Diversity

(Adhering to government and school policies including The Equality Act 2010, Inclusion, Anti-bullying, Equal Opportunities and Healthy Relationship Education)

'Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.' Stephen R Covey

One of our core values is Diversity where we explore that being different is the one thing we all have in common. We will learn about some of the 9 protected characteristics from the Equalities Act 2010 with a focus on ‘Anti-bullying’ and being kind. Equality is threaded through our curriculum in the images and resources we use with the children, we ‘usualise’ the diversity of our local and global community.

Whilst we expect longer and more detailed conversations about Diversity & Inclusion to happen at home; the classroom is a safe place to begin the conversation and to educate our children on people being different and showing respect to all, regardless of differences.

There are many benefits of teaching diversity at school – here are a few:

Promotes children’s growth and reflection– when children learn about other groups’ struggles, perspectives, and experiences, they tend to reflect on, and respond to, that information effectively.
It fosters a sense of empathy and awareness- by teaching our children about Diversity and Inclusion they can learn to understand various cultures, family units and social groups. Being aware of an issue does not always lead to empathy, often it needs to become real and relevant to the person for them to make connections and to truly foster empathy.
It brings about open-mindedness and new perspectives.
It supports acceptance and promotes positive attitudes towards others and healthy relationships.
It allows children to feel unique, yet part of a group.
It prepares our children to grow as a well-rounded, knowledgeable member of our diverse world.
Diversity and Inclusion is an important element of any school across the world. Even more significant is teaching our children the importance of acknowledging and respecting these differences as they make each individual unique.