Promoting the nine protected characteristics
At Groveside School, we are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and supportive learning environment for every pupil. As part of our holistic curriculum, as well as through Humanities and Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE), we teach and promote the nine protected characteristics as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.
These protected characteristics are:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender Reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and Maternity
- Race
- Religion or Belief
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
We promote these in our curriculum and work to embed them into our school community through:
- Our school core ethos and values.
- Groveside School Behaviour Policy.
- Conscious role modelling by all adults in the school community.
- Active engagement and communication with parents and carers.
- Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) lessons (Appendix 1).
- School assemblies.
- SMSC programme (Appendix 2).
- Humanities lessons (Appendix 3).
- RSE and Social Thinking lessons (Appendix 4).
- Promoting articulation by building appropriate language and a coherent vocabulary.
- Educational visits.
- School Council and pupil voice.
- Personal Development programme.
- Promoting British Values in our school life (Appendix 5).
- Developing a love of reading and actively promoting a range of authors and genres.
We adapt our curriculum to meet the diverse needs of our pupils, ensuring content is accessible, meaningful and age-appropriate. Through a range of learning experiences, assemblies and discussions, we help pupils understand the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect.
We work in partnership with parents, carers, and external agencies to reinforce these values across all aspects of school life.
At Groveside School, diversity, equity and inclusion is not just taught — it is lived.
Embedding the Protected Characteristics into the Whole Ethos of Groveside School
At Groveside School, the promotion of the protected characteristics is not limited to lessons alone — it is woven into the very fabric of our school’s ethos and daily life. From the way we model inclusive language and behaviour, to how we celebrate diversity through events, displays and community visits, we ensure that equality and respect are encouraged in every interaction. Staff are trained to recognise and respond to bias, discrimination and exclusion. Through a consistent and whole-school approach, we create a culture where every pupil feels seen, valued and empowered to be themselves.
Self-Esteem, Self-Knowledge and Self-Confidence
We place a strong emphasis on developing our pupils’ self-esteem, helping them to build a sense of self-worth and confidence in their abilities. At Groveside School, we celebrate achievements of all sizes and encourage pupils to reflect on their own progress and strengths. Activities are designed to support self-knowledge and emotional literacy, helping pupils to understand who they are and to feel proud of their identity.
Understanding That Everyone is Wonderful and Has Different Talents and Attributes
Every pupil at Groveside School is recognised as unique, with their own gifts, challenges and potential. We teach pupils that difference is not only accepted but celebrated. Through class projects, peer learning and inclusive play, pupils learn that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that diverse talents and attributes enrich our school community.
Respect for Democracy and Support for Participation in the Democratic Process
Our pupils are taught the importance of having a voice and being heard. Through school council elections and voting, we help pupils understand how democracy works. Pupils are encouraged to share their views respectfully and to understand how their ideas can influence positive change.
Acceptance of Responsibility and Teaching Pupils to Make Good Choices
Our school Behaviour Policy states we have high expectations of pupil behaviour. This robust policy lays out our expectations and management of behaviour and supports pupils to take responsibility and learn strategies to manage their own behaviour, based on reflection and positive choices rather than punishment.
An Understanding of Equality, Human Rights and Protected Characteristics
Through PSHE and across the curriculum, pupils learn that everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to live free from discrimination. These concepts may be simplified and delivered using experiential learning and supported discussions suited to the needs of each pupil.
An Appreciation that Living Under the Rule of Law Protects Individual Citizens
We teach pupils that laws and rules are in place to keep everyone safe and treated fairly. As appropriate, pupils explore how rules help people live together peacefully and protect their rights. This supports their understanding of social responsibility and personal safety.
Understanding that the Freedom to Choose and Hold Other Faiths and Beliefs is Protected in Law
Groveside School promotes respect for all religions and worldviews. We teach pupils that everyone has the legal right to practice (or not practice) a religion. Lessons and assemblies include opportunities to learn about a range of beliefs and to understand that differences in faith are normal and valuable.
An Acceptance that Other People Having Different Faiths or Beliefs Should Be Tolerated
We make it clear that differences in beliefs or personal choices should never lead to bullying or exclusion. Pupils are supported to be curious, ask respectful questions, and develop empathy for others with different experiences and perspectives.
An Understanding of the Importance of Identifying and Combating Discrimination
Pupils are taught how to recognise discrimination in different forms, and to know what to do if they experience or witness it. We empower pupils to speak up and seek help when they or others are treated unfairly.
Parents Taking an Active Part in Identifying Barriers and Informing School Leaders
We work closely with parents and carers to ensure our approach to equality and inclusion is meaningful and responsive. Through regular communication, feedback and review meetings, parents are encouraged to share their insights on any barriers their pupils face. Their voices help guide school policy, resource planning and staff training so that every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through reading
Our school library and reading resources offer opportunity for positive and guided discussion of the protected characteristics. We strive to create a reading culture where pupils can share their opinions and ask questions.
Appendices
Appendix 1 – PSHE Curriculum
Through the delivery of PSHE we want to enable all our pupils to become independent and responsible young people who are able to approach the issues they will encounter throughout adult life with confidence and the knowledge to make appropriate choices and decisions. The curriculum will allow them the opportunity to understand the diversity of relationships they will form throughout life. We aim to equip our young people with the skills and knowledge they need to enable them to take a successful role in the workplace.
PSHE Curriculum Statement
PSHE Curriculum Plan
Appendix 2 – SMSC
We are committed to developing our students Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural Education. As part of our curriculum, we ensure that partisan political views are not promoted in the teaching of any subject. This is closely monitored through lesson visits and the quality assurance of the curriculum.
All curriculum areas contribute to the pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The integrity and spirituality of all faith backgrounds will be respected and explored. The diversity of spiritual traditions will be recognised, and pupils will be given access to alternative views. All adults will model and promote expected behaviour, treating all people as valuable individuals and showing respect for pupils and their families. Young people should learn to differentiate between right and wrong in as far as their actions affect other people. They will be encouraged to value themselves and others.
Pupils should understand the need for rules and the need to abide by rules for the good of everyone. The schools “Living and Learning” values combined with our classroom expectations of Safe, Ready, Respectful should reflect, reiterate, promote the character development of all, recognise progress and provide opportunities to celebrate pupil’s achievements. All curriculum areas should seek to use illustrations and examples drawn from as wide a range of cultural contexts as possible.
VIEW OUR SMSC CALENDAR HERE
Appendix 3 – Humanities
The delivery of the Humanities curriculum consists of a mixture of RE, History and Geography. We want to enable our young people to go out into the world with an understanding of their own beliefs and values and a tolerance and acceptance of the beliefs and values of others both in the immediate, wider and global community.
Humanities helps to inspire pupils to have a wider look at their world. They will have a greater understanding of other cultures and how we can learn from them as well as they from us. Pupils will become better humans for our planet by learning about sustainability, understanding how their individual actions can have an impact on our planet and how this will ultimately help them make informed lifestyle choices as they enter adulthood.
Humanities Curriculum Statement
KS2 – Religion and world views Curriculum plan
Year 7 Humanities 2024
Year 8 Humanities 2024
Year 9 Humanities 2024
Appendix 4 – RSE and Social Thinking
The aim of delivering the RSE and Social Thinking curriculum is to ensure our pupils will leave Groveside School secure in who they are, why they are important and how they fit into the wider world; having the confidence in making informed choices and equipped with the knowledge, awareness, skills and vocabulary they need to stay safe in the world around them.
Our RSE curriculum is delivered in different ways across the Key Stages to ensure the appropriate delivery of information. Pupils at Groveside school may have complex SEMH needs and a range of adverse childhood experiences and/or trauma, therefore the delivery of our curriculum, whist planned in Key Stages, will be appropriate and adapted to the needs of the pupils.
RSE and Social Thinking is a spiral curriculum which builds in depth each year. It supports our wider range of curriculum areas allowing pupils the opportunity to reflect on topics within these subjects, considering how they might relate to their identity and behaviours within the school community and beyond.
The curriculum offers each pupil the opportunity to explore who they are, reflecting on the values of the school and society in helping them identify what is important to them in forming safe, respectful and constructive relationships with others. They will demonstrate feeling safe and confident in the school environment, at home and in the wider community and will be aware of how to seek support and advice if they need it.
GSP021 RSE and MHAWB Policy V2
Appendix 5 – Promoting British Values
Groveside School actively encourages pupils to respect the Fundamental British Values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, throughout the curriculum delivery, teaching and learning in the school. These values underpin all teaching and learning at Groveside School, however, are also explicitly taught through assemblies, PSHE, RSE, Social Thinking and through the pupils taking an active role in the school council. Specifically, we aim to ensure that pupils have an understanding and knowledge of:
How citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process;
An appreciation that living under the rule of law protects individual citizens;
An understanding that bodies such as the police and the army can be held to account by the people, through the democratic organs of government;
An understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law, and an acceptance that other people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviours;
An understanding of the problems of identifying and combating