Protected Characteristics

PROMOTING THE NINE PROTECTED CHARACTERISITICS

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

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 - including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
Religion or belief
Marriage or civil partnership
Sex
Sexual orientation
Pregnancy and maternity

No form of discrimination is tolerated at St Anne's RC Primary School and our pupils show respect for those who share the protected characteristics.

We do not teach about all the protected characteristics in every year group. The curriculum is planned and delivered so that our pupils develop age appropriate knowledge and understanding during their time at St Anne's.

We teach the Protected Characteristics throughout our curriculum areas and use a variety of resources including No Outsiders, Ten Ten and iMatters.

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

Actively promote the Gospel values whilst remaining inclusive
Sign Language sessions - EYFS
No-Outsiders Programme
Books and resources
Science Planning
Chameleon Project
World Religions Weeks
International Women's Day
Mardi Gras
Day of the Dead
Ten Ten - Black Lives Matter
CAFOD
Lily Jo - Mental Health
TEN: TEN Assemblies - thematic
Promoting the rights of each individual as outlined in the United Nations Charter through our RRS award, ethos, policies and curriculum content
Promote tolerance, mutual respect and understanding through different aspects of our curriculum- this includes teaching in RE, PSHE and other subjects. In English, a variety of text from a range of cultures will be used. Scientists, historians artists, poets, engineers and designers who represent the protected characteristics will be embedded within the curriculum
Picture News (see separate overview)
Lift access to the school premise and building
Leading on assemblies to explore and deal with relevant issues; including CAFOD assemblies/workshops to support Catholic social teaching
CARITAS in action weaved into the curriculum - developing social teaching and learning
Fundraising for local charities i.e. Cornerstones, Rainbow Surprise
Fundraising and charitable giving - CAFOD
Supporting all staff and children to recognise and reach their potential - CPD, leadership
Interventions to maximise the progress of all groups of children - on-going monitoring and adaptions to best meet need
Encouraging children who have a particular character to participate fully in all activities - for example; enrichment clubs and sport provision at lunchtimes
Curriculum trips that meet the needs of all children
Conscious modelling by all adults in school
Planned and bespoke Curriculum
Unisex toilets for EYFS, Key Stage 1 and UKS2
Restorative justice / peer mediators - supporting any tensions between different groups of pupils within the school
Mental Health workshops, assemblies, champs - to support the mental health and well-bring of their Peers
CARITAS Social Worker (one day a week) to support identified children
Pupil Family Support Worker
Play Therapy to support identified children
Occupational Therapist in school provision - one weekly
Pupil participation in school activties such as the school council; GIFT team - ensuring that is formed of pupils from a rang of backgrounds

Embedding Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of St Anne’s 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