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.  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

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

  • Our school vision and our School Development Plan
  • Our school values
  • Our CARE code
  • Our school behaviour policy
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults
  • Access to the school premise and building eg toilets.
  • Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
  • Assemblies
  • Whole-school celebrations including Children in Need, Red Nose Day
  • Promoting tolerance, individual liberty, friendship and understanding by actively promoting British Values through assemblies and in school life
  • In English, a variety of text from a range of cultures will be used.
  • Reading through a range of authors and genres
  • Scientists, historians, artists, poets, engineers and designers who represent the protected characteristics will be embedded within the curriculum.
  • Promoting inclusion, tolerance, friendship and understanding through different aspects of our curriculum. This includes teaching in RE, PSHE and other subjects.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the attainment and progress of all pupils; looking at the performance of particular groups who share a protected characteristic to compare their performance with those who do not share it.
  • Sporting competitions both within school and outside of school
  • School Council
  • Educational experiences and visits
  • Guest speakers
  • Developing links with the local community
  • Extra-curricular activities, sports and enrichment
  • Restorative justice – supporting any tensions between different groups of pupils within the school