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. 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 rugby club)
•          When you have contact with public bodies like your local council or government departments

We work to ensure that our children understand that there are no outsiders and that we are all equal at Nanpean School. This is done through educating the children that everyone is different, and we celebrate those differences.

We use the book No Outsiders in our School: teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffatt. This book provides support and resources to schools to deliver the objectives outlined in the Equality Act  which make it against the law to discriminate against an individual because of a range of protected characteristics.

The No Outsiders resource provides lesson plans for each primary school year group (EYFS - Y6) based on a selection of picture books.

Issues addressed include: gender and gender identity, religion, race, sexual orientation, disability and age. The focus of the programme is around noticing, celebrating and developing resilience around diversity. Through discussion and activities based upon the picture books, children are encouraged to show respect and develop their understanding of diversity.

The nine characteristics are actively promoted through our school aims, values and vision statement, and through role modelling by adults in school. Assemblies focus on the protected characteristics at appropriate times, and we actively promote British Values during assemblies (including Picture News) and with appropriate links to the Curriculum subjects. Links are also made on our school development plan, when appropriate, and many of these protected characteristics are referred to regularly during Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and Religious Education (RE) lessons.