Protected Characteristics

PC Poster

Intent

At Oulton Academy, our purpose is to provide outstanding learning, outstanding support, and outstanding experiences irrespective of someone’s background.

No discrimination is tolerated at the academy and students have a strong understanding of the protected characteristics and share respect for everyone. We have school values that were created with the protected characteristics and British Values at its core.

Students strive to embody the values of respect, resilience, reflection, leadership, motivation, and self-confidence. By emphasising values such as respect and leadership, students understand the importance to be respectful of everyone and to do the right thing. Our school values are key features of all lessons via praise and are integral in our rewards via the ‘Earn Your Stripes’ initiative.

Implementation

The protected characteristics are also taught explicitly to students throughout the Life curriculum and through other subjects such as History, Geography, and business studies.

1. In year 7 students learn about what the protected characteristics are and the negative impacts that prejudice and discrimination can have.

2. In year 8, students have specific studies on sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, race, and disability in the history curriculum by looking at how marginalised groups have achieved rights throughout history. This is embedded by the Life curriculum going into further age-appropriate depth about the impact of prejudice and how students can recognise and help tackle it.

3. In year 9, students look at what privilege is, relationships, and human rights with a focus on the protected characteristics.

4. In year 10, students study multiculturalism, democracy and equality for all, mutual respect, and hate crime.

5. In year 11, students study injustice, religion and the state, marriage and it’s legalities, and pregnancy.

Throughout all years, every protected characteristic is emphasised, and we promote pupil’s understanding of each one. This is further embedded by regular retrieval practice, a spiral curriculum which ensures each year is age appropriate, links to the protected characteristics in assemblies- alongside the British values, and themes such as discrimination and global citizens in other areas of the curriculum.

Further Information

If you require more detailed information, please email Assistant Principal Mr Marklew: