Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Every member of our community should feel a distinct sense of belonging. To this end, we strive to create an environment that enables everyone to truly flourish. To be an Exonian means to be celebrated as a unique individual, as well as being part of a welcoming and inclusive community. Whether a pupil or a parent, a staff member or a member of the wider community, everyone at Exeter School should feel empowered to be themselves and to have their voice heard.

EDI At Exeter School

As a school we uphold the rights of all protected groups outlined by the Equality Act 2010 (background, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socioeconomic status), as well as those who are neurodiverse, speak English as an additional language, or have any other learning support needs. We are both proactive and reflective in the support we offer, which includes but is not limited to:

  • Providing carefully considered pastoral support for pupils with protected characteristics
  • Tackling discriminatory behaviour with consistency
  • Raising awareness of the impact of prejudice and discrimination within school and how we can all play our part in reducing this, both pupils and staff
  • Reviewing the curriculum and pastoral programme to ensure those with protected characteristics are represented and celebrated
  • Recognising the importance of celebrating Exeter School’s past through connecting with our alumni, as well as looking to the future as part of our commitment to continuous improvement

 

Pupil Involvement

At Exeter School we recognise the importance of working with pupils in order to enact change that is meaningful and effective. Pupils are encouraged to make their voices heard in a number of ways and also have access to our ‘Whisper’ platform should they wish to raise an anonymous concern. Our pupils are enthusiastic and motivated in their promotion of equality and have attended EDI conferences as part of organised school trips, established their own clubs (including South and Southeast Asian society and the Soroptimist Society) and led assemblies for their peers on EDI issues.

Pupils are also invited to use our school council as a means by which to express both their own views and the views of their peers. The school council includes a range of pupils from every year group and house who put themselves forward for election at the beginning of the year. The council meets every half term and is attended by members of the senior leadership team who support and facilitate the discussion.

Parent Voice

We recognise that parents also have valuable perspectives to offer on inclusion and diversity, and to this end we have established a parental forum specifically designed to discuss these issues in detail, both celebrating the successes of the school and identifying pathways to improvement.

Character Education

As part of our commitment to character education at Exeter School, pupils in our senior school receive lessons on character and practical wisdom, through which they explore how to respond to current issues and how to navigate the challenges of life in an informed and responsible manner. Within these lessons we cover topics related to diversity and inclusion, providing pupils with time and space to debate these themes.

East Asia Society

The East Asia society meets weekly throughout the year, is one of our best attended clubs, and is largely pupil-led. Pupils are welcome to attend regardless of their own culture and ethnicity, and the time is spent exploring east and southeast Asian culture, playing mahjong, eating food and learning more about what makes the countries in this part of the world unique. Pupils regularly deliver talks on specialist subjects to their peers and staff are also welcome to attend.

Q&A Society

The Q&A society is open to all pupils with an interest in matters of gender and sexuality. The acronym refers to ‘Queer community and Allies’, and weekly meetings are attended by members of the LGBTQ+ community in school, those exploring their gender or sexuality, and by supporters of the queer community and those wishing to deepen their knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues. Each week the people visiting this safe space set the agenda for the session, and this ranges across celebration, concern and debate, often in quick succession: they explore queer representation in youth fiction and movie series, LGBTQ+ issues in the news locally and internationally, possible improvements in the school’s support of the queer community, and sometimes simply chat about life in general.

Exeter School Library

The library is a welcoming place for everyone and the collection it holds is built to represent the diversity of the whole school community and beyond. We believe that reading books with diverse characters by diverse authors helps us to see and understand ourselves and each other. Themed displays throughout the year highlight and promote these books, and the authors the library invites to inspire pupils to develop a love of reading also represent this diversity.