Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Our commitment to DEI

We are dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging by enhancing empathy within our school community. We embrace and celebrate diverse perspectives, ensuring that our international and diverse community feels valued and included. This commitment is vital for the growth of our students and for earning the trust of parents regarding their children's education and wellbeing.

What do our students say DEI means to them?

Kristy C

"DEI is important to me because I believe it is necessary that we foster an inclusive community regardless of race, culture or sexual orientation so that everyone feels respected and comfortable in their own identities."

Yenn L

"DEI is important to me because I believe in the value of understanding and appreciating the diverse cultures and identities that make up our school community. It is important to foster a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and respected for who they are. I hope to encourage greater awareness and interest in the different races, cultures, and sexual orientations among students, helping to create a community that not only celebrates diversity but also thrives on it."

Jae Hee B

"DEI is important to me as I believe that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and feel appreciated no matter what ethnicity, nationality or culture they come from. Respecting someone for who they are is a major value to making someone feel welcomed and comfortable. I hope to encourage greater awareness in the different cultures, backgrounds, races among the students, helping to keep a warm, welcoming environment and community at St Swithun’s."

Dorothea A

"DEI plays a key part in my life, not only as a person of colour but as a girl. The very fact of me being in a girls’ school means that the topic of DEI has a large effect on my life and also my cohort. In school there are a myriad of educational activities for the students and teachers to learn about others, whether it be an academic lunch on African mythologies or a celebration in the boarding house for the lunar new year."

Alice A

"DEI is important to me as I believe that an inclusive environment is so important to establish, especially at St Swithun's where there are so many different cultures to celebrate! I hope to encourage other students and staff to celebrate all differences - whether thats culture, language, race, interests, and more. I believe that for the St Swithun's community to be a welcoming place for everyone is essential!"

Hannah H

"I believe that DEI helps us be culturally and ethically diverse where we can celebrate our differences and make everyone feel comfortable. A welcoming environment is so important for everyone to feel included, respected and valued as then, no one feels alone. St Swithun’s also supports every student in being themselves!"

Charlotte KM

"St Swithuns is like a big family because everyone is kind and respectful. There is something for everyone and there is always someone you can talk to. I like that everyone is not the same because it means we think differently and see things from different angles."

Our goal is to ensure that every member of our community feels authentically represented and included, with well-being and a sense of belonging at the heart of every decision.

Our Approach
We systematically integrate the nine protected characteristics across all aspects of school life, including students, staff, and policies. Our initiatives include: Auditing and developing inclusive policies. Encouraging applications from a diverse range of candidates. Providing comprehensive professional learning and development for staff, including collaborations with the African Caribbean Education Network and The Old Chambers . Promoting appropriate language, curiosity, and critical thinking through the DEI Hub and form-time activities. Continuously evolving a diverse and inclusive curriculum across all subjects. Amplifying voices through student Diversity Officers, staff DEI Ambassadors, anonymous forums, assemblies, blogs, and academic lunches. Teaching cultural appreciation through diverse cuisines, customs, annual events such as the Culture Fair, and raising awareness of key dates. Encouraging students to take pride in their identity, starting with the provision of student name pronunciation videos for staff, and encouraging students to use the same name at school as they use at home. Analysing DEI surveys to address emerging needs within the student and staff communities.
Curriculum revisions
At St Swithun’s, we believe that education should reflect the world we live in and provide opportunities for students to engage with diverse perspectives. With this goal in mind, we are proud to share where departments have made significant strides in revising their curriculums to be more inclusive and representative. Below is a glimpse into the changes that have been made across various subjects: Science: Introduction of teaching resources that contain information about the contribution of diverse scientists to that field; explicitly teaching about the crucial contribution of Henrietta Lacks to cancer research and recognition; LGBTQ+ inclusive discussions surrounding human reproduction; a black torso to teach human organs in biology. RPE (Religious and Philosophical Education): New modules that allow us to look at Islam and Hinduism in more depth at KS3, including more ideas from female and non-Western philosophers to name a few. History: L5 has a year-long focus on inequality of various types (e.g. female suffrage, decolonisation struggles, gay rights etc), and assemblies on focal points in the year such as Black History Month and LGBTQ+ History Month. Psychology: Students are encouraged to engage in DEI topics in and beyond the curriculum through termly projects, including a workshop dedicated to diverstiy and inclusion in psychological research. Modern Foreign Languages: Students are looking at each topic through a DEI lens, for example topics such as leisure consider the experience of people with disabilities and the family includes representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Economics: In particular students have built empathy and inclusive leadership through supra-curricular activites such as the GAIN Investment Challenge and Model United Nations. In both investment and diplomacy, women are historically underrepresented. Supporting our students to build skills in these fields aims to give them the confidence needed to pursue pathways which could lead to careers in these areas. English: This includes diversifying and decolonising our curriculum, to help counteract over a century of teaching of the subject which has prioritised literature as it is written and recieved by white males. Our ambition is that by the time students arrive in an A-level classroom, they have a reading history that has led them through a deep range of perspectives that can underpin their skills of empathy and enquiry. Mathematics: We believe that the discipline of mathematics thrives on the conributions of a diverse range of individuals. For example L4 and U4 mathematicians have delved into the lives and achievements of various female mathematicians, and we celebrate International Women in Mathematics Day here at the school. Please note that while these specific departments are highlighted, all departments have been actively working towards diversifying their curriculums.

Our Approach

We systematically integrate the nine protected characteristics across all aspects of school life, including students, staff, and policies. Our initiatives include:

Auditing and developing inclusive policies.
Encouraging applications from a diverse range of candidates.
Providing comprehensive professional learning and development for staff, including collaborations with the African Caribbean Education Network and The Old Chambers .
Promoting appropriate language, curiosity, and critical thinking through the DEI Hub and form-time activities.
Continuously evolving a diverse and inclusive curriculum across all subjects.
Amplifying voices through student Diversity Officers, staff DEI Ambassadors, anonymous forums, assemblies, blogs, and academic lunches.
Teaching cultural appreciation through diverse cuisines, customs, annual events such as the Culture Fair, and raising awareness of key dates.
Encouraging students to take pride in their identity, starting with the provision of student name pronunciation videos for staff, and encouraging students to use the same name at school as they use at home.
Analysing DEI surveys to address emerging needs within the student and staff communities.

Curriculum revisions

At St Swithun’s, we believe that education should reflect the world we live in and provide opportunities for students to engage with diverse perspectives. With this goal in mind, we are proud to share where departments have made significant strides in revising their curriculums to be more inclusive and representative.

Below is a glimpse into the changes that have been made across various subjects:

Science: Introduction of teaching resources that contain information about the contribution of diverse scientists to that field; explicitly teaching about the crucial contribution of Henrietta Lacks to cancer research and recognition; LGBTQ+ inclusive discussions surrounding human reproduction; a black torso to teach human organs in biology.
RPE (Religious and Philosophical Education): New modules that allow us to look at Islam and Hinduism in more depth at KS3, including more ideas from female and non-Western philosophers to name a few.
History: L5 has a year-long focus on inequality of various types (e.g. female suffrage, decolonisation struggles, gay rights etc), and assemblies on focal points in the year such as Black History Month and LGBTQ+ History Month.
Psychology: Students are encouraged to engage in DEI topics in and beyond the curriculum through termly projects, including a workshop dedicated to diverstiy and inclusion in psychological research.
Modern Foreign Languages: Students are looking at each topic through a DEI lens, for example topics such as leisure consider the experience of people with disabilities and the family includes representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
Economics: In particular students have built empathy and inclusive leadership through supra-curricular activites such as the GAIN Investment Challenge and Model United Nations. In both investment and diplomacy, women are historically underrepresented. Supporting our students to build skills in these fields aims to give them the confidence needed to pursue pathways which could lead to careers in these areas.
English: This includes diversifying and decolonising our curriculum, to help counteract over a century of teaching of the subject which has prioritised literature as it is written and recieved by white males. Our ambition is that by the time students arrive in an A-level classroom, they have a reading history that has led them through a deep range of perspectives that can underpin their skills of empathy and enquiry.
Mathematics: We believe that the discipline of mathematics thrives on the conributions of a diverse range of individuals. For example L4 and U4 mathematicians have delved into the lives and achievements of various female mathematicians, and we celebrate International Women in Mathematics Day here at the school.

Please note that while these specific departments are highlighted, all departments have been actively working towards diversifying their curriculums.

"To me, DEI is important because it represents the idea that everyone deserves equal opportunities and rights regardless of who they are. I feel that DEI also encourages diverse perspectives which helps to advocate for a world where everyone is respected and feels empowered. It allows me to express my opinions without being ashamed or conscious of who I am and allows me to fully embrace my identity."

- Swan Teng S, current student

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