Why do we need laws on equality in the UK?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what laws are, how they help promote equality and how equality laws were created over time.
Key learning points
- Laws are official rules that set out what is right and fair and protect people.
- Equal opportunities are when everyone is treated fairly and given the same chances in life.
- Equality laws in the UK exist today because, in the past, many people were treated unfairly.
- Equality laws have developed over time to stop unfair treatment and ensure that everyone has the same rights.
- The Equality Act 2010 aims to prevent all forms of discrimination, based on nine protected characteristics.
Keywords
Law - rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves
Equality - the right of everyone to receive the same treatment
Discrimination - treating people unfairly or differently because of things like their race, gender, or where they come from, instead of treating everyone equally
Common misconception
Times have changed: everyone is already treated equally, so we do not really need equality laws anymore.
While progress has been made, unfair treatment still happens. Equality laws are there to protect people and make sure everyone gets a fair chance, especially those who might otherwise be left out or discriminated against.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to discuss different viewpoints on equality laws, helping them understand both the benefits and the challenges, which promotes critical thinking and empathy.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the word to its correct definition.
Q2.Which of these is not a main purpose of UK laws?
Q3.Add a prefix to the word 'equality' to make the sentence make sense: When laws are broken, it results in equality and unfair treatment.
Q4.Which of the following best describes equal opportunities?
Q5.The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination based on nine characteristics such as age, disability, race and sexual orientation.
Q6.Which are reasons why it is important to learn about discrimination?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following statements is true about equality laws?
Q2.Match the way that laws promote equality with its explanation.
Q3.During which decades did campaigns, protests and social movements bring particular attention to injustice in the UK?
Q4.Before the Pay Act 1970, women were often paid less than men, even if they did exactly the same work.
Q5.Starting with the first, put the steps in order to show how equality laws have developed.
Q6.To complete the sentences, match the statement with the correct law or action.
To help you plan your 9 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need laws on equality in the UK?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need laws on equality in the UK?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 citizenship lessons from the Are people treated equally in UK society? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.