The Public Sector Equalities Duty (PSED) was introduced by the Equality Act 2010 and applies to all schools, including maintained and independent schools, academies, maintained nursery schools, and maintained and non-maintained special schools.

The PSED has three main elements. These are:

• Eliminating discrimination and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010

• Advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

• Fostering good relations across all characteristics – between people who do share a protected characteristic and people who do not

What are protected characteristics?

There are 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010:

• Age

• Sex

• Race

• Disability

• Religion or belief

• Sexual orientation

• Gender reassignment

• Pregnancy or maternity

• Marriage and civil partnership

​