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No Outsiders – Learning about Protected Characteristics
Teaching Protected Characteristics at Parkwood Academy
Why? We believe it is important that all children gain an understanding of the world they are growing up in, and learn how to live alongside, and show respect and acceptance for a diverse range of people. Parkwood Academy promotes equality and children’s understanding of the 9 protected characteristics in a number of ways.
What? We aim to educate the children into what these protected characteristics are and create a culture that emphasises that no form of discrimination is tolerated and that as a school community we show respect and acceptance for those who share the protected characteristics. We want all children to understand the importance of equality and acceptance.
How? Through personal development opportunities woven through the curriculum, explicit assemblies about protected characteristics, through the RSE curriculum (Relationship and Sex Education) and from exposure to age appropriate texts from our literature spine and books that are part of No Outsiders, we are able to promote children’s awareness and understanding of these
We ensure that teaching is delivered sensitively and that the materials used to support teaching are appropriate for the age and maturity of the children. We also expect all staff to model acceptance and respect to all members of our community in their behaviour and attitudes.
For example:
- Year 2: Relationships Friendships; feeling lonely and managing arguments, bullying; words and actions and respect for others.
- Year 3 Relationships: Families; family life and caring for others. This will include looking at different family structures including single parents, same sex parents, step parents, blended families, foster and adoptive parents.
- Year 4 Relationships: Respect for self and others; courteous behaviour; safety and rights. This will include looking at the rights of the child and how to protect these rights.
- Year 5 Health and wellbeing Identity: personal attributes and qualities; similaries and differences; individuality; stereotypes.
- This will include looking at gender identity and how this may not correspond to biological sex.
- Year 6 Relationships: Different relationships, changing and growing adulthood; independence, moving to secondary school.
This will include learning about different relationships including marriage and civil partnerships.
We work closely with parents when planning and delivering the RSE curriculum ensuring that parents know what will be taught and when, and clearly communicate the fact that parents have the right to request that the child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE.