Hello, my name is Mrs. Harris, and I'm the person who's going to be guiding you through today's lesson.

The lesson today is called "What is the Equality Act 2010?" And it's part of a larger series of lessons called "Are people treated equally in UK society?" By the end of today's lesson, you're going to be able to say, "I can explain what equality is and understand how the Equality Act 2010 protects people against discrimination and inequality." Some of this lesson content might be new to you, some of it might be challenging, but I'm here to guide us both all the way through it, and we'll tackle it together.

Let's start with the keywords.

I'm going to say the word and you're going to repeat it back to me, and then I'll tell you the definition.

Are we ready? Equality, that's the right of everyone to receive the same treatment.

Equal opportunities, that's allowing all people access to the same opportunities regardless of their disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

Discrimination is treating people unfairly or differently because of things like their race, their gender, or where they come from, and that's instead of treating everybody equally.

It's time for our first learning cycle called "What does equality mean?" Equality is often described as the quality of treating people in the same way or in a way that is right or reasonable.

Lucas here is telling us that "in society, this could mean having the same expectations of people, like expecting all citizens to keep the law or charging all customers the same price for the same item." Equal opportunities are about making sure that every individual is able to make the most of their lives and their talents.

And it's also the belief that nobody should have fewer life chances than somebody else because of where they're born, what they believe, or whether or not they have something like a disability.

Sofia rounds this all up by saying, "Equal opportunities means allowing all people access to the same opportunities regardless of disability, religion, age, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation." Our first check for understanding then.

So which of these statements describes what equality is? We have A, treating people the same, B, people getting what they want, or C, treating people differently because of their personality.

I'll give you a few seconds to think about it, and then we'll check the answer together.

Okay, so which of these statements describes what equality is? It is A, treating people the same.

Well done if you got that one correct.

Now, there are two main ideas of how to achieve equal opportunities, so giving people the same life chances.

And that can be through equality, and that's when you give everyone the same rights, the same opportunities, and the same resources.

And there's also equity, and that's giving people what they need to have fair access to opportunities rather than just giving everybody the same thing.

So for things to be truly equal, everybody should have the same opportunities as others with the same resources or time, for example.

So in a classroom, you might have a child given the same amount of learning time as every other child, the same chance to take part in activities, and the same expectations for the behaviour.

That is equality, expecting the same thing and being given the same resources to achieve.

And that means that nobody should ever be treated any differently or left out because of who they are, where they're from, or any other part of their identity.

Also, though, for things to be truly equal, sometimes changes or adaptations are going to be needed to ensure fairness for everyone, and this is what is known as equity.

So have a look at this cartoon here.

In the first side of the cartoon, on the left-hand side, every person there is trying to see over the fence, and they've all got an equal sized box to help them see over that fence.

Now, it's an equal sized box, but equality in this situation doesn't account for the height differences of the people.

So actually, the outcomes of this are quite unfair.

You've got the shorter child there who still can't see over the fence despite being given the same sized box as the other two people.

If you look at the right-hand side of the cartoon, this is what's showing equity, and equity is about recognising that the people in this cartoon need different things.

So on that second side, on the right-hand side, you've got people provided with adjusted support depending on what they need to give each of them the best chance of seeing over the fence.

So we have the taller person who doesn't need any adjustments.

They already can see over the fence.

The middle person there has a smaller box.

And then the smallest person, the little child there, has two boxes to enable them to see over the fence.

So it's about giving them what they need to have the same access to opportunities.

An example of equity in a school could be with Sofia here.

So in school, it's really important for Sofia, who has a hearing impairment, to have access to a clear view of the teacher's face.

It's really important for her to have visual instructions and perhaps technology to help her understand more clearly.

She might also need some support to feel included in lessons and social activities as well.

Now, other children in Sofia's class won't get this support if they don't need that support.

Sofia getting that support doesn't give her an advantage over anybody else.

It actually just removes her disadvantage to bring her to an equal footing with everybody else.

It gives her the same chances to access everything fully just like other children in her class by removing those barriers of being unable to see the teacher or being unable to hear what is going on or feeling not included in social situations.

The support is to bring her to the same level of advantage as everybody else.

It doesn't give her an advantage over anybody else.

Other examples of changing or adapting things to ensure equal opportunities include things like having leaflets in different formats.

So for example, braille for people who are visually impaired.

You might have large fonts or other languages.

It could be giving a pupil with an additional need extra time within an exam.

It might be here, as in the picture, including play equipment that can be safely used by children with disabilities.

And it could be things like having step-free access for wheelchair users, those with buggies, older people, or those with mobility or physical difficulties.

All of those things there don't give advantages to other people.

They just remove the disadvantage for people to ensure that they have equal opportunities and equal access like everybody else.

Another quick check for understanding then.

Can you label this cartoon to show which image is demonstrating equality and which one is showing equity? I shall give you a few seconds to think about it.

Okay, so, side A is showing equality, and side B is showing equity.

Well done if you got those.

When we're talking about the differences in the uniqueness of people, the word which refers to these differences, for example, it could be race, gender, culture, religion, and abilities, the word that encompasses all of that is diversity.

Now, both diversity and equality are both really important for creating environments which are fair and inclusive, where everybody feels valued and respected.

And when we recognise and accept that everybody is unique, then that can help create this society that treats everybody with fairness, and it ensures that support is given where it's needed, it's adapted to give everyone a chance to succeed.

And when that's happening, that gives us a chance to enrich our communities, it gives us a chance to enrich our schools, our workplaces, and society as a whole.

Embracing equal opportunities and diversity, it aims to give everyone a fair chance to succeed.

Doesn't matter where you come from or what you believe.

It aims to create a space where everybody can show their talents and reach their potential.

It aims to bring different ideas and perspectives to communities, workplaces, schools.

And overall, it aims to build a community where everybody feels included and supported.

Another check for understanding then.

Can you complete the sentence by adding the correct word? Mm refers to the differences between people, such as their race, gender, culture, religion, and abilities.

Which word completes this sentence? Take a few seconds to think.

Okay, the word that can fill this sentence then is diversity.

Yes, diversity refers to the differences between people.

Well done if you got that one.

It's time for our first task, task A.

And for the first part of this task, you're going to decide if each scenario is demonstrating equality or equity.

So there are seven statements here, and I shall take you through them now.

Number 1, a pupil with dyslexia gets extra time in an exam.

2, every pupil gets the same homework no matter their needs.

3, free childcare is provided during evening classes so parents have the same chance to attend and learn as those without children.

4, everyone wears the same school uniform, no adaptations.

5, a visually impaired pupil gets access to audiobooks and printed texts.

6, all voters are allowed to cast one vote in an election.

And 7, every citizen is required to follow the same laws.

So read those scenarios again and decide if you think it is showing equality or equity.

Pause the video now to give yourself the time to do that, and then we'll come back and we'll check the answers together.

Okay, let's go through these answers then.

So, your answers should look like this.

Number 1, a pupil with dyslexia gets extra time in an exam.

That is equity because that pupil has additional needs where they need that extra time to be able to give them the same opportunities and access as everybody else, so it's equity.

Number 2, every pupil gets the same homework no matter their needs.

That would be equality because it's about giving everybody the same.

3, free childcare is provided during evening classes so parents have the same chance to attend and learn as those without children.

That is equity.

If you don't have a child, you don't need that support, but if you do have a child, that might be something that will allow you to be able to then study and learn in the evening.

So that is equity, giving people what they need.

Number 4, everyone wears the same school uniform, no adaptations.

That is equality.

Number 5, a visually impaired pupil gets access to audiobooks and printed texts.

That is equity.

Again, giving somebody what they need to access the same opportunities as everybody else.

Number 6, all voters are allowed to cast one vote in an election.

That is equality.

And number 7, every citizen is required to follow the same laws.

Again, that is equality.

Well done if you got all those seven correct.

Part 2 of our task then.

So out of the scenarios that demonstrate equality, which is shown here on the screen, numbers 2, 4, 6, and 7, which of these, although they demonstrate equality, which do not demonstrate equal opportunities? And I'd like you here to write a short summary to explain why, okay? So out of these four scenarios that do demonstrate equality, which do not demonstrate equal opportunities? And write a short summary to explain why.

Pause the video to give yourself the chance to do this, and then we'll come back and look at some possible answers.

Okay then, let's check our answers then.

So, out of the scenarios that did demonstrate equality, it's statements 2 and 4 that do not demonstrate equal opportunities.

So every pupil gets the same homework no matter their needs, and number 4, everyone wears the same school uniform, no adaptations.

Now, here's the short summaries to explain why, and your answers might look something like this.

Number 2: This is equality because everyone is treated the same and given the same task.

However, it doesn't support equal opportunities because some pupils might need extra help, different formats, or more time to complete the homework.

Without that support, they may struggle, meaning they don't have a fair chance to succeed.

And statement 4: This is an example of equality because the same rule is applied to everyone, but it does not show equal opportunities because it doesn't allow for individual needs like religious clothing, for example.

Not allowing any adaptations may make pupils feel excluded or uncomfortable.

Statements 6 and 7 demonstrated both equality and equal opportunities because nobody was disadvantaged by that equality.

So statements 2 and 4 demonstrated equality but didn't demonstrate equal opportunities.

Well done if you got those ones.

It's time for our second learning cycle, "Why was the Equality Act 2010 introduced?" Discrimination is when somebody is treated unfairly because of who they are, like their race, their religion, gender, or disability.

This can lead to, for example, not being able to join in, not being able to take part or apply for something like others can.

Sometimes, discrimination might not be deliberate, it might not be intended, but if rules or systems make it harder for somebody to join in, then it's still unfair and it's still a form of discrimination.

Discrimination can often lead to unequal opportunities, but also, unequal opportunities can be a sign of discrimination.

So they're very, very much linked.

Avoiding discrimination means you have to consider everybody and everybody's needs and aim to make sure that everybody has the same access to the opportunities as anybody else.

In everyday life, there are lots and lots of situations which can actually unfairly exclude or create barriers for particular groups or individuals, and then this results in inequality, the opposite of equality.

In parts of the United Kingdom, there's a law which protects people from inequality and discrimination, and this is what is the Equality Act 2010.

Now, this main aim of the Equality Act is to promote equality and to prevent unfair treatment, which in turn then creates a more inclusive and fair society for everybody.

The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal, so actually against the law, to treat somebody unfairly because of nine protected characteristics.

So that's parts of a person which form their identity, and they're pictured here on this image on the screen.

We've got race and ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, age, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnerships.

And the law of the Equality Act 2010 applies to England, Scotland, and Wales.

In Northern Ireland, it's done slightly differently where there isn't one full law for all of discrimination.

It's multiple pieces of legislation, multiple laws in Northern Ireland.

A check for understanding then.

The Equality Act 2010 applies to the whole of the United Kingdom.

Is this true or false? Take a few seconds to think.

Okay, the Equality Act 2010 applies to the whole of the UK.

This is false.

Why is it false? Take a few more seconds to think.

Okay, it is false because the Equality Act 2010 applies to England, Scotland, and Wales.

It's not applicable in Northern Ireland where all their anti-discrimination laws are in multiple pieces of legislation, in multiple laws, rather than one single law.

Well done if you got that one.

So the Equality Act 2010, this brings various laws, the various laws that came before this act, all into one law.

And these are the Race Relations Act of 1976.

You've got the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975, Equality Act 2006, Part 2, Employment Equality for Religion or Belief in 2003.

And other parts of that were the Employment Equality for Sexual Orientation of the same year, Employment Equality for Age three years later in 2006, and the Equality Act Regulations of 2007 for Sexual Orientation.

Now, having all these different laws made it quite complicated for anybody who was a victim of discrimination to be able to fight it.

And so part of the reason of introducing the Equality Act 2010 is pulling all these different laws into one single law.

And it makes it much easier to take action if faced with discrimination, and it also makes it easier for businesses, schools, and workplaces to find the information they need to make sure that they are not discriminating against anybody.

The Equality Act 2010 covers discrimination in workplaces, in education, in public services, for example, NHS or local councils, shops, businesses, and transport, and things like clubs and associations as well.

It's applicable to all of society to prevent discrimination and unfair treatment.

And the act itself makes it illegal, against the law, to directly discriminate.

For example, that might be refusing to hire somebody because of their race.

It makes it illegal to indirectly discriminate.

So, sometimes rules feel fair because you apply them to everybody, but actually, you end up disadvantaging a certain group or individual by treating everybody the same.

So it's illegal to indirectly discriminate.

It makes it illegal to harass somebody.

So for example, offensive comments, jokes, or behaviour related to people's protected characteristics or their identity.

And it also makes it illegal to victimise somebody.

So if somebody has complained about discrimination on their own behalf or somebody else's and then they get treated poorly, that would be victimisation.

It's also illegal to fail to make reasonable adjustments for people.

Perhaps it's somebody with a disability who needs a particular chair at work or they need a particular access route.

It's illegal to fail to make reasonable adjustments so that those people are not at a disadvantage compared to other people.

And all of these things here are now illegal under the Equality Act of 2010.

Another check for understanding then.

So why was the Equality Act 2010 introduced? And there are three options.

A, to allow workplaces, education, public services to set their own discrimination rules.

Was it to bring several existing laws into one clear law? That's B.

And C, to remove the need for reasonable adjustments for disabled people.

Why was the Equality Act 2010 introduced? Take a few seconds to think.

Okay, so the answer to this is B, to bring together several existing laws into one clear law.

Well done for getting that one.

Now, when it comes to discrimination, this can happen in two main ways.

It can be directly, so that's when a person is treated less favourably than another person because of their protected characteristic.

And it could happen indirectly, so that's putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everybody; actually, in doing so, it might disadvantage somebody with a protected characteristic.

So let's look a little bit more closely at these.

An example of direct discrimination is here.

So a pupil wants to go on a residential trip abroad, but the school is saying they can't go because the child is autistic and might struggle with the change in routine on the trip.

This is direct discrimination because the pupil is being treated unfairly directly because of their disability and they're making assumptions about what the pupil can and cannot do.

And disability is protected under the Equality Act of 2010.

Another example of direct discrimination is one with Sofia here.

So she says, "My local sports shop had a weekend job advertised in their window, so I went in to ask about it.

The manager said there was no point applying.

They said boys know more about sports and can carry a heavier stock than girls." So Sofia here is being directly discriminated against based on her sex because Sofia is being treated unfairly just because she's female and not actually because of her skills and experience.

They're making assumptions about what she's able to do based on her gender.

So assuming somebody is not going to be good at something or somebody else is going to be better at them just because of your gender or your sex is not only wrong, but it's against the law under the Equality Act of 2010.

She's had that opportunity and that access removed from her because of her gender.

So a quick check for understanding then.

Is this following statement describing direct or indirect discrimination? A person is treated less favourably than another because of their protected characteristic.

Is that direct or indirect? Take a few seconds to think.

Okay, so this one is describing direct discrimination.

Well done if you got that one.

Let's look at indirect discrimination then.

So a sports team has a uniform policy that requires all players to wear a specific set of gear, and that's T-shirts and shorts.

The rule applies to everybody.

However, it doesn't take into account players who, for maybe religious reasons or medical reasons, need to wear adapted and different clothing.

Perhaps that's long-sleeved shirts or leggings, for example.

So although the policy applies equally to all players and it seems on the face of it to be fair, it actually indirectly discriminates against those with religious beliefs or those with medical needs who are unable to wear that standard uniform.

And as a result of that, those players might feel as though they're excluded and they actually can't participate in the team activities as a result of the uniform policy.

Another example of indirect discrimination is here with Lucas.

Now, Lucas says, "I play keys in the school's rock band, and I take the lead vocals on a few of our songs.

We've been invited to perform at the town's huge summer festival, so we'll be playing to a big crowd for the first time.

We've worked so hard to prepare." Now, Lucas is a wheelchair user, and unfortunately, he's not going to be able to attend this summer festival because the entire festival is gonna be held on an uneven field and the organisers haven't taken into account and haven't considered those who are gonna need things like accessible ramps and paths.

So those with mobility impairments are gonna be unable to fully participate in the activities, even though everybody else can.

So Lucas there is being disadvantaged because the organisers haven't considered anything other than people who can walk on uneven surfaces.

So all of these examples show how people can be treated unfairly, and that's both directly and indirectly.

So not meaning to, for example, but doing so in trying to apply a policy to everybody.

And often this happens through people making assumptions about others, not considering others, or by being just generally very unkind, all based on a person's identity or their characteristics.

The Equality Act 2010 plays a really crucially important role in trying to create a fairer society for everybody because it makes this kind of discrimination illegal.

It aims to ensure that everybody, no matter their differences, they're all treated equally and given the same opportunities and provided with support if they need that.

A quick check for understanding then.

So Lucas can't attend this festival with his band now because of indirect discrimination.

So what could the organisers have done differently to avoid this indirect discrimination? Take a few seconds to think.

Okay, so what could the organisers have done differently to avoid this indirect discrimination against Lucas? Well, they could have considered accessibility requirements, couldn't they, for those who've got mobility difficulties or are wheelchair users.

Things like providing ramps or accessible pathways would have gone a huge way in avoiding this indirect discrimination.

Well done if you got that as an option.

It's time for task B, and for the first part of this task, you're going to identify which protected characteristics are mentioned within each of the scenarios below.

Might be more than one.

So the first one is, Azid is from Bangladesh and a wheelchair user.

He's a keen football fan and wants to attend a football match with his friends.

In the past, though, other supporters have made abusive comments to him at about being in the way.

The second one, Hannah is expecting her first baby.

She is partially deaf.

She wants to go to the cinema with her boyfriend.

And the third one, Martin is a pensioner and recently had a hip replacement.

He wants to use the bus to visit his sister in hospital.

So think about which protected characteristics are mentioned within each scenario.

Pause the video to give yourself the time to do this, and we'll come back and look at the answers.

All right then, let's go through the answers then.

So, Azid is from Bangladesh and he's a wheelchair user, so his protected characteristics are race and disability.

Hannah is expecting her first baby.

She is partially deaf.

Her protected characteristics are pregnancy and disability.

Martin is a pensioner and recently had a hip replacement.

His protected characteristics are age and disability.

Well done if you got those ones.

For the second part of your task, you're going to think about what could be done to ensure that Azid, Hannah, and Martin have fair access and equal opportunities in these situations.

For this, it's going to be important to consider whether their protected characteristic plays a part in their scenario or whether it doesn't play a part in this particular scenario.

Write a short summary to give your opinion on what could be done to make sure that these people get fair access and equal opportunities.

Pause the video to give yourself the time to do this, and then we'll come back and look at some possible answers.

Okay then, so let's have a look.

Your answer might be something like this.

So Azid, he needs support here with his protected characteristic of disability.

So lifts and accessible routes to the stadium would be really important.

There could be dedicated wheelchair user spaces with space for their companions to take them as well, and also a clear policy on discrimination.

Now, it's mentioned in the scenario that Azid is from Bangladesh.

So whilst he has race as a protected characteristic, in this scenario, it doesn't feature.

However, his support needed for disability plays a huge part in his scenario.

Hannah, she needs support with her disability.

So although she is pregnant, in this scenario, that isn't a protected characteristic that needs particular adjustments being made.

However, with her disability, it does.

So for Hannah, with her being partially deaf, she could have technology to support her.

So for example, hearing loops.

Having subtitles on the screen would be really useful.

And also, if they advertise these screening times of when the technology is available, that would be great for Hannah to know when she can attend the cinema with her boyfriend for the day out that they had planned.

And with Martin, again, Martin's protected characteristics were age and disability.

In this scenario, it's not his age that needs particular adjustments.

It's his disability that he needs support with.

And a way to do that will be to lower the bus step to help him get onto the bus, to have priority seating for people with a disability or a medical need, and also if there is assistance for him if he requires it at the time.

Really, really well done if you were able to identify some of those ways that you could give these people fair access and equal opportunities.

Good job.

So let's summarise our lesson, which is being called "What is the Equality Act 2010?" Equality is often described as the quality of treating people the same or in a way that is right or reasonable.

Equity means giving people what they need to have fair access to opportunities rather than giving everyone the same thing.

Equal opportunity is about making sure every individual is able to make the most of their lives and talents no matter what their background.

Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly because of who they are, like their race, religion, gender, or disability.

This may lead to unequal opportunities, and discrimination can be direct or indirect.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from inequality by making discrimination illegal.

It applies throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, and in schools, public services, businesses, and workplaces.

Really, really good job on the lesson today.

There's been some really complex things to understand and some complex things to consider, so you've done a fantastic job.

I hope to see you again soon.