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Educational institutions, including schools, must not discriminate against students.
This obligation applies to every aspect of life at an educational institution, including in-class, on trips, during after school clubs and when using facilities. If you have been treated unfavourably and have a protected characteristic, a discrimination claim may arise under the Equality Act 2010.
The education team at Birkett Long can guide you through the process of making a discrimination claim step by step, to ensure the best possible outcome for you.
The key concepts of the Equality Act 2010 are “protected characteristics” and “prohibited conduct”. The former are the grounds of discrimination and the latter are the types of discrimination.
The eight protected characteristics are:
Age and marriage or civil partnership are not protected characteristics for the purposes of discrimination in schools; and marriage and civil partnership is not a protected characteristic for the purposes of discrimination in further or higher education.
There are a number of different forms of conduct that are prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, including:
The Equality Act 2010 also prevents educational institutions such as schools and universities from permitting or causing harassment and victimisation:
In addition to the above, the law requires education providers make “reasonable adjustments”. The duty to make reasonable adjustments differs from all other forms of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, in that it imposes an obligation of positive discrimination, rather than prohibiting negative discrimination.
The reasonable adjustment duties are set out in section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 and are described as the first, second and third requirements:
The duties are different for schools than for further and higher education institutions. Schools are required to comply only with the first and third requirements above.
The fact that a pupil receives some support through an Education Health Care Plan (EHC plan) does not relieve a school of the duty to make reasonable adjustments in respect of matters that are not provided in the EHC plan.
Primarily, it is the county court that will determine claims of breaches of the relevant parts of the Equality Act 2010. Claims must be brought within 6 months of the date of the act to which the claim relates unless the court considers it just and equitable to allow a longer period.
Disability discrimination claims are made in Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SEND Tribunal). Claims must be made within 6 months of the discriminatory act, or, if there is a case of continuing discrimination, within 6 months of the date of the last act of discrimination.
If you are a young person or are a parent of a child who has been discriminated against and need a specialist discrimination in education solicitor, the Education Team at Birkett Long can help.
We appreciate that you want to hold the education provider to account and our experienced education solicitors can assist you in achieving that aim. If you would require advice or assistance, please contact Thomas Emmett, Head of Education, on 01245 453847 or email thomas.emmett@birkettlong.co.uk