Information about Protected Characteristics

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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 because the Equality Act safeguards individuals against discrimination based on 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 (under our SRE policy)
• Sexual orientation
• Pregnancy and maternity

We are not required to teach all of the characteristics, and at Powerstock School, we have decided to teach those highlighted.

This is how children learn about protected characteristics:

• Our church school values
• Our school behaviour policy
• Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
• Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
• Worships
• British Values themes
• 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, and Protected Characteristic talks
• Sporting, art, and cultural events
• School council
• Educational visits
• Real-life learning outside the classroom
• Guest speakers
• Developing links with local, national, and international communities
• Extra-curricular activities, after-school clubs, charity work, and work within the local community

Embedding Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of Powerstock 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

These principles align closely with our school values:

• Compassion: By understanding and respecting the protected characteristics, we foster a compassionate environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
• Generosity: Teaching and practising generosity involves being kind and inclusive, recognising the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all individuals.
• Perseverance: Promoting equality and combating discrimination requires perseverance. We encourage our students to persist in their efforts to create a fair and just community.
• Respect: Respect is at the core of understanding and valuing the protected characteristics. We teach our students to respect themselves and others, embracing diversity and promoting equality.

By embedding these values into our daily practices and curriculum, we ensure that Powerstock School remains a place where every student can thrive and contribute positively to society.