What are protected characteristics

Everyone in Britain is Protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. Under the Equality Act, there are 9 Protected Characteristics:

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

The STJHV equality objectives can be found here: Equality statement 2026-2029

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 or goods (like shops or restaurants, and cinemas)
• When you use transport
• When you join a club or association
• When you have contact with public bodies like your local council or government departments.

The 9 Protected Characteristics are actively promoted in school through:

• Our school ethos statements, SDP and SEF
• Our school core values
• Our school behaviour policy
• Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community
• Active engagement and communication with parents and carers
• Assemblies
• British Values
• Discussion within curriculum subjects
• Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE)
• RE lessons, RSE lessons and Protected Characteristic talks
• Sporting, Art and Cultural events
• Pupil voice
• Educational visits
• Real life learning outside the classroom
• Guest speakers
• Developing links with local, national and international communities
• Extra-curricular activities, after school clubs, charity work within the local community

Embedding Protected Characteristics into the whole ethos of STJHV promotes:

• Self-esteem, sef-knowledge and self confidence
• Respect for democracy and support for participation in the democratic process
• Acceptance of responsibility for their own behaviour
• Respect for their own and other cultures
• An understanding of how they can contribute positively to school and home life and to the lives of those living and working in the locality and further afield
• An understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
• An understanding of how citizens can influence decision making through the democratic process
• An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens and is essential for their wellbeing and safety
• An understanding that the freedom to choose and hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law
• An acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour
• An understanding of the importance of identifying and combating discrimination

Valuing All God’s Children

Central to Christian theology is the truth that every single one of us is made in the image of God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God. We must avoid, at all costs, diminishing any individual to a stereotype or a problem. At STJHV we offer a community where everyone is a person who is known and loved by God, and supported to know their intrinsic value.

At STJHV this is championed through our school vision which shapes all aspects of our school life. This is, in turn, scrutinised through church school inspections (SIAMs) and OFSTED.

Flourishing for All: Anti-bullying Guidance for Church of England Schools