Equalities

Eltham Hill School is committed to creating a culture where the whole community is valued, involved, supported and feels safe from discrimination. We recognise the real benefits of having a diverse community and work tirelessly to maintain an environment which values diversity and promotes equal rights. Our ethos is built around the premise that everyone within our community is treated with dignity and respect and we acknowledge that discrimination affects people in complex ways. We are committed to challenging all forms of inequality.

In our recent student survey we are pleased to share that between 84% (Year 9) and 96% (Year 13) students agreed that ‘My school encourages me to respect people from other backgrounds and to treat everyone equally’.

Our annual and school wide events show some of the ways in which we work together to educate and celebrate equality and inclusivity.

Eltham Hill School celebrates Black History Month

Black History Month is celebrated every October in the UK as an annual commemoration of the history, achievements and contributions of Black people in the UK.

Eltham Hill School recognises Black History Month as a positive opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people to the UK and Global society, both in October, but also throughout the year.

This month also provides a chance to focus on and improve awareness of issues affecting different communities.  As a school we continue with our commitment to diversifying our curriculum and this month provides an opportunity to share and explore experiences and histories not have not often been included within the traditional educational curriculum and/or resources.

Our Black History Month calendar of events is exciting, inspiring and diverse and includes a range of fantastic events each year that allows us, as a school community, to gain deeper knowledge, celebrate and share experiences. One of the key highlights is our annual Black History Month conference for our students in Years 9- 13. This is an opportunity for them to:

• Celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black British people
• Learn about some of the important events in Black history
• Discuss, debate and consider how we can learn from each other to make society more equal

Celebrating the diverse culture in our community

Every half term we have a 'Cultural Celebration Week' where we take the opportunity to celebrate one of the many cultures represented in our school community. Staff and students work together to plan a week of assemblies and other activities and the focus is on learning about the history, geography, music, art, food and dress of a particular country. We have special food in the canteen and often raise money too, for example in Pakistan cultural celebration week in 2023 we were able to raise the money to install a well in a village in Pakistan!

Students also worked together to raise awareness on the Chinese culture and community, and raised £450 for the Hackney Chinese Community Centre during Chinese Culture Week. Student organiser, Hope Ng-Mcoy, wrote a thought-provoking article 'Reflecting on our Chinese Culture Week and being a change-maker' which is a personal reflection on the impact of Chinese Culture Week. Other cultural celebration weeks have included Indian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, Irish and the Caribbean to name a few from this year.

Make a Difference 'MAD' Day

Make a Difference 'MAD' Day is one of Eltham Hill’s multidisciplinary dropdown days. These days enrich students’ experience by providing them with opportunities to explore interdisciplinary topics beyond the standard curriculum, with the aim of cultivating well-rounded individuals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and empathy to navigate an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.

MAD Day at Eltham Hill aims to:

• Foster inter- and extra-disciplinary learning and encourage students to make connections between different subjects.
• Promote creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Provide students with diverse learning experiences
• Enhance student engagement and motivation by offering hands-on, interactive activities.
• Support the development of key skills such as teamwork, communication, and independent enquiry.

WE CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Each year, this day serves as a powerful reminder of the progress made towards gender equality and highlights the work that still needs to be done.

In 2024, the campaign theme 'Inspire Inclusion' emphasizes the importance of diversity and empowerment in all aspects of society. It underscores the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality. It calls for action to break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and create environments where all women are valued and respected. Inspire Inclusion encourages everyone to recognize the unique perspectives and contributions of women from all walks of life, including those from marginalized communities.

At Eltham Hill we challenge gender stereotypes and bias on a day to day basis and celebrate women's achievements.

WE PLEDGE TO SUPPORT OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY

At Eltham Hill we work hard to ensure our school culture is respectful and equal.

• We agree everyone has the right to feel safe.
• We understand that all people, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, should be treated with dignity and respect.
• We work on eliminating homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia from our own words and actions
• We do not tolerate anti-LGBTQ language and behaviour.
• We support each other and know we can seek appropriate help throughout our school community.

Rainbow Club

Rainbow Club is the school’s designated club for LGBTQ+ students and allies who want to get together to discuss how we can make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people. This has been running as a designated space since 2016 in the school, and each week between five and thirty students attend. 

Students use this as a drop-in space; they can come when they have something in particular to discuss, or every week - up to them! Many LGBTQ+ students attend with a friend (an ally) the first time until they are more comfortable. We have different Rainbow Clubs operating at each of our three lunchtimes, so students don’t need to worry about interacting with students much older or much younger than they are. It also helps students to make new friends outside of their form groups or classes. 

Members of Rainbow Club are asked to share their ‘Rainbow Highs’ (i.e. positive things which have happened for LGBTQ+ people, either in the school or society) and ‘Rainbow Lows’ (i.e. negative things). We discuss these and how they make people feel, what we can do to replicate or celebrate the ‘Highs’ or reduce the ‘Lows’. If we are around certain times of year, we prepare assemblies or events. These have included:

• LGBTQ+ History Month (February)
• Lesbian Visibility Day (April)
• LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June)

Every term, students are asked to nominate one member of staff for a Rainbow Award; that member of staff gets a certificate and is praised for their positive work supporting LGBTQ+ students. 

EQUALITY CHAMPION SCHEME

PURPOSE: The Equality Champion scheme is a project pioneered by EHS in 2020. It has since been taken on by other institutions and is now facilitated in various schools across London!

It was felt, originally, that the initiative would greatly benefit the school and bring awareness of equality issues to both staff and students in order to prevent the occurrence of hate crime and other forms of discrimination.

WHO: A group of year 9 and 10 pupils apply and are chosen to focus on an area of inequality within society, it is usually a protected factor, they then research and explore this together.

The students meet for a one-hour weekly session and take steps to complete the following structure:

AIMS OF THE PROJECT:

• Challenge discrimination on/offline in school and in the community.
• Remove any barriers that prevent us from growing and becoming involved in the community as students and as individuals.
• Challenge false information and fake news, create positive messages and representations of vulnerable groups, and share our work throughout the school and with the wider community.

There have been 7 groups of about 10 students from 2020 to now. These groups have looked at different topics including; Colourism, Ableism, Immigration Awareness, Transgender Awareness and the current group are researching Modern day Feminism.

GENDER ACTION SCHOOLS AWARD

At Eltham Hill School, we are proud to have been awarded the Gender Action Schools Award. We are currently an Initiator school and we are working towards becoming a Champion School in terms of Gender Action.  This has led to our leadership reviewing all forms of communication, display, activities and lesson resources to ensure that gender equality is embedded throughout our school. 

This award reflects our vision to tackle all gender stereotypes within our school setting. We put gender equality at the heart of policy and practice, working together with staff and students to promote the vision that there are no limits to achievements and ambitions in terms of gender. We believe that work around gender equality brings about lasting cultural change.  

The Halo Code

Our school champions the right of staff and students to embrace all Afro-hairstyles. We acknowledge that Afro-textured hair is an important part of our Black staff and students’ racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious identities, and requires specific styling for hair health and maintenance. We welcome Afro-textured hair worn in all styles including, but not limited to, afros, locs, twists, braids, cornrows, fades, hair straightened through the application of heat or chemicals, weaves, wigs, headscarves, and wraps. At this school, we recognise and celebrate our staff and students’ identities. We are a community built on an ethos of equality and respect where hair texture and style have no bearing on anyone’s ability to succeed.

KEY DOCUMENTS

Equalities Action Plan

Equalities Policy