both staff and pupils across all ages to enable life-long impacts.
Disability		The proposed changes will have a positive impact upon pupils who are SEND and SEMH.  The current inaccessible science lab environment will be made accessible.  All extension work will be built to the current accessible building regulations.
Gender		Creating spaces that allow equal access for all in the learning environment.
Gender Reassignment		As above.
Marriage and civil partnership		N/A
Pregnancy and maternity		N/A
Race and culture		Creating spaces that allow equal access for all in the learning environment.
Religion and belief		Re-purposing some spaces will allow for the creation of smaller rooms/intervention spaces which can flexibly be used as a prayer room for staff and pupils.
Sexual orientation		N/A
Other Socio-economic groups including:		Could other socio-economic groups be affected e.g. carers, ex-offenders, low incomes?
Carer		N/A
Low income groups		Some schools in the programme have a demographic that has a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils with a wide range of needs including SEND, pastoral (including the health and wellbeing of children), speech and language, social and emotional mental health.  The works to be carried out will contribute towards meeting these needs.
Veterans, Armed Forces Community		St Oswald’s CE VC Primary is a preferred school for many military families at Fulford Barracks.
Staff		Improved teaching environments will improve behaviour and attention in and of the classroom.  This will aide staff morale and will encourage more innovative teaching methods.  Improved kitchen facilities will provide a far better working environment for catering staff – by improving room temperatures, noise levels and greater cooking efficiency leading to the production of less waste.
Impact on human rights:
List any human rights impacted.		N/A

Use the following guidance to inform your responses:

Indicate:

- Where you think that the proposal could have a POSITIVE impact on any of the equality groups like promoting equality and equal opportunities or improving relations within equality groups

- Where you think that the proposal could have a NEGATIVE impact on any of the equality groups, i.e. it could disadvantage them

- Where you think that this proposal has a NEUTRAL effect on any of the equality groups listed below i.e. it has no effect currently on equality groups.

It is important to remember that a proposal may be highly relevant to one aspect of equality and not relevant to another.

High impact (The proposal or process is very equality relevant)	There is significant potential for or evidence of adverse impact The proposal is institution wide or public facing The proposal has consequences for or affects significant numbers of people The proposal has the potential to make a significant contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights.
Medium impact (The proposal or process is somewhat equality relevant)	There is some evidence to suggest potential for or evidence of adverse impact The proposal is institution wide or across services, but mainly internal The proposal has consequences for or affects some people The proposal has the potential to make a contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights
Low impact (The proposal or process might be equality relevant)	There is little evidence to suggest that the proposal could result in adverse impact The proposal operates in a limited way The proposal has consequences for or affects few people The proposal may have the potential to contribute to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights

Step 5 - Mitigating adverse impacts and maximising positive impacts

5.1	Based on your findings, explain ways you plan to mitigate any unlawful prohibited conduct or unwanted adverse impact. Where positive impacts have been identified, what is been done to optimise opportunities to advance equality or foster good relations?
As step 4.

Step 6 – Recommendations and conclusions of the assessment

6.1	Having considered the potential or actual impacts you should be in a position to make an informed judgement on what should be done. In all cases, document your reasoning that justifies your decision. There are four main options you can take:
- No major change to the proposal – the EIA demonstrates the proposal is robust.  There is no                         potential for unlawful discrimination or adverse impact and you have taken all opportunities to    advance equality and foster good relations, subject to continuing monitor and review.
- Adjust the proposal – the EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. This involves taking steps to remove any barriers, to better advance quality or to foster good relations. - Continue with the proposal (despite the potential for adverse impact) – you should clearly set out the justifications for doing this and how you believe the decision is compatible with our obligations under the duty - Stop and remove the proposal – if there are adverse effects that are not justified and cannot be mitigated, you should consider stopping the proposal altogether. If a proposal leads to unlawful discrimination it should be removed or changed. Important: If there are any adverse impacts you cannot mitigate, please provide a compelling reason in the justification column.
Option selected		Conclusions/justification
No major change to the proposal.		The project will enhance equality, life-long learning experiences, independence and to enable staff to provide better and more effective experiences for all pupils.

Step 7 – Summary of agreed actions resulting from the assessment

7.1	What action, by whom, will be undertaken as a result of the impact assessment.
Impact/issue		Action to be taken	Person responsible	Timescale
Safe and secure educational provision for all.		Make adaptations to resolve issues.	Claire McCormick/Alison Kelly	To be complete by September 2024/25

Step 8 - Monitor, review and improve

8.1	How will the impact of your proposal be monitored and improved upon going forward?   Consider how will you identify the impact of activities on protected characteristics and other marginalised groups going forward? How will any learning and enhancements be capitalised on and embedded?
	It is anticipated that the works will: · Generate less admissions appeals and tribunals in the areas affected. · Maintaining school buildings will mean they are less costly to operate. · Improved catering environments and equipment provision will omit the use of gas and decrease energy output.  · Energy use efficiency – will help to meet the council’s climate change targets.