What are the Nine protected characteristics and why are they important to us at Castlecroft?

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:

• 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

 

How do we at Castlecroft Primary School ensure that the 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school?:

Through:

• Our school ethos

• Our school core values

• Our school behaviour policy and school rules

• Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community

• Active engagement and communication with parents and carers

• Assemblies

• A whole school belief in British Values

• Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach

• Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary

• The school statutory RSHE curriculum and our wider PSHE curriculum

• Religious Education (RE) lessons, Sporting, Art and Cultural Events

• Pupil Voice

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How do we embed the Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of Castlecroft Primary School?

By:

• Developing self-esteem, self-knowledge and self-confidence

• Having respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process

• Teaching our pupils acceptance of responsibility for their own behaviour

• Teaching our community respect for their own and other cultures

• Developing an understanding of how our pupils can contribute positively to school and home life and to the lives of those living and working in the locality and further afield

• Developing understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics

• Fostering an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process

• Teaching appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety

• Developing understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law

• Building 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

•  Teaching the importance of identifying and combating discrimination

• Having a  rigorous anti-bullying approach-consistenly reviewed by an action group made up of staff, parents and pupils

 

Specific examples:

• Our VI base is at the heart of our school. We have a fully inclusive approach to supporting our VI pupils who are in class supported by specialist VI TA’s and our QTVI and where necessary a teacher of braille.

• We have VI workshops where our sighted children get to experience what it is like to have a Visual Impairment.

• Our children with complex special needs and disabilities have buddies to help them develop independence and limit over dependence on staff.

• Our P.E lead monitors attendance in physical and sports clubs to ensure that no group is under-represented

• When requested school will endeavour to arrange SEND TA’s to support SEND children’s attendance in clubs

• We seek opportunities  to ensure participation of our disabled pupils e.g. Sports Wheelchair races in Sports day and Sports wheel chair sponsored walk

• One of our special school rules is to “Treat other people the way that you would like them to treat you” and one of our key school rules is Respect

• British values displays in school

• Our English lead has ensured that our children read a variety of books on their journey through school that support the teaching of the protected characteristics, equality and diversity

• Where children are experiencing difficulties with self esteem, self identity or well being we have a range of ways of supporting them in school including identifying a key member of staff to support them and referring to one of our two counsellors (Insight counselling and Reflexions CBT).

• The school wider curriculum offers children a variety of ways to understand that everyone has different talents and opportunities to explore and celebrate their own gifts and interests: Celebration assembly where children receive merit awards things that they excel in from kindness to good academic work, children are also encouraged to share trophies and certificates from external clubs in this weekly celebration; the school has a wide range of sporting and musical opportunities in and outside of the school day.

• We have a rigorous anti-bullying policy and an action group made up of a a governor, parents, the Deputy and pupils who meet twice a year.

• The school has an anti-bullying action plan which is updated and monitored termly.

• The school logs and analyses bullying data for vulnerable groups including those with protected characteristics

• The school takes part in the annual United Against Bullying Alliance survey.

• We hold annual anti-bullying training with all of our staff and as part of this we cover the protected characteristics.

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