Promoting Equality and the Protected Characteristics at St Michael's Primary School

St Michael's Primary School is an inclusive school, where we focus on the well-being and progress of every child and where all members of our community are of equal worth.  The protected characteristics are weaved through our PSHE and RE curriculums, our Collective Worship, and the day to day routines of life at St Michael's. They also link to our work on British Values. 

We work to ensure that our children understand that:

• There are no outsiders at St Michael's
• Everyone is equal 
• Everyone is different
• We celebrate our differences

The Equality Act became law in 2010. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination, harassment and victimisation because of the protected characteristics that we all have. 

We believe that the Equality Act provides a framework to support our commitment to valuing diversity, tackling discrimination, promoting equality and fostering good relationships between people. It also ensures that we continue to tackle issues of disadvantage and underachievement of different groups.

Under the Equality Act, there are nine Protected Characteristics:

• Age
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage or civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Disability
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Understanding protected characteristics and a sense of personal identity is key to showing mutual respect and tolerance to others, which are part of the fundamental British Values.

Children in KS2 have been shown the following information that links to the protected characteristics.

https://schools.1decision.co.uk/info/assembly-packs/protected-characteristics/pc-scorm/index.html

Our class texts, as well as the selection of books in our class book corners, celebrate diversity. These books are read as class texts over the course of the year to encourage positive and guided discussion of the protected characteristics, where appropriate. At St Michael's, we strive to create an environment where children can share their opinions and ask questions. Below is a selection of our class texts that promote understanding and celebrating difference as well as inclusion and empathy.