Protected Characteristics
Promoting The Nine Protected Characteristics
The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. Under the Equality Act, there are nine Protected Characteristics:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Marriage or civil partnership
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Pregnancy and maternity
Under the Equality Act you are protected from discrimination:
- When you are in the workplace
- When you use public services like healthcare (for example, visiting your doctor or local hospital) or education (for example, at your school or college)
- When you use businesses and other organisations that provide services and goods (like shops, restaurants, and cinemas)
- When you use transport
- When you join a club or association (for example, your local tennis club)
- When you have contact with public bodies like your local council or government departments
The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:
- Our school ethos statements, SDP and SEF
- Our school values Love Learn Live
- Our school STARS
- British Fundamental Values
- Our school Behaviour for Learning Policy
- Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
- Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
- Assemblies
- Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
- Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
- My Life curriculum – Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) including RSE lessons
- Religious Education (RE) curriculum
- Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
- Pupil Voice – School Council, Mental Health and Wellbeing Champions and Online Safety Working Party
- Educational visits
- Real-life learning outside the classroom
- Guest speakers – PCSOs, Severn Trent, NSPCC
- Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, charity work and work within the local community
- Playleaders and House Captains
Embedding Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of Burlish Park Primary School promotes:
- Self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence
- Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
- Acceptance of responsibility for their own behaviour
- Respect for their own and other cultures
- Understanding of how they can contribute positively to school and home life and to the lives of those living and working in the locality and further afield
- An understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
- An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process
- An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
- An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
- An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
- An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination