There are 3 main elements under the PSED
You're 'required to have due regard to the need to':
- Eliminate discrimination and other prohibited conduct
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who don't
- Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who don't
This is explained in chapter 5 of the DfE’s advice for schools.
Having 'due regard' means something specific in legal terms
In practice, it means:
- Demonstrating awareness of your duties under the Act by assessing the impact any decision or action will have on people with protected characteristics
- Considering any equality implications when developing and approving policies and reviewing them regularly with equality in mind
- Carrying out these analyses seriously, rigorously and with an open mind. It must be more than a box-ticking exercise
- Doing this yourself, as a school - you can’t delegate the responsibility to anyone else