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Equality & Inclusivity at King’s College Wimbledon
Working towards a united community
King’s is committed to exploring how the school can do more to support and listen to all pupils to ensure equality within our community.
King’s fosters an ethos of social awareness and respect for difference, and aims to be a diverse and equitable environment where all staff and pupils feel like they belong, and where all members of our school stand up to discrimination.
Spearheaded by our Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI), appointed in April 2021, we have developed a comprehensive EDI action plan which spans all areas of school life. The plan builds upon all our work around support and visibility and considers EDI in relation to staff and student experience, the governing body and the wider school community including alumni and parents.
As part of this work, departments have been encouraged to look at their curricula to consider how our teaching can act as a window into new perspectives as well as a mirror in which students recognise themselves. Beyond the classroom, a number of working parties are being established following the work of an initial EDI group composed of teaching and support staff, current students, alumni and governors and which focuses specifically on the experience of Black students, sexuality, gender, and other races.
Early in 2021 students from schools and universities across Britain shared shocking testimonies of peer-on-peer abuse in education. In response to this, King’s and Wimbledon High School jointly set up The Wimbledon Charter to review systems, education and culture, with the aim of setting out how to move forward positively and to continuously improve within this area. This pupil-led initiative has already seen both schools sharing best practice; collaborating on the coordination of PSHE and RSE; working with parents on the broader contextual and societal issues facing schools, young people and parents; and will regularly host academic and social partnerships. We hope that this partnership will continue to grow and broaden its scope. Alongside all this, King’s holds regular talks, workshops and assemblies on EDI topics in order to ensure that inclusivity is a central part of daily life at the school, and at the heart of all that we do. We have recently welcomed various speakers including Professor David Olusoga OBE, who spoke on the importance of knowing our history and some of the forgotten voices that have shaped our country; Peter Tatchell who detailed the evolution of human rights in the UK and LGBT+ history; and Catherine Johnson who discussed her life experience as a Black author and ethnic minorities representation in history and literature.
“King’s and Wimbledon High School have done a fantastic job in making actual change. I am delighted that I was able to be a part
of this crucial collaboration, which I do believe will positively READ MORE on Equality, Diversity impact not only my year, but also the generations to come.” & Inclusivity at King’s on our website: King’s pupil, Jan 2022 The Wimbledon Charter www.kcs.org.uk
Professor David Olusoga OBE
