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Lesson 1 of 4
  • Year 4

The Equality Act

I can explain what the Equality Act is, and how it protects people from discrimination.

Lesson 1 of 4
New
New
  • Year 4

The Equality Act

I can explain what the Equality Act is, and how it protects people from discrimination.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Each one of us is different and unique, but that's what makes us special.
  2. Treating someone unfairly because of their differences is discrimination.
  3. The Equality Act 2010 is a law which ensures that everyone is treated fairly.
  4. It is against the law to discriminate against any of the nine protected characteristics.
  5. Being curious and empathetic helps us to learn more about and celebrate our differences.

Keywords

  • Discrimination - treating a person unfairly because of their characteristics

  • Equality Act of 2010 - the law that protects people in Britain from discrimination

  • Characteristic - an important trait or feature of a person

Common misconception

People often think that the Equality Act 2010 is about treating people the same.

The Equality Act isn’t about treating people the same, but giving everyone what they need so that they have the same opportunities as other people.


To help you plan your year 4 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: The Equality Act, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ask pupils to think about the school rules and how they ensure that people are given the same opportunities as one another.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Everyone in our class is different in some way. Which of these is an example of a difference between people?

having the same birthday
Correct answer: speaking different languages at home
living on the same street
wearing the same school uniform

Q2.
Everyone deserves to be treated ...

Correct Answer: fairly

Q3.
A new pupil joins your class and they look different to you. What is the best thing to do?

ignore them because they're different
make fun of how they look
Correct answer: welcome them and be friendly
only play with your existing friends

Q4.
Match each word to its meaning.

Correct Answer:fair,when everyone gets what they need

when everyone gets what they need

Correct Answer:unique,being one of a kind or different from others

being one of a kind or different from others

Correct Answer:respect,treating others kindly and valuing their feelings, ideas & boundaries

treating others kindly and valuing their feelings, ideas & boundaries

Q5.
If someone is being unkind to another person, you should tell a ...

Correct Answer: trusted adult, trusted grown-up, trusted grown up

Q6.
In a fair classroom, which of these would a teacher do?

only help pupils who are good at maths
treat everyone exactly the same way
let pupils choose whether to follow rules
Correct answer: give each pupil what they need to learn well

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
What makes everyone special?

we all look and think the same
Correct answer: our different talents and interests
doing what other people do
being better than everyone else

Q2.
Match the term to its correct meaning.

Correct Answer:discrimination,treating a person unfairly because of their characteristics

treating a person unfairly because of their characteristics

Correct Answer:Equality Act of 2010,the law that protects people in Britain from discrimination

the law that protects people in Britain from discrimination

Correct Answer:characteristic,an important trait or feature of a person

an important trait or feature of a person

Q3.
What helps us celebrate our differences?

ignoring other people’s opinions
Correct answer: being curious and empathetic
only spending time with people like us
only being nice to people who look like us

Q4.
How many protected characteristics does the Equality Act 2010 protect people from discrimination against?

Correct Answer: nine, 9, nine protected characteristics, 9 protected characteristics

Q5.
A teacher gives Georgia extra time to complete her test because of her learning difficulty. Other pupils finish in the usual time. Is this fair?

No, because everyone should be treated exactly the same.
No, because Georgia gets an advantage over others.
Correct answer: Yes, because fair means giving everyone what they need.
Yes, but only if all pupils get extra time too.

Q6.
Which of these statements best describes why our differences are important?

Correct answer: Differences make us special and help us learn from each other.
Differences divide us and cause problems.
Differences should be hidden to fit in.
Differences don't matter and should be ignored.