Dear parent/carer,

Important and exciting news…

As you will be aware we remain fully committed to ensuring that each and every member of our community feels part of Team Durrington. We are so proud of the diversity that already exists within our school and equally of the richness this brings to our community.  Diversity is what makes us all different. It can be our race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical ability or beliefs and many other ways. We are firmly of the view that diversity is something to be celebrated,  supported and embraced and hence this letter to you.

So what next?

During the week of the 26-29 June, we will be taking part in National Diversity Week, which is a celebration of inclusion for all. In the run up to and during this week, we will be running a range of events both inside and outside the classroom to highlight the importance and value of diversity.  Events throughout the week will include 

• writing tutor group pledges for inclusion, 
• decorating doors with diverse role models, 
• leading assemblies on respect for all, 
• teaching within subjects about how our subjects promote and celebrate diversity,
• putting on a range of extracurricular activities just to name a few! 

Even more exciting news…

As part of Diversity Week governors, staff and senior students over a number of months have taken the opportunity to update (and make more diverse) our current company names. We will be making sure that the new company names are truly representative of Team Durrington and are keen that all members of our community are given the chance to put forward suggestions and students then all have the opportunity to learn about these new role models and vote on the final names. 

If you would like you to nominate an individual(s) who you think could be suitable to be the name of one of our companies please do so via the nomination form below.  We are looking for names (role models) who have made a real and sustained difference to others (either locally or in a national/international context).  Our key criteria for nominations are that

• all nominated individuals embody one or more aspects of our KAPP values (kindness, aspiration, perseverance and pride) through their actions and achievements, and 
• that the individuals/names chosen as a group are representative of our diverse and brilliant student body. 

Please complete the nomination form which can be found here by 9am on Monday 19th June. Company name nomination form

And finally….

There will be a non-uniform day on Thursday 29th June where we ask students to bring in an optional donation of £1 in cash in support of “Just Like Us”, or to pay through the Arbor link. Just Like Us is an LGBTQ+ young people’s charity who work with schools and young people across the UK to help ensure inclusion for all. In keeping in line with the theme of Diversity Week, we would encourage students to wear clothing in the colours of the rainbow. Please note that (as is normal) dress should be suitable and appropriate to an educational setting and should not be revealing, inappropriate (e.g with any form of slogan/message that could cause upset), or cover heads/faces in any way. Students must also not dye their hair or wear fancy dress. 

Thank you all so much in advance for getting behind and supporting these really important next steps for us as a whole school and community.

Kind regards,

Anna Ward

Assistant Headteacher