Most of us believe we treat people fairly. This equality and diversity training for nursery staff asks everyone to look a little closer: at the assumptions we make without noticing, at what the Equality Act 2010 says, and at the part every employer and every member of staff plays in keeping a workplace free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
It is a short interactive module that explains what equality and diversity mean and the difference between the two, the nine protected characteristics, the main types of discrimination, and what a good equality and diversity policy should contain.
Why equality and diversity training matters
Bias is often unconscious. The course opens with a well-known riddle about a surgeon that many people cannot answer because they assume the surgeon is a man, and with the story of orchestras that hired far more women once auditions were held behind a screen. The judges had not set out to be unfair, but they still applied different standards. Stereotyping and prejudice work the same way, and even “positive” stereotypes can put pressure on people and leave them feeling alienated. Being aware of bias is the first step to changing the decisions we make.
The Equality Act 2010 brought earlier discrimination law together into a single Act and sets out the protected characteristics: the grounds on which it is unlawful to discriminate against people. Indirect discrimination is unlawful whether it is intentional or not, unless it can be justified. The module explains what employers must do, and what every employee must do, to stay on the right side of the law.
What’s in the course
- What equality and diversity meanThe difference between the two, and why they matter to everyone in a team.
- Bias and barriers to equalityUnconscious bias, unfair discrimination, stereotyping, prejudice and the problem with “positive” stereotypes.
- The Equality Act 2010How the Act brought earlier law together, and the nine protected characteristics.
- Types of discriminationDirect, including perceptive and associative, indirect, harassment and victimisation, with examples.
- Positive action and the public sector equality dutyWhen an organisation can target support at an under-represented group, and what public bodies must do.
- What employers must doWhy every organisation needs an equality and diversity policy, and what it should contain.
- What employees must doYour own responsibilities, from treating everyone with dignity to reporting inappropriate behaviour.
- Assessment12 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- The nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation
- How direct discrimination can be perceptive (because of a characteristic someone is thought to have) or associative (because of who they associate with)
- How a rule or practice that applies to everyone can still be indirect discrimination, and when an employer might justify it
- How the law defines harassment, and what victimisation means for someone who makes or supports a complaint
- The difference between stereotyping, prejudice and unfair discrimination
- What an equality and diversity policy should commit to, and why staff must know it and be trained on it
- What every employee must do: treat everyone with dignity and respect, respect people’s beliefs, and report inappropriate behaviour immediately
Who this course is for
- All nursery and childcare staff, including apprentices and new starters
- Room leaders who set the tone for how colleagues treat each other
- Managers and owners responsible for the setting’s equality and diversity policy
- Anyone who wants a clear, short introduction to the Equality Act 2010
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- Interactive moduleShort slides, scenarios and reveal-the-answer questions you work through at your own pace.
- 12-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
The module says all staff must be made aware of an organisation’s equality and diversity policy and receive training on it, so this course fits naturally into induction and whole-team training. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. Related courses: Inclusion in the Early Years: Ofsted’s New Evaluation Area and British Values in the Early Years.
Frequently asked questions
What are the nine protected characteristics?
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, and sexual orientation. These are the grounds on which the Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate.
What is the difference between direct and indirect discrimination?
Direct discrimination is treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination happens when a rule, policy or practice applies to everyone but particularly disadvantages people who share a protected characteristic, such as a uniform that conflicts with some staff members’ religious dress.
Does the course cover what employers need to do?
Yes. It explains why every organisation should have a written equality and diversity policy, what that policy should commit to, and why it should be monitored, reviewed and owned by a named senior person.
Does the course cover inclusive practice with children?
Its focus is equality law and the responsibilities of employers and staff, which apply to nursery teams as to any workplace. For inclusive practice with children, pair it with Inclusion in the Early Years: Ofsted’s New Evaluation Area.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Will this help at Ofsted?
Ofsted does not approve training providers. Your certificate is evidence that you have completed equality and diversity training, which you can keep on your staff training record.
