Protected Characteristics and Equality Principles

At St Mary’s equality for all within our community is at the centre of our school. Our school vision states: Let your light shine before others – Matthew 5:16. This carries within it a belief that we create opportunities for all.

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What are protected characteristics?

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

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through

  • Our school ethos statements, SDP, and SEF
  • Our school core values
  • Our school Behavioural Policy March 2023 St Mary’s
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
  • Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
  • Assemblies
  • British Values
  • Discussion within curriculum subjects
  • Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE)
  • Religious Education (RE) lessons, RSE lessons and Protected Characteristic talks
  • Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
  • Pupil Voice
  • 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 St Mary’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

How Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (including RSE) supports Protected Characteristics

This element of the Curiosity Curriculum is supported through the Islington PSHE ‘You, Me, PSHE’ scheme of work.  It is a progressive and developmental programme of study that, through its themes, addresses all aspects of the protected characteristics in an age appropriate and sensitive way.

Valuing All God’s Children

Central to Christian theology is the truth that every single one of us is made in the image of God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God.  We must avoid, at all costs, diminishing of any individual to a stereotype of a problem. At St Mary’s we offer a community where everyone is a person who is known and loved by God, and supported to know their intrinsic value.

At St Mary’s this is championed through our school vision which shapes all aspects of our school life. This is, in turn, scrutinsed through regular church school inspections (SIAMs) and OFSTED.

Equality Principles

We believe that equality at our school should permeate all aspects of school life and is the responsibility of every member of the school and wider community.  Every individual in our community should feel safe, secure and valued in an environment that champions respect for all.  All children should be treated with equal dignity.

At St Mary’s equality for all within our community is at the centre of our school. Our school vision states: Let your light shine before others – Matthew 5:16. This carries within it a belief that we create opportunities for all. Understanding ourselves and respect for others is paramount, and we aim to nurture and develop positive spiritual, moral, social and cultural attitudes within our school community. Religious education and collective worship are central to the life of our school, whilst reflecting the rich variety of religious traditions and diversity of our society. This is reflected our commitment to our school equality objectives.