British Values, Equalities and Protected Characteristics

The DfE has reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.”

At Durrington All Saints we uphold and teach pupils about British Values which are defined as: 

• democracy;
• rule of law;
• individual liberty;
• mutual respect;
• tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs

These values are embedded throughout our curriculum, our Worship and daily school life.  

We live these values as part of our everyday life at Durrington – we have our 'Durrington Rules’ to keep us safe and learning, we choose our Value Champions, we respect each other’s views and beliefs and treat everyone in the Durrington community equally and kindly.  

We talk about these values every day, sometimes as part of our PHSE lessons and often as part of Collective Worship and other subjects.  

We use the Jigsaw PSHE and the Picture News schemes which help us to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Both contribute to the British Values agenda significantly, through the direct teaching of information and through the experiential learning children will enjoy. 

As well as the British Values, and our Durrington Values, we are committed to Equalities Education. We work hard to ensure that our children understand:

• Everyone is included – we show love, acceptance and tolerance to all
• Everyone is different
• We celebrate our differences
• We are all equal in our differences

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. As part of the 2010 Equality Act, the term Protected Characteristics was coined. This followed campaigning from groups and individuals to promote and protect human rights. There are 9 Protected Characteristics:

• Sex
• Sexual Orientation (Who people love)
• Age
• Disability
• Gender Reassignment (Being yourself)
• Marriage & Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy & Maternity
• Race
• Religion or Belief

At Durrington, we are committed to helping our children develop an understanding of equality, respect and inclusion from an early age. To support this, we use the Picture News programme, which enables children to explore real-life and global news stories in an age-appropriate way. Through these discussions, pupils make meaningful connections to the Protected Characteristics, helping them to understand and appreciate the diversity of the world around them.

Rooted in our Christian vision and values, we encourage children to demonstrate love, compassion, acceptance and respect towards others. Picture News provides valuable opportunities for pupils to reflect on current events, consider different perspectives and develop an awareness of fairness and justice.

As a Church of England school, we are dedicated to promoting equality and fostering a culture where every individual is valued and respected. We actively teach children about the importance of treating others with dignity and kindness, while challenging prejudice and discrimination. Through this approach, we strive to ensure that all pupils have equal access to opportunities, experiences and resources, regardless of any of the nine Protected Characteristics, and are well prepared to live positively in a diverse society.