Diversity, Equality & the Law in the UK

This series of secondary lesson plans (aimed at ages 11 to 16) from Parliament UK focuses on diversity and equality in the UK, looking at equality laws and how they have changed over time. The topics covered are designed to develop essential knowledge and critical thinking skills and help students assess how well equality laws have worked and how they have had an effect on society. The lesson plans can be used flexibly to add to an existing scheme of work or in their entirety to provide a focus for learning over a series of lessons. Student worksheets are included. The five lesson plans cover the following topics:

1. What are equality and inequality?
2. Why do we need laws on equality?
3. Why has equalities law changed over time?
4. What are ‘protected characteristics’ and why do we need them?
5. To what extent have changes in the law to promote equality been successful? How can we make society more equal?

There are also opening and closing activities which can be used to assess how students feel about equality in the UK and how their opinions may have changed at the end of each lesson. In terms of learning outcomes, students will be able to:

• Identify an Act of Parliament that has helped make society more equal
• Describe how equalities legislation promotes and protects individuals and groups in society
• Explain the effect laws have on society
• Plan and take forward a simple action to address inequality in their school or wider community.