6 minute read
Keeping it real
Laura Whitwood says it’s never too early to teach pupils about diversity, which is why enhancing and celebrating inclusion plays such an important role in day-to-day school life
As a headteacher in South-East London, it’s a great privilege to lead a junior school within a diverse and multicultural setting, which I’m fully aware is not necessarily commonplace within the independent sector. This is a significant advantage to us in our ability to create meaningful opportunities for our pupils and families to learn from others within the community, and creates an educational environment that’s reflective of the real world in which our pupils will one day become proactive global citizens. Here at St Dunstan’s, we believe that it isn’t enough to simply have diversity within your setting. To not celebrate this diversity at every opportunity, maximising the benefits of our young people learning in this environment,
would be, in my view, educationally irresponsible. Inclusion, equality and building character are at the very core of what we aim to achieve.
The St Dunstan’s Diapason sees groups of staff and pupils work together within the framework of five pillars: sexual orientation, sex and gender, race, religion and belief, and disability. The groups work collaboratively on initiatives to ensure that we’re doing all that we possibly can to promote and enhance the diversity within our community, with action plans created each year to ensure that protected characteristics are recognised and embraced within the college and beyond.
Our bespoke Stuart curriculum pioneers a forward-thinking approach to teaching vital skills for wherever the future might take our pupils, preparing young people for adult life in a rapidly changing world. It covers three key strands: relationships (including sex education), skills for the future, and critical thinking and rhetoric.
St Dunstan’s pupils are encouraged to celebrate the differences they see within our community, not just to learn how to be respectful towards others, but to feel supported to grow and learn in a supportive environment where they’re able to look up to others and know that they’ll be accepted for whoever they want to be. It’s not just our job, but our duty, to provide them with a setting where they can trust those around them and develop the self-confidence to carve out their unique identity, safe in the knowledge that whatever they become, they’ll have role models within their community with whom they can identify.
Black History Month didn’t just include assemblies and tokenistic lessons: our pupils delivered presentations about their heritages, we ran an art competition looking at diversity through art, djembe drumming was added to our music curriculum and parents led talks about the Windrush generation, to name just a few examples. Embracing any opportunity for our
pupils to hear from parents and pupils is always our preference over external specialists, as seen when pupils led our Chinese New Year assembly, complete with the most fantastic dragon dance and when senior students teach upper junior children the difference between sexual orientation and sex and gender as they start to become conscious about using the correct terminology. Even in year one, pupils begin debating whether blue is for boys and pink is for girls, while different familial structures are considered throughout the curriculum, and children are encouraged to challenge and understand stereotypes, and why they exist.
We may be seen as pushing the traditional boundaries when it comes to educating our pupils, but in not shying away from addressing difficult questions that young children inevitably ask, we open up dialogue about difference from an early age. This is so we can make the most of the natural curiosity children have, their openness to see the world with a broad perspective and their genuine thirst for knowledge about the many ways in which people live their lives within society.
Laura Whitwood is Head of Junior School at St Dunstan’s College in South-East London
Ready to take on the world
The nurturing, individualised learning environment at Oxfordshire’s Griffi n House School encourages children to become the very best that they can be
Set within ve acres of grounds nestled in the Chiltern Hills, Gri n House School provides an outstanding education for boys and girls aged three to 11 years in a happy, nurturing environment. e school’s small class sizes and individualised-learning environment ensures that children are given the attention and support they deserve to excel, as well as being exceptionally well cared for. is is re ected in excellent 11+ results and its inclusion in e Sunday Times Top 100
Independent Schools list (based on SATs results) for the past ve years.
Learning at Gri n House School, part of the
Chatsworth Schools group, is brought to life in all subjects through the passion and knowledge of dedicated teachers. A committed sta team have high expectations of pupils inspiring them to believe anything is possible and there’s a calm, purposeful learning environment that encourages mutual respect and enables children to reach their full potential.
Gri n House School encourages pupils to grow as a whole person, ensuring they develop self-con dence and become thoughtful, valuable members of the community. As part of the school’s pastoral care, younger pupils are encouraged to look up to the older children, while the older children, in turn, are taught responsibility and compassion. Every member of the school community has an important role in creating the distinct ethos of value and respect.
With ve acres of grounds, Gri n House
School boasts a unique opportunity to learn outside of the classroom. Each Early Years class has a speci c, designated outdoor space, and across the school the timetable includes outdoor learning opportunities. e school grounds host wonderful locations for den building, camp res and unearthing creepy-crawlies, as well as the chance to positively encourage children to look a er their natural environment and improve it for their future.
At Gri n House School, sport is an integral part of school life. All of the children enjoy playing di erent games with each other, learning the meaning of teamwork, patience, fair play and resilience. In the prep school, all pupils (boys and girls) participate and represent the school in a wide range of sports including cross country running, tag-rugby, netball, football, hockey, rounders, cricket and athletics. e school also takes part in many Independent Schools Association regional and national tournaments.
A er lessons end, Gri n House’s diverse extracurricular programme kicks in with a termly timetable of sporting, artistic, educational and above all, fun activities for children to choose from. e school runs a variety of exciting, interest-led and seasonal clubs each term, giving pupils the chance to form friendships and links with others across di erent form groups.
Gri n House School pupils achieve fantastic academic success, with exceptional 11+ results and around 75 per cent of children moving onto selective grammar and independent schools – including Wycombe High School, Aylesbury Grammar School and Abingdon School. ese results are all the more impressive as Gri n House School is non-selective.
Gri n House School provides an outstanding education in a nurturing environment. e school takes pride in year six pupils leaving as capable and con dent individuals, ready to continue their educational journey and take on the world.
To nd out more, see gri nhouseschool.co.uk and to book a visit call 01844 346154 or email secretary@gri nhouseschool.co.uk
Around 75 per cent of Gri n House School pupils move on to selective senior grammar and independent schools
Subjects such as science are brought to life by the school’s dedicated teachers
