Protected Characteristcs

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 department

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

Our school ethos statements, SDP, and SEF
Our school values
Our school behaviour policy
Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
Collective Worship and values lessons
P4C sessions
British Values teaching and events
Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) sessions
Religious Education (RE) lessons, RSE lessons, LGBT discussions and Protected Characteristic talks
Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
Educational trips and visitors
Developing links with local, national and international communities
Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, charity work and work within the local community

Embedding the 9 Protected Characteristics into our school whole ethos promotes:

Self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence
Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
An understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through 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 in the local community and beyond
An understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their well-being 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