Ministerial Response - Is there a Gender Pay Gap in Jersey - 9 September 2019

Findings

Comments

OVERARCHING KEY FINDING: There is a gender pay gap in Jersey. Without wide- ranging statistical evidence, however, it has been difficult to assess the extent of it in the Jersey economy.

It is generally accepted that there will be a gender pay gap in  Jersey,  as  there  appears  to  be  in  any  developed economy. Jersey will not be unique. It is important to engage with all the key stakeholders in the private, public and third sectors to encourage awareness and discussion about  this  important  subject.  It  is  proposed  to  request Statistics  Jersey  to  consider  how  information  can  be collected and analysed in a proportionate manner to the size of our economy.

OVERARCHING KEY FINDING: Although there can be many factors which contribute to a gender pay gap, the most common themes that emerged are: gender stereotypes, occupational segregation, unconscious bias, glass ceiling, domestic commitments and caring responsibilities.

It  is  acknowledged  that  there  are  many  factors  which contribute to the gap. There is much useful information and research provided by the UK Gender pay research group  which  can  inform  our  thinking  on  policy development.  We  must  also  be  mindful  that  the introduction of any statutory measures would need to go hand-in-hand  with  a  change  in  societal  attitudes  and culture.

1

The gender pay gap is the difference between men's and women's average earnings across an organisation or the labour market, which can be measured

It is agreed that we should use the UK definition to assist comparisons:  The gender pay gap is calculated as the difference  between  average  hourly  earnings  (excluding overtime) of men and women as a proportion of average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men's earnings.

Findings

Comments

by using either mean or median averages. In the UK, employers are required to publish their gender pay gap under law, but there is currently no requirement for employers to do so in Jersey.

For example, a 4.0% gender pay gap denotes that women earn  4.0%  less  per  hour,  on  average,  than  men. Conversely, a negative 4.0% gender pay gap denotes that women earn 4.0% more, on average, than men.

It  is  appropriate  to  consider  consulting  on  where  a voluntary or statutory approach to gender pay reporting is necessary in a small jurisdiction.

2

The rate of women in employment in Jersey has increased over a period of

50 years. This could be due to more women achieving educational qualifications, families having children later in life, and more mothers participating in the labour market due to the increasing cost of living.

The Panel's view is acknowledged.

3

In the public sector, there is a significantly greater proportion of women working in jobs that pay less than £80,000, and a greater proportion of men on salaries higher than £80,000.

It is accepted that this is factual.

4

The most senior posts in the public sector are dominated by men. In relation to the 7 Director General posts, only one female was recruited. Residential and employment statuses for those who applied outside the Island and current tax practices for married couples prevented more women from applying for the roles, or resulted in them pulling out of the process altogether.

It  should  also  be  noted  that those  issues  that  deterred female  applicants  in  relation  to  residential  and employment status did also deter male applicants from pursuing applications.

5

There is a glass ceiling in education. There are over twice as many female teachers than male teachers, but when it comes to the most senior role of headteacher there are more male heads than female heads. With more women than men working in our schools, the Panel would have expected to see a greater proportion becoming headteachers.

The Panel's view is noted.

However,  it  does  not  reflect  the  detailed  recruitment process  that  the  Education  Department  undertakes  for headteachers, which was recently reviewed by the Jersey Appointments Commission at the request of the current Minister for Education. The review concluded that, whilst improvements could and should be made, the process was fit  for  purpose  for  the  recruitment  of  headteachers  on merit.  The  recommendations  will  be  adopted  in  the 2019/20 academic year as necessary, and we will review on a regular basis.

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Recruitment  procedures  have  rigour,  and  the  offer  of professional development courses for leaders and middle leaders has been successfully expanded, along with offers to visit outstanding schools in England. Access to these courses  is  through  a  selection  process,  and  balance  is sought around those  accessing the  courses in terms  of appropriateness, phases and schools.

The Pathways for Progression' leadership development framework has been in place for 2 years in response to a more organised approach towards leadership progression and  professional  development.  This  is  without  gender bias, and lays  out the  professional development routes from an NQT to headship.

For reference, 18 new headteachers have been appointed in the last 2 years.

Of these, 7 were female out of 15 primary appointments (just under half). There are now 2 female Government of Jersey  ("GoJ")  secondary  headteachers,  one  through school  head  (Special  school)  and  a  newly  appointed Acting Head of Highlands.

This  was  a  significant  period  of  turnover  for  the Department, and largely reflected the status of the DHT in schools.

It is true that most teachers are female: the most recent data shows that 73.2% of our teachers are women.

The  majority  of  headteachers  of  our  28  mixed  GoJ schools (22 primary, 5 secondary, 2 special schools) are female. The 4 fee-paying schools all have male heads. (N.B. the last 4 appointment rounds for the 2 Prep schools each had only one applicant, male in each case.)

The  total  number  of  headteachers  and  deputy headteachers is predominantly female: 54.9% female to 45.1% male.

The number of female headteachers has fluctuated over time,  with  no  specific  pattern that reflects  inequality – 2/3 years  ago  there  were  15  female  headteachers  and 10 males in primary schools.

The  focus  of  the  Department  is  on  ensuring  that  the highest-quality  leaders  achieve  key  positions,  be  they male  or  female,  and  it  is  committed  to  achieving  this through  high-quality  professional  development opportunities.

The  Education  Service  in  Jersey  is  having  a  very significant impact in benefitting girls and young women for  lifelong  success.  Detailed  educational  performance and  outcome  data  (please  see  summary,  attached) demonstrates  that  female  students  outperform  males  at every key stage of education: Early Years, Key Stage 1,

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Key  Stage 2,  GCSE  and  level 2  examinations,  and A level/ other level 3 examinations.

Jersey has sent more female than male students to attend university  for  under-graduate  studies  every  year  since 2004. Jersey also funds more post-graduate students who are women than men.

6

Figures taken from 20 schools show that 18 formal requests for reduced hours following maternity leave were made, of which, 11 were granted. However, the Panel received evidence that teachers are being actively discouraged from making formal requests for part-time work.

Headteachers have delegated responsibility for structuring their  workforce  within  schools.  Equal  opportunities statements are included in employment and recruitment information,  and  there  is  a  Flexible  Working  Policy' which is available for those who wish to apply to change their working hours. This applies to all employees, not only parents returning from maternity/paternity leave.

Schools are family-friendly environments, and staff are often given flexible opportunities when this is important to them, e.g. nativity plays, leavers' assemblies, additional time  off  for  maternity  leave,  etc.  The  profession understands the need to accommodate life outside of the school.

Part-time requests are considered in the context of the best interests of pupils in the school.

Where a job request has been refused, this is generally because  of  subject  shortages  which  could  lead  to  a detrimental situation for pupils.

There is evidence to demonstrate that there have been some  very  successful  partnerships  and  part-time arrangements  managed  in  schools,  particularly  where there  is  a  good  match  between  the  staff  and  where consistency and communication between both parties (in the case of a job-share) are prioritised.

A headteacher will make decisions on the basis of their pupils,  structure,  budget,  whole  school  aims,  and  the needs of the individual making the request. Headteachers are guided by Human Resources policies regarding what they may or may not do. The individual making a request has every opportunity to discuss the arrangements with their headteacher, and is entitled to understand the reasons why this may not be approved. All staff have the right to challenge the decision under the Flexible Working Policy.

It appears that the Panel received evidence of one member of staff being discouraged from applying for part-time working: "The focus group also uncovered an example where one teacher had been discouraged from applying to go part-time." (page 26 of the Panel's Report).

Whilst concerning that even one teacher would report this, it is important to note that this evidence does not confirm that more than one teacher has been discouraged. States Employment Board policy is clear that, as the employer,

Findings

Comments

we  encourage  flexible  working.  However,  there  are structural issues as part of the licensing process, which precludes licences being issued to employees who work less than 30 hours per week.

The issue has been referred to the Key Worker working group for their review.

7

Women are under-represented in the boardrooms of all of the States-owned and majority-owned entities.

The  Panel's  view  is  noted,  and  the  shareholder representative has been asked to make States-owned and majority-owned entities aware of the issue. Team Jersey is establishing an employer forum in the Island, and this will have as a focus developing talent, as well as reviewing ways to support diversity, at all levels.

8

The Government of Jersey has committed to publishing a gender pay gap report relating to public sector employees that follows the criteria required for public bodies in the UK. This is encouraging, particularly as the Panel received evidence that a female employee received inconsistent advice relating to her starting salary compared to her male colleague.

The  report  will  be  published  in  late  September/  early October.

9

The statistics for both the private and public sectors in Jersey show that women encounter occupational segregation (where some jobs are more typically done by men or women), in mostly low-paying jobs such as childcare and administrative work.

The Panel's view is noted, and this again underpins the need for changes in societal attitudes.

10

The Panel received evidence that some women found that options were limited in terms of succeeding in their career whilst having to juggle childcare responsibilities with work. The Panel also found that men were reluctant to request flexible working for themselves, because of how this may be perceived by their firm and the potential negative implications for their own careers.

The  Minister  for  Social  Security  regularly  reviews employment  law,  and  receives  advice  from  the Employment Forum and other interested parties, which inform  the  development  of  both  employment  law  and social policy. Indeed, revisions to family-friendly policy frameworks are due to be debated in the States Assembly in the Autumn after lodging by the Minister.

Increasingly, Government runs information and education publicity  campaigns  to  encourage  the  take-up  of  new rights such as parental leave.

Findings

Comments

11

Diversity is important in all aspects of life, and is particularly important in the workplace. A host of researchers have shown that diversity at all levels can make organisations more effective, successful and profitable. Achieving a diverse workforce also widens the talent pool and has reputational benefits for an organisation.

The Panel's conclusion/ observation is agreed, and the States  Employment  Board  fully  supports  diversity  and inclusion in its workforce.

The Government's People Strategy will be developed and published later this year, and will include actions relating to  diversity,  equality  and  inclusion.  In  addition,  in May 2019  the  Government  launched  the  I WILL' initiative  as  an  initial  action  to  inspire  women  into leadership and create supportive networks for women at all levels in the organisation.

12

Nurturing a diverse and inclusive society has not been prioritised by the Government of Jersey, which has led some to question how much importance is being put on achieving a diverse workforce.

The Panel s position is noted. However, the Government of Jersey is clear that diversity and inclusion underpin the Government Plan and are implicit in all aspects of its work building a fair and responsible society in Jersey. As above,  the  People  Strategy  will  be  developed  and published later this year, and will include actions relating to diversity, equality and inclusion.

13

There is a gender pay gap in the public sector. As a mean average, men earn 11.3% more than women. As a median average, men earn 13.6% more than women.

It is acknowledged there is a gender pay gap in the public service, hence the  commitment to report on an annual basis.

14

In Jersey there is no equal pay legislation, and therefore no requirement for employers to publish information on their gender pay gap. Without statutory reporting lines, it has not been possible to gather sufficient statistics about the private sector gender pay gap.

The  Panel's  view  is  noted  and  acknowledged. Consultation on this issue with stakeholders and interested parties  can  help  to  determine  if  legislation  is  either necessary or proportionate.

15

Despite the lack of statutory obligations in Jersey, it is encouraging that some companies in Jersey do publish gender pay and diversity information voluntarily.

The Panel's view is noted, and the Government of Jersey will  be  publishing  its  data  as  stated  earlier.  Other organisations  are  encouraged  to  do  so  where  the information is both proportionate and meaningful.

16

There is currently no requirement for employers in Jersey to report on their gender pay gap. The Panel's qualitative research suggests that there is a perception that a gender pay gap does exist in Jersey. There is currently a lack of comprehensive statistical data

The  Panel's  view  is  noted,  and  the  Government  will discuss/ consult as outlined earlier. This will consider the many other recommendations that are suggested to tackle the  perceived  gender  pay  gap –  including  driving behavioural  change,  encouraging  actions  against discrimination, improving communication around gender issues,  and  promoting  education  starting  very  early regarding societal factors and bases.

Findings

Comments

to support this perception, but, from analysing the statistics that are available, the Panel has found that there are differences in the average earnings between men and women in Jersey.

17

In the UK, organisations with 250+ employees have had to report their gender pay gap annually since 2017. The Panel has found that introducing statutory measures in Jersey would need to go hand-in-hand with a change in societal attitudes and culture.

The Panel's view is noted.

18

There are wide-ranging views and opinions as to what might cause a gender pay gap. Some academics believe that gender pay gaps are due to higher numbers of women in lower-paid professions, the undervaluing of women's work, the overvaluing of work carried out predominantly by men, and unconscious bias in the workplace.

The Panel's view is noted.

19

Gender roles in society have meant that girls and women are generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing. Boys and men are generally expected to be strong, aggressive, and bold. Exposing girls and boys to gender stereotypes at a young age, contributes towards occupational segregation and a gender pay gap.

The Panel's view is noted.

20

Certain occupations in Jersey are dominated by particular genders. More males than females are in skilled trades and managerial roles, and more females than males are in the caring and administrative roles. These latter roles tend to be the lower-paid occupation groups.

The Panel's view is noted.

Findings

Comments

21

A greater proportion of girls outperform boys at secondary school level in Jersey. Despite the higher grades achieved in their education, women are much less likely to access senior roles later in their careers.

The Panel's view is noted.

22

Stereotypes towards men and women in wider society encourage young people to opt for subjects of study that in turn perpetuates occupational segregation (where some jobs are more typically done by men or women) in the future.

The  Panel's  view  is  noted.  However,  the  Jersey curriculum is gender-free and all are encouraged to fulfil their potential.

23

Technology has been identified as a specific skill needed in an evolving economy. A significantly higher proportion of males than females chose computing courses at Highlands College in 2018. If more males than females are in technology- focussed roles, this could have a greater impact on the gender pay gap in Jersey.

The Panel's view is noted. The Education team will be asked to keep this in mind as they develop the curriculum in the future.

24

If the number of males working in technology continues to be significantly higher than the number of females, it is likely that software and systems developed, in artificial intelligence in particular, may be inherently gender-biased.

The  Panel's  view  is  noted.  The  observation  will  be brought  to  the  attention  of  Digital  Jersey,  who  can undoubtedly assist thinking in this area.

25

Although certain schools in Jersey do have initiatives to try and expose girls to subjects which may previously have been perceived as male subjects, such as technology, improvements in this area urgently need to be made to the education system.

Concern that we are still labelling subjects as male/female in a time of equal opportunities, this does not mirror the efforts  of  the  workforce  to  address  gender  issues, including for those individuals who choose to be gender- fluid, transgender, etc.

GCSEs are the best measure for considering the breadth of access to the curriculum. A-levels are more specialised and  at  primary,  the  data  collected  centrally  does  not reflect the breadth of curriculum access.

It is important to reflect on the percentage of entries in the case  of  this  data  (see  attached)  rather  than  outcomes, because  this  indicates  opportunity  of  access.  The outcomes  of  attainment  may  reflect  other  parameters,

Findings

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e.g. quality of teaching, ability to sit exams, attendance, etc.

There is equality of opportunity for males and females to enter any external exams. Based on available 2018 figures and  consideration  of  5%+  representing  a  statistically significant difference –

• There is equality of entry for males and females to GCSEs  in  English,  Maths,  Chemistry,  Double Science,  Modern  Foreign  Languages,  Business Studies,  Dance,  Drama,  Music,  Photography  and Media Studies.

• Female  entries  are  higher  for  GCSEs  in  Biology, Physics,  Religious  Education,  French,  Spanish,  Art and Design, Design and Technology (product design), and Food Technology; which demonstrates a broad range  of  curriculum  areas  covering  technological, scientific, linguistic and creative arts subjects. This is in addition to the above.

The above data would signify that, over the last year, the education system in Jersey has removed the barriers to gender inequality.

Males show up to 8% more interest in Digital Skills than females. There is also a slightly bigger uptake in Sports Studies and Humanities; and 12% more boys enter Design Technology (resistant materials) qualifications. The most marked difference is in History in the 2018 cohort (13%).

Specific events in education such as Primary Engineer', promoting  STEM  in  education  alongside  Design Technology  competitions,  show  good  levels  of engagement  from  female  students.  There  were  female prize-winners  in  the  Primary  Engineer  recent  design competition.

It would appear that the percentage of boys entering the subjects  above  does  not  reflect  the  need  for  radical change, merely a continued approach to addressing gender issues which schools already work hard to tackle.

26

The initiatives to encourage gender diversity are focused on girls being exposed to subjects which may traditionally be perceived as male-orientated. There are few initiatives that expose boys to subjects which are traditionally seen as female- orientated.

Refer back to Comments on Finding 25.

The  Education (Jersey) Law 1999 entitles all pupils to receive a broad and balanced curriculum.

Pupils in primary schools are quickly identified from an early age if they are falling behind or overtly specialising their choices (for instance in Early Years) through the ongoing teacher assessment processes. Teachers react to this  information  and  plan  accordingly  to  address  any imbalances (for example, the boy who always chooses to build  with  construction  items  is  introduced  to  writing alongside this, or encouraged to engage with writing or

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reading in the outdoor environment).

Teachers have access to boy-friendly' texts from an early age,  which  engage  pupils  and  build  an  enjoyment  of reading. All pupils engage in Art, Technology, Computing and Sciences, alongside Humanities

The introduction of Jersey 8 for Summer 2019 ensures that secondary pupils are encouraged by their schools to take  a  broad  and  balanced  approach  to  their  GCSE options; however, the data above suggests that schools are already addressing the issue for the majority of pupils.

The school Senior Advisers are strongly aware for the need to encourage gender equality in schools, and will regularly promote this concept.

In Early Years, domestic role-play is a key feature of a high-quality learning environment, providing both boys and girls with the opportunity to experience all roles in a home, cooking and preparing food, washing and cleaning, baby change/sleep.

Our quality frameworks acknowledge that children need to  be  supported  by  sensitive,  empathetic  adults  who respond appropriately to their play and learning, guiding and facilitating, non-judgemental and inclusive.

27

Automatic associations based on gender (unconscious bias), such as assuming a woman will have a child in her 30s, has been identified as a factor which contributes to a gender pay gap. Organisations can implement a number of initiatives to make recruitment practices more gender-neutral, thereby ensuring the focus is on those who are most skilled for the role.

The Panel's view is noted. Regular reviews take place of the Government of Jersey s recruitment practice, and we are considering changes to assist managers in this specific area.

Unconscious bias training aims to make people aware of potentially harmful unconscious biases and to reduce the impact of these biases. While some types of unconscious bias training may have some limited positive effects, there is  currently  no  evidence  that  this  training  changes behaviour  or  improves  workplace  equality.  We  are, however,  reviewing  our  training  associated  with recruitment  and  with  diversity,  so  will  review  the evidence available to best decide how to tackle this issue. This  is  planned  for  roll-out  in  Q1 2020.  In  terms  of recruitment specifically, there are many other actions we can take that are underpinned by evidence, and have been found to have a positive impact – for example, including women in shortlists, using skills-based assessment tasks in  recruitment,  using  structured  interviews,  and introducing transparency to promotion processes.

28

A number of submissions to the Panel commented on the glass ceiling (the inability of women to advance past a certain point in their professions) and/or certain barriers which may affect a

The  Panel's  view  is  noted.  The  point  above  refers – including  women  in  shortlists,  using  skills-based assessment  tasks  in  recruitment,  using  structured interviews,  and  introducing  transparency  to  promotion processes,  will  aid  the  removal  of  barriers –  as  does utilising software to identify gender-biased language in

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woman's progression in the workplace. A common barrier identified was that women were less likely than men to put themselves forward for jobs if they did not meet all of the requirements.

job descriptions and job adverts.

29

In 2011, a higher proportion of "economically inactive" women (44%) of working-age were looking after the home compared with men (3%). Further analysis shows that between the ages of 30–44 more women are looking after the home, which could correlate with the average age women are having children in Jersey, which is 32 years.

The Panel's view is noted.

30

Many of the submissions received during the review identified that caring responsibilities contributed to a gender pay gap, as it is more often women who take time out of the workplace to care for children (or elderly relations).

The Panel's view is noted. The proposed launch of further family-friendly social policy in the Autumn will assist in this area.

31

The cost of childcare has been identified as a factor which prevents parents, mostly women, from returning to work. This impacts on women's careers the most, as it is generally the mother who takes on primary caring responsibilities, despite the fact that 92% of fathers would have wanted to take longer leave. This could be due to the fact that employment legislation has provided mothers with a longer period of parental leave than fathers. Some researchers have found that having children has a life-long effect on women's employment rates, career opportunities and income.

It  is  accepted  that  the  cost of  childcare  is  particularly sensitive  in  Jersey,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  proposed changes to the family-friendly policies in the Autumn, subject to States Assembly approval, will go some way to improvement in this area.

The work of the Early Years Policy Development Board is  exploring  the  issues  of  working  parents,  and  the financial  impact  of  childcare,  through  working  with colleagues in Tax and Income Support.

32

There are many factors that prevent women's progression in the workplace. The Panel has found that these can be separated

The  Panel's  views  are  noted.  This  is  an  area  where continuous review and reflection needs to take place as government policy develops, to ensure that we maximise opportunities to reduce gender imbalances.

Findings

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into 2 main areas – structural and cultural. The structural issues, such as policies and working practices, create barriers for women, and the cultural issues, such as stereotypical views and values, create biases about women's capabilities in the workplace and men's capabilities in caring roles.

33

The importance of flexibility in the workplace for parents was a common theme throughout the review. Flexibility for both parents is particularly important to women, as it enables them to not have to make a choice between a career and starting a family. The Minister for Social Security is due to re-lodge proposals to extend family- friendly employment rights to all parents, which aim to encourage gender balance in childcare roles.

As the Panel says, the re-lodging of proposals from the Minister for Social Security will assist. A review of their implementation  should  take  place  12/24 months  after launch.

34

There were mixed views on whether statutory measures should be introduced in relation to gender pay gap reporting, but some believed that it could be an effective lever for change. If the States is going to make a decision on whether to introduce legislation, it should also be asking how, as a society, we can encourage that cultural shift alongside any legislative changes.

The Panel's view is noted. It will be part of the wider consideration and consultation referred to earlier.

35

There is a perception that there is very little pay transparency in Jersey, other than in the public sector. The general view of stakeholders was that employers should be transparent with their rates of pay, but this should not necessarily be included as a statutory measure within employment legislation.

The Panel's views are noted. This is an area where regular review is appropriate to ensure good practice.

Findings

Comments

36

Some countries have introduced statutory measures, such as gender quota laws, in order to bring about change to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions. Although statutory measures are not being proposed in Jersey, there are other voluntary measures which could be introduced to encourage an equal proportion of men and women on boards.

The Panel's views are noted. Again, this is an area where regular review is appropriate to ensure that Jersey social and  employment  policy  remains  consistent  with  good practice.

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

1

OVERARCHING RECOMMENDATION: The Government of Jersey should take immediate action to close the gender pay gap.

CM

Accept

This  is  accepted  in  principle,  but  it needs to be recognised and understood that  these  issues  will  not  be  resolved overnight. It should be recognised that the issue is much broader than purely a governmental  response,  and  requires society in its entirety to be accountable.

Ongoing

2

The Government of Jersey should lead the way in collating, analysing and publishing data and evidence in relation to the public sector gender pay gap and related issues.

CM

Accept

Statistics Jersey will be asked to review and make recommendations on how this can  be  done,  after  consultation  with stakeholders.

31/12/20

3

A public sector gender pay gap report should be published on an annual basis and at the same time every year, starting with a report by the end of 2020.

CM

Accept

It is agreed that such a report will be helpful. Action has already been taken, and it is presently proposed that the first report will be published late September/ early October this year.

11/10/19

4

Action should be taken to reduce the gender pay gap and address any issues identified in the Government's report.

CM

Accept

This  is  accepted  in  principle,  but  it needs to be recognised and understood that  these  issues  will  not  be  resolved overnight.  Future  policy  initiatives should consider gender pay impact as a matter of course.

Ongoing

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

5

Publication of the public sector gender pay gap should be accompanied by a government publicity campaign. This would raise awareness and understanding of the gender pay gap.

CM

Accept

It is good sense to align the report with a publicity awareness programme.

11/10/19

6

The Minister for Education should undertake an audit of registered childcare providers, pre-schools and primary schools, to ensure gender-neutral practices within the curriculum and the general culture and ethos. This is to challenge and work against the idea that "boys will be boys" and "girls will be girls". The audit should be undertaken by the end of 2020.

Min. Edu.

Partially accept

In  terms  of  registered  providers,  this would  not  be  recommended,  as  our system  of  review  looks  at  how children's  needs  and  interests  are followed and planned for. Our statutory requirements  acknowledge  that  boys and girls could show an interest in any area of learning and be supported to do so.

Improved data analysis will ensure that we are addressing any potential gender gaps overall, and  within each  area of learning.  Girls  continue  to  do  better than boys by the end of the EYFS in all areas.

Our  focus  is  on  ensuring  that developmentally  appropriate  activities are  offered  to  all  children,  that acknowledge  that  girls  and  boys  may show  different  characteristics  of learning/ ways of learning, and develop at different rates.

TBD

7

The Minister for Education should undertake an audit of curriculum choices made by secondary schools and further education providers across the different subjects. The Minister should evaluate the ethos and culture in each school or college and the part the student voice plays in establishing that culture. The audit should be undertaken by the end of

Min. Edu.

Partially accept

Details of the curriculum choices  and exam entries are monitored annually by the Department, and the outcomes are discussed  with  Senior  Advisers  of secondary schools if any concerns exist.

Jersey 8  provides  a  rigorous  approach towards ensuring the curriculum offer is broad  and  balanced.  Special  schools will also focus on work-related learning to  prepare  students  for  life  beyond school.

Each secondary school is required to lay out their curriculum offer for parents on their  website,  and  this  includes  the examinations offered.

TBD

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

2020.

The ethos, culture and student voice are monitored  through  the  Jersey  School Review  Framework,  where  a  random group of students are interviewed about all  aspects  of  school  life,  and  this includes  their  involvement  in  school development.  Rigorous  interviews  are held with the headteacher and parents, and  staff  will  also  be  surveyed  from Autumn Term 2019.

All  schools  have  been  encouraged  to have  a  School  Council.  Following recent Government plan meetings, the importance  of  student  participation  at all  educational  levels  has  been highlighted.

8

The Minister for Education should instruct the Curriculum Council to introduce measurers to reduce gender segregation in subject choices.

Min. Edu.

Reject

The role of the Minister for Education is to chair the Curriculum Council.

The  choices  made  for  GCSE  have shown that gender segregation' is not an issue for concern. Indeed, options for each student's GCSEs are their choice; this  is  not  a  matter  ordained  by  the Curriculum Council.

–

The  Jersey  Curriculum  is  just  one element in the education of every child'.

Children have the right, spelled out in the UNCRC, to provision which enables them  to  develop  their  personalities, talents  and  abilities  irrespective  of ethnicity,  culture  or  religion ... disabilities or gender.'

As most schools are keen to promote the rights of the child as laid out in the UNCRC, this is an underlying principle of the Curriculum Council and its work with schools.

The  Curriculum  (which  is  an expectation in law) already states in the introduction:

Teachers should take account of their duties  under  equal  opportunities legislation'.

This includes consideration of gender, and as such, is promoted by the Council

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

and headteachers.

Jersey 8 states: There should be equity of  access  to  qualifications  across  all schools'.  This  applies  to  males  and females when taking their options.

All processes relating to the balance of experiences  for  male  and  female students are monitored for the Minister under  the  Jersey  Schools  Review Framework.

9

As part of the planned changes to recruitment practices within the public sector, name, age, gender and place of education should be removed from applicants' CVs to ensure that candidates most skilled for the role are recruited. These changes should be introduced by the States Employment Board by Q2 2020.

CM

Partially accept

The principle of greater anonymity of candidates in the recruitment process is supported;  however,  the  States Employment  Board  ("SEB")  will  be guided  by  the  outcome  of  its  current review  by  Officers  of  these  matters. SEB  will  also  consider  concerns expressed  about  how  part-time  and flexible  recruitment  can  be  further developed.

31/03/19

10

The Government of Jersey, with the support of Statistics Jersey, should collect data on the economic value of work done in the home, including childcare, cooking, shopping, housework, odd jobs and gardening. This should be undertaken when measuring Gross Domestic Product and by calculating what it would cost to pay a domestic worker to do the work. Consideration should also be given to changing the term "economically inactive" in official reports when describing the above roles.

CM

To be reviewed

Statistics Jersey will need to consider how  the  recommendation  could  be achieved  prior  to  the  Government  of Jersey accepting this. In doing so, it is recognised that the Employment Forum will  have  a  role  to  play  and  will  be consulted.

30/06/20

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

11

A Head of Diversity should be appointed to monitor diversity, equality and inclusion within the public sector. The Head would be responsible for implementing relevant strategies and policies, suggesting new initiatives and employment practices to ensure a gender-neutral and gender-sensitive public sector. The role should be created within the existing workforce by the end of Q2 2020.

CM

Neither accept nor reject

Diversity  and  inclusion  are  not  the responsibility  of  one  role.  All employees  are  accountable,  and  all Tier 1  and  Tier 2  leaders  have  this accountability  as  part  of  their  core responsibilities.  The  People  Strategy will be developed and published later this  year,  and  will  include  actions relating  to  diversity,  equality  and inclusion.

Notwithstanding  the  above,  GoJ understands  the  concern  expressed  by the Panel, and will consider how best to ensure that diversity and inclusion are reflected in the Government Plan and senior management objectives.

TBD

12

The Government of Jersey should deliver unconscious bias training and monitoring to all public sector employees. This should be delivered by the end of 2020.

CM

Neither accept nor reject

Consideration  to  this  recommendation needs further thought to establish how best  to  achieve  the  outcome  desired. Finding 27 above refers.

TBD

13

All Departments within the Government of Jersey should receive diversity training to raise awareness of diversity in the workplace. This should be delivered by end of 2020.

CM

Accept (subject to timing)

The People Strategy will be developed and published later this year, and will include  actions  relating  to  diversity, equality  and  inclusion.  The  Learning Strategy underpins the People Strategy, and this will include training related to diversity, equality and inclusion.

31/12/21

14

The Government of Jersey should explore voluntary measures, such as the 30% Club, which aims for greater gender balance in business. This work should be undertaken before the end of 2019.

CM

Accept

Team Jersey has an action to create a taskforce  of  employers  to  focus  on creating a positive workplace culture in Jersey, which includes developing talent and diversity. This will be included as part of the terms of reference for this forum.

31/12/19