At Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN), we are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive environment that celebrates the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of every individual within our community. We want to ensure that every child, every member of staff, and every stakeholder feels valued, respected, and empowered to achieve their fullest potential. 

Our trust values, created by the founding schools and trust board represent our commitment to diversity and inclusion: we do the right thing; we work together; we embrace individuality.  

We recognise that everyone within our community has individual qualities that contribute value and depth to our educational environment. We celebrate diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socio-economic status.  

We do not just celebrate demographic diversity, however. We also embrace cultural diversity, which includes where you may have been educated; generational differences such as boomers vs Gen Z and different religious and belief systems. We also place great value on experiential diversity, where your personal experiences and interests can shape your views on hot topics, projects and decision making. 

ELAN is dedicated to creating an inclusive culture in which everyone feels a sense of belonging. We actively promote policies and practices that remove barriers to participation and success for all children and employees. We do our very best to provide equal access to learning opportunities and resources for every child and every member of staff. 

We believe in the importance of positive relationships with our school and wider communities to enhance our understanding of diverse needs. By working together with families and local organisations, we aim to build strong partnerships that support our commitment to inclusivity. 

Our employee behaviours framework helps us to support inclusion so that employees feel valued and respected, have access to development opportunities, feel able to speak up, and can contribute ideas and raise concerns. 

At Extend Learning Academies Network, diversity and inclusion are not just about policies; they are integral to our identity as an educational organisation. We believe that by embracing diversity and promoting inclusion, we can create a supportive environment in which every individual can be at their best, educationally, socially, and emotionally.  

Together, we will continue to build a community that reflects the values of respect, equity, and excellence for all.