Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Holy Cross is committed to ensuring that equality in all its forms is actively promoted. In keeping with the tradition of the Daughters of the Cross and the teachings of the Catholic Church, we affirm the value and dignity of each member of the College's community and the uniqueness of the individual made in the image of God. 

The Daughters of the Cross established the school on our site in 1878 with the explicit aim to provide education for the disadvantaged young people of Bury.  Their mission to cater for ‘those who find education difficult’ remains one of our guiding principles today.   Our Mission Statement states explicitly that, ‘The College provides the opportunity for each person to develop spiritually, morally and intellectually and welcomes students and staff of all faiths’.  This is actively lived across the College through the extensive curriculum offer to students, the strong focus on well-being and welfare experienced in the pastoral care, the wide range of support and challenge given to students, and the array enrichment opportunities from which students are able to choose.  There is a strong focus on widening participation to actively ensure students are pushed to reach their full potential, overcoming any barriers to achievement.  Equality of opportunity is a key focus across the curriculum and each subject area is challenged to ensure that their curriculum offer is accessible and inclusive, and that diversity is celebrated through the resources used in the classroom.  We are proud of our welcoming environment where students and staff experience a sense of belonging and acceptance to be their true selves. 

EDI Staff Ambassadors

Staff are supported in their work on equality, diversity and inclusion through the EDI Staff Ambassadors which is a group of staff that have volunteered to champion the 9 protected characteristics from the Equality Act (2010).  Our commitment to inclusion is especially demonstrated by our choice to include a further staff ambassador for socio-economic disadvantage.  The Ambassadors meet with the wider EDI group three times a year and aim to empower the staff to raise awareness of equality, to celebrate diversity and to encourage inclusion through various events in the college calendar and a focus month for each characteristic. Inspired by our seven college values – joy, compassion, service, humility, daring, vision and faith – there is a vibrant calendar of events that celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion such as One World Week, Black History Month, International Women’s Day, Interfaith Week and Pride.  The College motto, ‘Think Well, Feel Well and Do Well’, derives from the words of Pope Francis and reaffirms the aim to provide holistic education where every aspect of the individual is nurtured and encouraged to thrive.  These principles are central to the life of the College-we aim to live and breathe the values we espouse.

The Rainbow Flag Award

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework for schools, colleges and youth-centred organisations. The award focuses on positive LGBT+, (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities), inclusion and visibility.  In 2023-24 we are aiming to achieve the six sections of the Rainbow Flag which include (1) Skilled Teacher, (2) Pastoral Care, (3) Student Voice, (4) Effective Policies, (5) Inclusive Curriculum and (6) Supportive Governors and Parents.

As a college, we recognise that all members of the college body – staff, students, parents and governors, should have the right to feel safe and protected in our college environment, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  We recognise that all members of the college body should feel empowered to be able to be open about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity without fear of bullying, stigma or ridicule.  We want our LGBT+ students and staff to feel respected, accepted and understood.  We acknowledge that silence or stigma around LGBT+ people is a form of inequality which is contrary to the values of an inclusive education and our college mission and ethos. We believe that all people are made in the image of God, and as a consequence, have inherent dignity.  We encourage the visibility of LGBT+ students and staff and celebrate events such as LGBT+ History month, Transgender Remembrance Day and Pride, alongside our EDI focus months on the protected characteristics of sexuality (June) and gender identity (February).  We have a zero-tolerance policy on bullying and place LGBT+ discrimination, bullying or name-calling on the same footing as racism, sexism and disablism, and we recognise the intersectional nature of prejudice and discrimination.   We report and record incidents of LGBT+ phobic bullying and encourage a culture where reporting is seen as important in creating a respectful climate and high expectations for students.  We agree to use inclusive language for trans and non-binary students and staff and students are able to identify their preferred pronouns from the application stage of their time at Holy Cross and can make changes to these in year.  We are committed to challenging sexism and gender stereotypes across the curriculum and to tackle outdated ideas about people’s abilities and achievements based on their sex, understanding that sexist and homophobic ideas and opinions often reinforce each other.

In order that we are responsive to, and representative of, our students and local community, we:

• are proudly working towards the Rainbow Flag Award
• have had LGBT+ training delivered by The Proud Trust for all staff (Aug 2023)
• have a Link Governor for EDI
• have a dedicated notice board in the main social area for LGBT+ awareness
• have Pastoral Staff who have received additional training from The Proud Trust (Aug 2023)
• have a comprehensive network of external agencies for wellbeing support to signpost for LGBT+ students
• include gender neutral language in all our college policies and communication with parents/carers
• include LGBT+ inclusion as a theme within curriculum review and development
• include LGBT+ awareness in our whole college assemblies
• have a student LGBT+ Allies group called PRISM
• have gender neutral accessible toilets as well as single sex male/female
• have two dedicated EDI Staff Ambassadors for the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act (1) Sexuality and (2) Gender Identity