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PROTECTED CHARACTERSITICS​​​​​​​

Protected Characteristics across SCARF

Subjects and Issues

How SCARF supports teaching and learning about protected characteristics

The UK government recognises how important it is that "All children gain an understanding of the world they are growing up in, and learn how to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people. When we inspect schools, we assess how well they equip children to do this." 

Ofsted guidance states that inspectors will gather evidence of how schools promote equality and pupils’ understanding of the protected characteristics.

This will be mainly through the Personal Development judgement:

Schools are not required to teach about all the protected characteristics in every year group; that is a matter for the school to decide, and how it plans its curriculum. However, the curriculum should be planned and delivered so that children develop age-appropriate knowledge and understanding during their time at the school.

Crucially, the guidance goes on to state that: 

There is a range of ways schools can choose to teach about these issues in an age-appropriate way. Primary schools could, for example, teach pupils about the different types of family groups that exist within society... As stated in the DfE’s statutory guidance, teaching on these matters should be integrated appropriately into the curriculum, rather than addressed separately or in one-off lessons.

Teaching and learning about protected characteristics is therefore fully integrated into SCARF, through age-appropriate content across the SCARF spiral curriculum.

However, some protected characteristics benefit from the in-depth coverage that will give children time to explore the knowledge and attitudes that will help them develop an appreciation of them. We've mapped the SCARF lessons that provide this greater depth to the relevant protected characteristics, but it's important to understand that teaching and learning about them threads through the vast majority of SCARF lesson plans.

Age

N Me and my friends

R/P1 Life stages - plant, animals, humans

Y3/P4 Our friends and neighbours

Y3/P4 Let’s celebrate our differences

Y4/P5 Together

Y5/P6 Happy being me

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Democracy in Britain 1 – Elections

Y6/P7 Democracy in Britain 2 – How (most) laws are made

Y6/P7 Don’t force me

Y6/P7 Think before you click!

Y6/P7 To share or not to share?

Disability

Y3/P4 Let’s celebrate our differences

Y3/P4 Zeb

Y3/P4 I am fantastic!

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Media manipulation

Gender reassignment

Y3/P4 I am fantastic!

Y6/P7 Media manipulation

Marriage and civil partnership

R/P1 Life stages – human life stage – who will I be?

Y4/P5 Together

Y6/P7 Don’t force me

Pregnancy and maternity

R/P1 Life stages – human life stage – who will I be?

R/P1 Where do babies come from?

Y6/P7 Making babies

Race

N Marvellous Me

N I’m special

N People who are special to me

Y2/P3 What makes us who we are?

Y3/P4 Our friends and neighbours

Y3/P4 Zeb

Y5/P6 The land of the red people

Y5/P6 Happy being me

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Tolerance and respect for others

Religion or belief

N Me and my friends

N I’m special

N People who are special to me

R/P1 Same and different families

R/P1 All about me

Y1/P2 Who are our special people?

Y2/P3 What makes us who we are?

Y3/P4 Our friends and neighbours

Y3/P4 Let’s celebrate our differences

Y4/P5 Together

Y4/P5 The people we share our world with

Y5/P6 The land of the red people

Y5/P6 Happy being me

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Don’t force me

Y6/P7 Is this normal?

Y6/P7 Acting appropriately

Sex

N Girls, boys and families

R/P1 Me and my body – girls and boys

Y3/P4 Let’s celebrate our differences

Y3/P4 Zeb

Y3/P4 I am fantastic!

Y4/P5 Together

Y5/P6 Stop, start, stereotypes

Y5/P6 Growing up and changing bodies

Y5/P6 The land of the red people

Y5/P6 Happy being me

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Don’t force me

Y6/P7 Media manipulation

Y6/P7 Making babies

Y6/P7 Tolerance and respect for others

Y6/P7 Is this normal?

Y6/P7 Acting appropriately

Sexual orientation

N People who are special to me

R/P1 Same and different families

R/P1 Where do babies come from?

Y3/P4 Our friends and neighbours

Y3/P4 Zeb

Y3/P4 Family and friends

Y4/P5 Together

Y5/P6 Is it true?

Y5/P6 Stop, start, stereotypes

Y6/P7 We have more in common than not

Y6/P7 Don’t force me

Y6/P7 Media manipulation