Inclusion, Equality and Diversity
1. The College understands the benefit of an ethnically diverse workforce where top talent represents people from many different backgrounds and life experiences, not just a homogeneous group. The College includes a statement in its adverts for vacancies and aims for greater neutrality in the language it uses in application packs.
The College has strived to promote an ethnically diverse workforce through careful consideration of its recruitment literature, advertising and selection. The College has piloted blind shortlisting and has changed its system to enable closer monitoring of applications, using TES Portal to provide metrics and ensure the information collected for monitoring is separated from the application. Following the Principal and a Staff Governor joining Greater Representation (a county wide collaboration to consider issues of inclusion, equality, diversity and inclusion) the College has reviewed its advertising of posts and has changed its statement in adverts to read: We strive to be an inclusive and diverse workplace representative of our student population. Applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic heritage are especially welcome.
2. To continue to promote and celebrate the cultural diversity of the College.
The boarding houses continue to emphasise the importance of EDI through shared activities. For example, they celebrated Chinese New Year by organising a cultural games evening accompanied by Chinese snacks made by students from Asia. The College also celebrated the life of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu on 'Twosday' February 22nd with a range of activities to support the Foundation set-up in his name. The Spectrum Club where LGBTQ+ matters are discussed has also continued to meet regularly.
3. Where possible all new buildings, refurbishments and facilities will be planned to take account of the needs of all users in respect of equality of access. We improve disability access to the College each year as detailed in our accessibility plan where possible.
A review of toilet facilities has been completed and where technically possible they will be converted to gender neutral facilities. One toilet area has been converted so far.
4. Ensure that equality is at the forefront of all decision making throughout the organisation
The College EDI Action Plan continues to be the focus for work in this area.
The unit guides and Schemes of work are frequently reviewed to ensure that the artworks that are studied have been produced by a range of artists. A balanced curriculum is the goal, students are encouraged to study art that has been made by a diverse range of art makers.
The curriculum at MYP level explores ideas, stories, and theatre practice from all around the world. Allowing students to consider how the Arts are used to express our stories and our culture. Equality and Diversity are promoted as the arts provide a unique opportunity for students to recognize the dynamic cultural influences around them and the significance of being internationally minded in the making of theatre, through units such as Prejudice MYP 9 and the studying of Noughts and Crosses as a set text in the GCSE course, our students understand the importance of diversity and inclusion and consider how theatre can promote the ideals of tolerance and international values. In IB Theatre we explore a diverse and wide range of practitioners, playwrights, and world theatre practices exploring the connections between many assorted styles of theatre to examine what connects us and celebrate what makes us different.
KS3 groups are not streamed, as we believe that DT offers opportunities to succeed for different learning styles. If you struggle to draw a concept, you can describe it with words or model it in a material. Many students on the SEN register choose the subject for this reason and will often perform better than in other subjects and other students as a result.
We encourage students to consider clients who have different needs to their own, not only because it opens their eyes to needs unlike theirs, it’s also the right thing to do. Food students design with others’ allergies and intolerances in mind. Grandparents have been interesting and humorous clients who give a much-needed perspective to “user-friendly” technologies. Our groups at KS4 and 5 are a nice mix of abilities, genders, ethnicities, and nationalities, which heightens everyone’s experience, especially ours.
The nature of our English curriculum allows the promotion of International Mindedness and British values throughout each of the key stages. The topics we teach help to promote students understanding of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, and for those without faith. Every opportunity is taken to discuss these themes in the classroom.
Business - The curriculum is accessible to all and students who find other subjects more challenging often enjoy the creative approach that is often required in a subject that so heavily involves problem solving in a real world context. This leads to positive engagement from students.
Economics - A range of teaching methods and assessment styles are used, and all students have equal access to opportunities and participation, both in classes and in their private study. Clear rules regarding the respect for other viewpoints, and a culture that promotes tolerance and a positive approach to learning is introduced from the beginning of the course. The input economists from a range of backgrounds is celebrated and the lack of diversity within aspects of the discipline are acknowledged as something that must be challenged.
Geography - In KS3 equality is discussed in Oceans and Coasts in Year 7 and in the distribution of world resources. Students are exposed to the concept that the natural world and where you live can cause disparities in the quality of life. In year 8 the whole unit on Superpowers is based on the theme of ‘Disparity or equality depending on their systems of governance ‘and is examined in depth in four superpower nation countries and regions. Year 9 Africa 2 unit challenges the misrepresentation of African countries by the media using contemporary African literature and published authors and exposes the phenomenon of neocolonisation in these newly emerging countries. In KS4 GCSE an in-depth study of India and the city of Mumbai encourages the students to critically evaluate the effectiveness of sustainable development projects. An investigation into the variations in quality of life in Newham, London gives the students an opportunity to explain the causes of inequality in two contrasting areas of the borough. In KS5 we explore a far broader range of places and encourage students to conduct their own place based research whilst gathering case studies for a range of topics. For example, food and nutrition, climate change, resources etc…
History - As Natasha Capers, the coordinator for the Coalition for Economic Justice, has observed, “When children are not seeing themselves represented by curriculum, it sends them a message.” We are working hard as a department to revise our curriculum to ensure that all our students are represented in the curriculum we teach. Units such as ‘Migration through Time’ in Year 7, ‘The British Empire and the Slave Trade’ in Year 8, and ‘The world since 1945’ in Year 9 provide particularly powerful opportunities for teachers and students to discuss the themes of inclusion, equality and diversity.
Psychology - A range of teaching methods and assessment styles are used, and all students have equal access to opportunities and participation, both in classes and in their private study. Clear rules regarding the respect for other viewpoints, and a culture that promotes tolerance and a positive approach to learning is introduced from the beginning of the course.
Religious Education - The nature of our Religious Education curriculum allows the promotion of British values, throughout each of the key stages. The topics we teach help to promote students understanding of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths, worldviews and beliefs, and for those without faith. Every opportunity is taken to discuss these themes in the classroom.
In KS3 equality is discussed in Year 7 Sikhism. We end Year 7 by looking at social justice. In Year 8 the students have the opportunity to design their own business on Buddhist principles and examine what it is like to be a British Muslim.
The very nature of examining different faiths and worldviews affords the opportunity to study the diverse communities that make up both the United Kingdom and the wider world.
In KS4 GCSE an in-depth study of Islam .
Social Anthropology - by definition Social and Cultural Anthropology is the epitome of inclusion, equality and diversity. This is because studies of culturally created inequality lie at the heart of the course with studies of disability, dwarfism, albinism, gender discrimination, gender dysphoria and a host of aspects related to the LGBTQ+ community.
At Hockerill, we place a strong emphasis on diversity and fairness. We are keen to promote equality through International Women’s day, including achievements of Hedey Lamar and Ada Lovelace. We also celebrate black mathematicians such as David Blackwell and Katherine Johnson.
The MFL curriculum is by the nature of its broad and current content inclusive, balanced and diverse. The College’s policy of enabling every student to follow successfully the MFL curriculum in two Languages is inclusive at its core. Approaches to teaching and learning a varied, inclusive and supportive and for a subject that is based on effective communication, mutual respect at all is a natural prerequisite for success.
The music curriculum is broad and diverse, encouraging students to expand their own horizons and engaging with music of different times and cultures. The music curriculum encompasses music from all parts of the globe, providing students with the opportunity to research, perform and create music with a deeper understanding of its context and the political and socio-cultural background to its stylistic features.
Where sports are not offered in the curriculum, we strive to offer them at an extra-curricular level.
The PSHE curriculum is fully inclusive. There are explicit lessons on inclusion, equality and diversity, for all year groups, but all lessons across the three strands are designed to be inclusive, in line with British values, and our IB values.
At every opportunity we take the opportunity to look at the development of science from different perspectives using examples from different cultures. In the MYP2 Inquiry based unit students are encouraged to challenge the popular media view of developing countries and to explore the way in which people work together to solve problems in challenging conditions and tackle the problems of neocolonialism.
All ideas and opinions are welcome in the TOK classroom. Our lessons provide an opportunity for students to consider significant contemporary issues, including racism and trans-rights amongst many others.