British Values and Protected Characteristics

Promoting the Protected Characteristics at Northfield Primary and Nursery School

At Northfield, we work hard to ensure that our children understand that we are one community. There are no outsiders, everybody is different, and we celebrate our differences.

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain, and it protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. The Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics 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

At Northfield, we actively promote equality and the children’s understanding of the protected characteristics through our curriculum, assemblies and the wider life of the school.

The document below shows how our curriculum is planned and delivered to consider the nine Protected Characteristics. We do not teach about all the Protected Characteristics in every year group. The curriculum is planned and delivered so that our children develop age-appropriate knowledge and understanding.

Northfield British Values Policy.pdf

Fostering a love of reading is a priority at Northfield. We use a wide variety of engaging texts across the curriculum that also promote discussion and support the developing understanding of British values and protected characteristics. Talking Points in PSHE and "No outsiders" also provides planned opportunities for explicit discussions around stories. Here are a few of those texts.