Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Promoting the Protected Characteristics at Oakley CE Combined School

We work to ensure that our children understand that:

There are no outsiders at our school

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. 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 nine Protected Characteristics:

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

At Oakley CE Combined School, we actively promote these and embed them into our ethos. We do this through:

our balanced and enriched curriculum
ensuring our school library is stocked with a range of inclusive books
our regular Wider Worlds Collective Worships
having a Governor who is responsible for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Wider Worlds Collective Worships

The aim of our 'Wider Worlds Collective Worships' are to inspire curiosity, respect and a sense of community by inviting local individuals to share their jobs, hobbies and cultures with us. This gives the children the opportunity to explore our wider world, celebrate diversity, and understand the many ways people contribute to our shared life together.

We have had a range of visitors from our local community talking to the children about the following topics as part of this initiative:

May 2025: Architect

June 2025: Running a football team for neurodivergent children

July 2025: Nurse

September 2025: Engineer

October 2025: Radiographer, Diwali, volunteering in Cambodia

November 2025: Sing and Sign

December 2025: Cultural life in Italy

January 2026: Lunar New Year

February 2026: Engineering and Humanitarian Aid

March 2026: Haulage (a female working in a male dominated industry)

April 2026: Saxophone

May 2026: Detective