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Kingsley Community School

Equality and Diversity Information

Promoting the Protected Characteristics at Kingsley

Our Code of Conduct:

We always try to give everyone a fair chance

We always try to treat each other with respect

We always try to be the best we can

We always try to work together, helping each other

The Equality Act became law in 2010 and it covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. The national curriculum recognises how important it is for children to understand the world in which they live in. They want children to live alongside and show respect for a diverse range of people. A way in which schools can ensure they are providing children with the knowledge and skills to do this is through the teaching of the nine protected characteristics.

At Kingsley, we actively promote these in our curriculum and work to embed them into our ethos of ‘Learning together, respecting each other’.

It is extremely important for us here at Kingsley, that our children grow to be respectful, ambitious and empathetic pupils who respect the world in which they live in. 

The 9 protected characteristics are:

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

The DfE does stress that not all of these characteristics have to be taught in every year group and schools should use their professional judgement to plan their curriculum appropriately. Here at Kingsley, our PSHE/RSE lessons are taught through the PSHE Association scheme. 

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

Celebrating protected characteristics at Kingsley Primary School

In everyday classroom discussions, teachers foster a culture that empowers pupils to challenge their misconceptions and build their knowledge of others around them. Young people are naturally curious and many who have protected characteristics may feel anxious about sharing their experiences. Kingsley Primary creates a culture of inclusion and celebrating others is part of the fabric as opposed to an add-on. For example:

  • Opening a dialogue with parents who don’t speak English as their first language
  • Allowing staff and pupils to have designated prayer facilities
  • School displays that showcase diversity ie: families
  • Celebrating achievements in assemblies
  • Our school behaviour policy
  • Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
  • Discussion within curriculum subjects, taking a cross-curricular approach
  • Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) sessions
  • Religious Education (RE) lessons, RSE lessons
  • Sporting, Art and Cultural Events
  • Pupil Voice
  • Educational visits
  • 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

Kingsley Primary teach an inclusive PSHE education curriculum and makes reference to the protected characteristics throughout most lessons, rather than being a one-off learning experience. Within the Questions Based Model primary programme builder that we use, there are specific opportunities to explore protected characteristic’s aspects in more depth in:

Year 1 Relationships:  

What is the same and different about us? 

Who is special to us? 

Year 2 Relationships: 

What makes a good friend? 

What is bullying? 

Year 2 Living in the Wider World:  

What jobs do people do?

Year 3 Relationships:  

What are families like? 

How can we be a good friend? 

Year 3 Living in the Wider World:  

What makes a community? 

Year 4 Relationships:  

How do we treat each other with respect? 

Y4 Health and Wellbeing:

How will we grow and change?

Year 5 Health and Wellbeing:  

What makes up our identity? 

Year 5 Living in the Wider World:  

What jobs would we like?

Year 6 Relationships:  

What will change as we become more independent? 

How do friendships change as we grow? 

Factors that contribute to pupils’ personal development

Below are some examples of the opportunities a pupil at Kingsley Primary will have to support their personal development.

Factors that contribute to PD

Some Examples

Curriculum subjects such as PSHE, RE and RSE contribute to personal development

  • Clear expectations in place with rewards and natural consequences.
  • Pupil Voice
  • Weekly PSHE lessons that are monitored by the Lead
  •  Long-term plan that develops a body of knowledge to support children's personal development
  • Floor book examples of knowledge and skills learnt
  • RE lessons
  • Anti bullying week
  • Sporting events
  • Whole school events ie: Eid party, Wellbeing days, Career weeks
  • After school clubs for all abilities and differing skills
  • Breakfast club for all years
  • School Council
  • Residential trips
  • School Trips
  • Assemblies: key stage and achievement

Developing responsible, respectful and active citizens

  • Clear expectations in place with rewards and natural consequences.
  • Pupil Voice
  • Opportunities to engage with the local community.
  • Promotion of responsible behaviour such as recycling and charity.
  • Opportunities to engage with charitable organisations and events – such anti bullying week.
  • Initiatives in place by the anti-bullying co-ordinator to promote positive behaviour and challenge negative actions..
  • After-school clubs and Wellbeing Days.

Developing and deepening pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values

  • Regular school assemblies focussing on British Values.
  • Curriculum opportunities to promote British Values.
  • Pupil Voice as a democratic process to promote change.
  • School council

Promoting equality of opportunity so that pupils thrive together and have an understanding of the protected characteristics.

  • Differentiation/adapting of the curriculum so it is accessible to all.
  • Effective use of risk assessments so inclusivity is promoted.
  • Differentiation of activities to enable accessibility.
  • Residential trips.
  • Sporting events
  • Visuals of protected characteristics
  • Support from outside agencies ie: EP, Seniss, SALT, OT.
  • School displays

Understand that difference is positive, not negative and that individual characteristics make people unique

  • Celebration of differences through focused weeks such as Black history month; Anti-bullying week; Mental Health awareness week.
  • Positive role modelling by staff, with negative behaviours and comments challenged.
  • Individual and group work on understanding pupils diagnoses.
  • Recognition of the achievements of individuals who have a special educational need or disability e.g. TV personalities, entrepreneurs, ex-pupils.
  • Visits from external speakers.
  • Individual and group work from SALT and OT.
  • Recognise the positive achievements of characters in history and literature with differences.

Promote an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all pupils irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation

  • Clear expectations of pupils.
  • Active promotion of inclusivity and understanding of protected characteristics through posters, display boards, assemblies and PSHE curriculum.
  • Exploit opportunities in the curriculum such as History, RE, English to re-inforce inclusive practice.
  • Positive role modelling by staff, with negative behaviours and comments challenged.
  • High aspirations for all pupils, with staff actively supporting pupils to overcome perceived or real barriers to success.

Develop pupils’ character defined as a set of positive personal traits, dispositions and virtues that informs motivation and guides their conduct

  • Use of resolutions to reflect on behaviour and choices..
  • Focus on charity days/ charitable organisations.
  • Opportunities to engage with local community and charity projects.
  • Individual and group work from SALT and OT.
  • Positive role modelling by staff, with negative behaviours and comments challenged.
  • Positive and meaningful feedback given to pupils.
  • Weekly celebration assembly.
  • Recognise the effects and impact of anti-social behaviour through active discussion, PSHE curriculum and external speakers.

Develop confidence, resilience and knowledge so they can keep themselves mentally healthy.

  • Team building activities during lunchtime activities, after-school clubs and Wellbeing afternoons.
  • Residential trips.
  • Individual and group work from SALT and OT.
  • Advice and support from Educational Psychologist and SENISS.
  • Opportunities throughout the curriculum to experience success through careful differentiation.
  • Opportunities throughout the curriculum to experience failure in a safe, supportive environment.
  • Focus on positive mental health through posters, displays.
  • Positive relationships with key members of staff to provide opportunities to talk and co-regulate.
  • Active promotion of independent working.
  • Use of resolutions and de-briefs to reflect on choices.

Enable pupils to recognise online and offline risks to their safety e.g. risks from CSE, domestic abuse, FGM, forced marriage, substance misuse, gang activity, radicalisation, extremism and the support available to them

  • Regular promotion of online safety through focus days and weeks – such as safer internet week, cyber-bulling.
  • Internet safety policy
  • Clear expectations for pupils.
  • Active promotion of how to stay safe online through posters, displays and assemblies.
  • All staff aware of Keeping Children Safe in Education, PREVENT and safeguarding procedures.
  • Active discussion (at an age and stage appropriate level) through PSHE curriculum.
  • External speakers

Develop understanding of how to keep physically healthy

  • PE curriculum differentiated to enable access to all pupils..
  • Lunchtime activities include physical opportunities.
  • After-school clubs
  • Pupils have regular access to movement breaks throughout the day.
  • Healthy eating and maintaining physical health actively promoted throughout school through posters, display boards, PSHE, science and PE curriculum.
  • Healthy eating choices available at lunchtime.
  • School provided water bottles and water coolers.

Develop age appropriate understanding of healthy relationships

  • PSHE and RSE  curriculum.
  • Individual with the play therapist
  • Active promotion of what healthy relationships look like by positive modelling of staff.

Please also see our “Equality and Diversity” Policy.

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