Inclusion and Diversity

• We had our most diverse panel of speakers for International Women’s Day 2020. This helped pupils of all backgrounds to have role models and learn about the different barriers facing women from different communities.
• International Women's Day from 2019 https://lehs.fireflycloud.net/school-events/international-womens-day-2019

• During the BLM movement, Ms Hart designed a rich and thought-provoking PSHE curriculum to help students understand, emphasise and learn about the experiences of Black people and why the movement started.
• A video created by Sheyi Martins-Allen (Class of 2006) reflecting on her experiences as the only black student in her year at LEH was shared with the school for their PSHE lesson and further tasks were designed with this conversation in mind. (Wording taken from Rachel’s email 16/06)
• A summer reading list (designed for each year group) was released with a statement by Mrs Hanbury, recognising the need to further embed a culture inclusion and diversity within the school.         

• Genes for Genes day assemblies were organised by the Biology reps and managed by Miss Lenox-Smith.
• Gemma Pearce has been working incredibly hard to increase the diversity of books on offer in the library. Reading lists have been created for each year group. https://lehs.fireflycloud.net/lrc-and-library-services/read-diversely-

• Staff and students celebrated Black History Month at LEH in October, with a comprehensive programme of activities focusing on educating our community about the diversity of the society around them. We had two whole-school assemblies on Black History Month. One delivered by the Sixth Formers and another delivered by Dr James.
• BHM iLP was set up and managed by Ms Harding-Anderson. https://lehs.fireflycloud.net/school-events/black-history-month
• A team of L5 diversity reps from all races planned, organised an assembly and delivered an assembly on what inclusion and diversity means to them.
• We held a number of reading sessions for different year groups exploring books such as Natives by Akala and Young, Black and Gifted.
• Different subjects explored PoC in a number of different activities from Geography having a virtual speaker to explore Windrush to exploring the life of Henrietta Lacks in Biology and exploring the history of French colonies in French.
• Our Sixth Formers have set up and are managing a dedicated Instagram account called APoC, Allies of People of Colour, to provide a forum for pupils to post interesting articles relating to this topic. Once we can have cross-year group activities again, this is likely to become an extra-curricular club which is open to any and all students.

• Students celebrated Diwali in their houses during their form time. They explore the meaning of light and hope in different cultures and then coloured in a candle in a manner reflecting what it means to them.
• We ran a training session called ‘Let’s talk about race’ for teachers during INSET, exploring the history of race and how race is different to ethnicity. Finally, we discussed what more could be done to build a more inclusive culture at LEH.

• We have set up virtual discussion groups run by an external moderator to create a forum for parents and alumnae to relate their opinions and experiences.

• Ms Ellison is running a wonderful celebration for LGBQT+ month. Each week there is some information and tasks for the pupils to complete. https://lehs.fireflycloud.net/school-events/lgbt-history-month

• International Women's Day 2021 will be running a range of events under the theme of Choose to challenge, where the L6 Creative Directors will be focusing on Intersectionality.

In June, LEH celebrated Refugees' Week with the theme being ‘We cannot walk alone’. The theme comes from a moment in Martin Luther King’s historic ‘I have a dream speech’. ‘’They have come to realise that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom’’, he says. ‘’We cannot walk alone’’.  

Refugees are forced to flee from their home and make a new life in a different country. They can face a lot of hardship and uncertainty, however quite often their voices are quietest of all those in society.  With an open mind, the pupils took part in a variety of activities. The Head Girl team ran an assembly. We had a clothes collection in Houses for Refugee Action for Kingston and pupils had a thought-provoking form time activity, considering what it would be like to leave your entire life behind.  

During September, we launched the campaign ‘What I wish you knew’ and are excited to hear what the pupils have to say.  We also explored the artwork from different Black artists, discussing the issues and feelings of their artwork, in preparation for Black History Month.  

We celebrated Black History Month both within subjects and form time. The theme this year is ‘Proud to be’.   

To reflect this, our APoC reps have explored the history of Black hair. They discussed how Black hair is a symbol of black culture and explained how Black people are now claiming it back from the oppression faced during colonialism.  

APoC reps and Creative Directors also created a watchlist and reading list. Additionally, our Creative Directors worked hard to put on a showing of the thought-provoking documentary, Black Maternity Scandal. The discussion following the documentary really brought to light the health inequalities in the UK faced by Black people and other People of Colour. 

The first two assemblies for the ‘What I wish you knew' initiative will take place. The first one will be about Race and Ethnicity. The second assembly will be about Faith, in time for religious festivals such as Diwali, Passover and Christmas.  

We will be celebrating Christmas and spreading the festive spirit in true LEH style.  

With LGBTQ+ History Month in February, pupils will be sharing their stories about sexual and gender orientations to their peers, as part of our ‘What I wish you knew’ campaign.  

There will be an exciting assembly, form time activities and other events to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month.  

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we will be running an assembly, activities during form times and other interesting events. 

International Day of Transgender of Visibility is celebrated annually on the 31st March. However, as school breaks up for Easter before 31st March, we will be recognising it in the last week of the Spring Term.  

During May, pupils will be sharing their stories about stereotypes and disabilities, as part of the ‘What I wish you knew’ campaign.  

As part of our final strand of the ‘What I wish you knew' campaign, there will be a pupil-led assembly about 'Culture Clash - living alongside each other'.  

We will also be celebrating Refugees’ Week with a form time activity and events across the school.