1.1 Explain The Importance Of Legislation Relevant To The Study

Schools employ and have teaching assistants, to again, create the best possible learning environment for the pupils. As a teaching assistant I will work as part of a team working to make the pupils learning journey, a successful one. I will attend staff meetings and continue to develop my skills through in-house training and other relevant courses. I will maintain and contribute to school policies and procedures, and work in partnership with parents and carers on behalf of the school.

A teaching assistant plays an important role for the standards of behaviour expected in the classroom.

Equality and Diversity Act (2010) is another important legislation which is linked to every LLUK standard. In my opinion, knowing and understanding the Equality and Diversity Act is crucial for me as a teacher in order to assess every learners needs and to meet these needs. It is not easy to treat all my students equally, especially if they are different nationalities, different races, different backgrounds and maybe with disabilities. But, with the initial assessment rrrr,,,, and choosing the right learning strategies and resources I’m sure I’ll be able to meet every learners needs. In order to succeed in meeting all my learners’ needs, I’ll use group tasks; I’ll differentiate them according to their level of knowledge, their learning styles, and by their disability if this is applicable without letting them feel discriminated.

All schools must have policies that are designed to reflect the rights and responsibilities of those within the school. These policies should provide guidance to staff and visitors who attend the school on ways to ensure inclusive practise is used.

Schools have obligation to uphold good relationships between people from different backgrounds. Schools now required to have a race equality policy in place. The legislation gave powers to tackle racism by making direct or indirect discrimination illegal.

It is essential to establish respectful and professional relationships with children and young people in the role of Teaching Assistant. There are certain strategies which enable such a valued and trusted relationship be established. A relationship in which a child trusts and respects their TA and feels comfortable in their company, allows the TA to offer a supportive and caring environment in which the child can learn and develop.

| Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 requires local education authorities and governing bodies of maintained schools and FE colleges to make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential.  The five outcomes that are key to children’s and young people’s wellbeing are: * Stay safe * Be healthy * Enjoy and achieve * Make a positive contribution * Achieve economic wellbeing The school should give effect to their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils (students under the age of 18 years of age) under the Education Act 2002 and , where appropriate, under the Children Act 1989 by: * Creating and maintaining a safe learning environment for children and young people. * Identifying where there are child welfare concerns and taking action to address them in partnership with other

This means making sure that all pupils are treated equally in a non-prejudiced way regardless of ability, race or gender. A child must never be made to feel less worthy because they are ‘different’

Every school must produce a range of policies which formally set out guidelines and procedures for ensuring equality. These policies must take account the rights of all children and young people. The policies in place work to ensure equality and inclusion; this can be conducted through the teaching and learning that occurs in the setting. However, the policies must also pay regard to the values and practice which are part of all aspects of school life.

On October 1st 2010, the Equality Act came into force. This consolidated and strengthened the previous equality laws. This act prevents children and their families from being discriminated, victimised or harassed because of their age, sex, race, religion or disability. Through this act each child, whether already in the setting, or applying through admissions, will be treated in a fair and equal way, with aims for all children to have reasonable provisions to allow them to access all educational areas. Although a school is not expected to make adjustments that are not reasonable, they are expected to make general adjustments, reasonably planned within the school’s approach to planning for SEN children. The Equality Act 2010 outlines four definitions of discrimination, direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from a disability and harassment and victimisation. This allows school settings to have clearer expectations and implement them. The Equality Act 2010 and the Discrimination Disability Act (DDA) (2005) both aim to ensure each and every child has access to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum. Following this code of practice in a school, confirms that all members of staff provide the same high-quality teaching to children, as well as displaying professional behaviour.

This means that my setting does comply to the National Curriculum but does adapt to the levels of ability of the current pupils. Even though we are unsure of the complete level of understanding of the pupils we, as a setting, do always try to promote equality and diversity within our resources and work activities, this means out pupils will see that all children, young people and adults are equal and all have the same rights regardless of age, gender, and ability.

In this essay I am going to explain how the Equality Act (2010) P4 and assess how the act promotes anti-discriminatory practice M2. I will also be evaluating how successful the Equality Act (2010) is in promoting anti-discriminatory practise.D1

The way we interact with our colleagues and others in society is regulated by law. The Equality Act 2010 brings together all previous acts relating to equality and discrimination. The Act applies to all services provided to the public. The Act protects all individuals and groups from discrimination. Early years settings must be aware of these laws and have a policy in place regarding equality of opportunities and for supporting

So is important that we, critically, self-assess our attitudes and values, to find out what is necessary to improve or to change, towards a better understanding of the school diversity, a better awareness of possible barriers and how to face them, in a way to promote inclusion on school environment. Not making suppositions about children and young people and have a wider knowledge about their backgrounds, interests, abilities, individual needs and positive attributes, will help us to provide more efficient, suitable and personalised support for them. Is also important, to take in to account, at all the time, the importance of that diversity and the ways to avoid discrimination. Schools (in their policies) and we, as component part of the school, have the duty to guarantee that, anti-discriminatory practice (and not discrimination), is promoted.

Discrimination and prejudice interfere with people’s rights to have access to equality of opportunity and hinder the promotion of diversity, and they should have no place in a children’s setting.