Celebrating Diversity

School Diversity Week is an annual celebration of LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans) equality in education, across the UK. On the Park, the student-led GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) group saw the opportunity to honour all forms of diversity.

Spencer, Head Boy and GSA Club Leader, commented “Diversity Week is a celebration of our diverse community at Leighton Park. This includes all forms of diverse groups such as race, disability, and class.”

Founders of the event and charity, Just Like Us’, state that “LGBT+ young people are more than twice as likely to be worrying daily about their mental health and one in four is currently experiencing daily tensions in the place they are living.”

The GSA at Leighton Park is a group that hopes to address this concerning issue. In the words of Izzy, GSA Club Leader, “We wanted to offer the GSA so students could have a safe space to come and feel comfortable discussing ideas related to gender and sexuality, and ask questions… As the club has gone on more students have come and opened up and are discussing things. It’s amazing to see people really come out of their shell within the club.”

For the occasion, running from Monday 21^st to Friday 25^th June, the Park was decked out with a rainbow of colours to represent the pride flag; ribbon, posters (as designed by Nika in the Upper Sixth), painted zebra crossings, and even Lego group creations adorned each corner of the School. Staff were invited to enjoy rainbow cupcakes in the Common Room whilst students attempted to recreate Jennie’s seven-layer Rainbow Cake!

Alba in the Lower Sixth was delighted to have her winning diversity badge design sent off to printers, to be distributed to the whole school community and proudly worn as pins.

Furthermore, the Library have recently diversified their displays and through collaboration with the GSA, have expanded their range of LGBT+ literature.

Across co-curricular clubs, the theme was recognised through poetry in Creative Writing, through Drama as Year 9 explored autism in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and through Dance as students created personal solo performances to demonstrate their own characters and beliefs, before teaching the rest of the group to allow everyone to experience each other’s movement.

The School was also recently delighted to announce the appointment of Shaun Dellenty, Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Although common in business and government organisations, such a role is rare in independent schools. From September, Shaun will bring a wealth of experience to the role, along with a national profile for leading diversity and inclusion initiatives in schools.

He commented “Quaker values of respect, peace, equality and community (and the importance Leighton Park places upon values and character) very much align with my aspiration to nurture learning communities in which every diverse individual can be welcomed, celebrated and empowered to achieve their best, whilst making a meaningful and positive contribution to school life and wider society. I’m deeply grateful to the students who so inspired me at interview, and I look forward to meeting, listening and engaging with the whole school community as we undertake the shared journey ahead.”