Greenfield Community College’s Aycliffe Site celebrated diversity with a Rights Respecting Day for all students. Normal timetable was suspended as students had the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and workshops focussing on diversity.
The day, which was organised by Helen Duffy-Hare, Progress and Guidance Leader, centred on the areas protected by the equality act: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation.
The intended impact of the day was for a consistent message around school to embrace the difference in others. The aim was to see a reduction in the use of discriminatory language and give students the confidence to challenge / report this as appropriate. An additional aim was to give students a broader and deeper understanding of the inequalities which exist, their role in ensuring future equality and the benefits to all of living in a diverse society.
A range of external organisations and visitors worked with young people at Greenfield for the day. These included representatives from organisations Stonewall, Prevent, Show Racism the Red Card, Guide Dogs, DISC, and Durham Agency Against Crime amongst a busy programme. Students took part in drama activities, workshops and Paralympic sports.
Christine Stonehouse, Head of School at Greenfield said: “At Greenfield Community College we are proud to be a Rights Respecting School and we actively promote positive and inclusive values. We seek to embed these values into everyday life but this Rights Respecting Day provides quality time to gain a deeper understanding of diversity and to promote mutual respect as we prepare our students to be happy and successful in our increasingly diverse society.”
The day was a great success, with students and staff learning a great deal with positive comments. Each year group learnt something new about equality that challenged their perceptions and will support them in the future, one Year 10 student said: “It was a positive day which informed us about other cultures and religions. I feel more equipped to deal with situations that may arise in the future. It has opened our eyes to views and opinions from all perspectives, instead of just accepting what the media says.”
Helen Duffy-Hare, Progress & Guidance Leader said: “We would like to thank all of our guest speakers who were fantastic, engaging and inspirational. The afternoon sessions were buzzing with discussions, reflections and ideas of how we can continue to celebrate diversity in school.”
