Protected Characteristics

 
The Equality Act
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:
  1. Age
  2. Disability
  3. Gender reassignment
  4. Race
  5. Religion or belief
  6. Marriage or civil partnership
  7. Sex
  8. Sexual orientation
  9. Pregnancy and maternity
Under the Equality Act you are protected from discrimination:
You are protected:
  • 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 rugby 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 core values
  • Our curriculum
  • Our curriculum key concepts
  • Our school’s positive behaviour policy
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
  • Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
  • Celebration Assemblies
  • British Values, SMSC and Equality and Diversity throughout our curriculum
  • The active participation of the Values Committee
  • Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) sessions
  • Religious Education (RE) lessons, RSE lessons
  • Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
  • Pupil Voice and Staff Voice
  • Educational trips and visits
  • Real-life learning outside the classroom
  • Developing links with local communities
  • Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs and charity work
Embedding Protected Characteristics
Embedding Protected Characteristics in our 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
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