Equality information and objectives
Information showing how the school meets the public sector equality duty, published at least once a year, and specific, measurable equality objectives published at least every four years. Every school must publish both.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- How often
- Every 12 months
Published annually.
What's needed
Publish equality information showing how the school meets the public sector equality duty on the statutory information page, updated at least annually.
In this requirement
Section 1 of 2
Annual equality information
Each year the school must publish information showing how it meets the public sector equality duty, including information about employees and about people affected by its policies and practices who share a protected characteristic.
- Academies: Must
- Maintained schools: Must
What it must contain
2 parts- Gives equality information about employees who share a protected characteristicMust
- Lists every other person affected by its policies and practicesMust
What the official sources say
Set out in 3 official sources:
What maintained schools must or should publish online
Schools must publish: – details of how they comply with the public sector equality duty , updating this every year
Must§ Public sector equality duty > What schools must publish
What academies, free schools and colleges must or should publish online
Academies and FE colleges must publish: – details of how they comply with the public sector equality duty , updating this every year
Must§ Public sector equality duty > What academies and FE colleges must publish
Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/353)
1 Each public authority listed in Schedule 2 to these Regulations must publish information to demonstrate its compliance with the duty imposed by section 149(1) of the Act.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 4(1)
2 The public authority must publish the information required by paragraph (1)— a not later than 30th March 2018; and b subsequently at intervals of not greater than one year beginning with the date of last publication.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 4(2)
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3 The information a public authority publishes in compliance with paragraph (1) must include, in particular, information relating to persons who share a relevant protected characteristic who are— a its employees; b other persons affected by its policies and practices.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 4(3)
Section 2 of 2
Equality objectives
At least every four years the school must publish one or more specific objectives it is aiming to achieve for groups of pupils or staff, and later publications should show progress towards the objectives.
- Academies: Must
- Maintained schools: Must
What it must contain
2 parts- Says each equality objective is specific and measurableMust
- Says what progress has been made towards the equality objectivesShould
What the official sources say
Set out in 3 official sources:
What maintained schools must or should publish online
– their equality objectives, updating these at least every 4 years
Must§ Public sector equality duty > What schools must publish
Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/353)
1 Each public authority listed in Schedule 2 to these Regulations must prepare and publish one or more objectives it thinks it should achieve to do any of the things mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) of section 149(1) of the Act.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 5(1)
2 The objectives must be published— a not later than 30th March 2018 (subject to regulation 9(2)); and b subsequently at intervals of not greater than four years beginning with the date of last publication.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 5(2)
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3 An objective published by a public authority in compliance with paragraph (1) must be specific and measurable.
Must§ SI 2017/353 reg 5(3)
Equality Act 2010: advice for schools (PDF)
5.29 Publication of information in future years should include evidence of the steps being taken and progress made towards meeting the equality objectives that the school has already set itself.
Should§ DfE Equality Act 2010 advice for schools (May 2014), para 5.29
Objectives are not intended to be burdensome or a ‘tick box’ exercise, but they do need to be specific and measurable. They should be used as a tool to help improve the school experience of a range of different pupils. A school should set as many objectives as it believes are appropriate to its size and circumstances; the objectives should fit the school’s needs and should be achievable.
Expected§ DfE Equality Act 2010 advice for schools (May 2014), para 5.26
Show 1 more from this source
5.11 The specific duties require schools: (a) to publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with the Public Sector Equality Duty, and (b) to prepare and publish equality objectives. By 6 April 2012 schools were obliged to publish their initial information and first set of objectives demonstrating how it complies with the general duty. School have to update the published information at least annually and to publish objectives at least once every four years.
Must§ DfE Equality Act 2010 advice for schools (May 2014), para 5.11
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the equality information and objectives?
Annual equality information: Academies and maintained schools must publish it. Equality objectives: Academies and maintained schools must publish it.
When does the equality information and objectives need to be published?
How often: Every 12 months. Published annually.
What must the equality information and objectives include?
Gives equality information about employees who share a protected characteristic; Lists every other person affected by its policies and practices; Says each equality objective is specific and measurable; Says what progress has been made towards the equality objectives.
Where does the requirement for the equality information and objectives come from?
It is set out in What maintained schools must or should publish online, What academies, free schools and colleges must or should publish online, Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/353) and Equality Act 2010: advice for schools (PDF).
Changes to the official sources
Dated change notes published by the Department for Education on the sources above.
12 November 2020 · What academies, free schools and colleges must or should publish online
Added new sections on 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium' and 'Executive pay'. Updated sections on 'Admission arrangements', 'Ofsted reports', 'Exam and assessment results', 'Curriculum', 'Pupil premium', 'Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium', 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium', 'PE and sport premium for primary schools', 'Equality objectives' and 'Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)'.
12 November 2020 · What maintained schools must or should publish online
Added new sections: 'Schools that do not have a website' and 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) catch-up premium'. Updated sections on 'Admission arrangements', 'Exams and assessment results', 'Curriculum', 'Pupil premium', 'Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium', 'PE and sport premium for primary schools', 'Equality objectives', 'Special educational needs and disability (SEND) information', 'Governors' information and duties'.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
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Official wording that does not apply to schools (2)
4 Paragraph (3)(a) does not apply to a public authority with fewer than 150 employees.
2 Where a public authority has, within the period of four years ending with 30th March 2018, published equality objectives in compliance with regulation 3(1) of the 2011 Regulations— a regulation 5(2)(a) does not apply; and b regulation 5(2)(b) is to be read as if— i the word “subsequently” were omitted, and ii the “date of last publication” referred to the date of last publication under regulation 3 of the 2011 Regulations.
Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4