Teaching the Protected Characteristics
It is important that all children gain an understanding of the world they are growing up in, and learn how to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people.
The Equality Act 2010, identifies the ‘protected characteristics’ as:
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age
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disability
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gender reassignment
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pregnancy and maternity
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race
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religion or belief
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sex
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sexual orientation
At Hillside Community Primary School, we aim to teach the children to recognise and accept difference. We welcome and value everyone in our school, celebrating and valuing our differences, our uniqueness.
We aim to ensure that pupils are happy and excited about living and learning in a community full of difference and diversity.
To do this, we have adopted the 'No Outsiders in Our School' text based approach; a whole school approach, in which every year group has 6 texts with 6 lesson plans dealing with all equalities in the Equality Act (race, religion, gender, gender identity including transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation). This is one aspect of how we teach children about equality and diversity through our curriculum.
It is important that all pupils gain an understanding of the world they are growing up in, and learn how to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people. ‘No Outsiders’ is a recommended resource to teach pupils to respect and accept difference and diversity using the Equality Act 2010 (British Law) as a solid foundation. It promotes a proactive approach to bullying, teaches British Values, reduces potential for radicalisation and prepares children for life in Modern Britain.
In addition to this planned approach, we react and respond to any incident as it arises within school, the community or is in the news, and have embedded this philosophy into our curriculum via PSHE, RE and the wider curriculum including themed days / weeks such as Black History Month, mental Health Week, Women's History Month, LGBTQ+ Month, Disability Awareness Month.