At Shrewsbury High we celebrate the talents, aspirations and individuality of every member of our student body. We also recognise that there is much to do, globally, nationally and locally to ensure that deep seated and fundamental inequalities are addressed. Students across Shrewsbury High are leading this conversation in school with their peers, and joining with students from across the GDST as part of the GDST’s Undivided commitment to diversity, inclusion and real change. Here are some examples of what our pupils have been up to recently.
Amira Year 6
As part of the Undivided Committee, our job is to make sure that everybody feels welcomed and equal at our school. I have met with other pupils from all of the GDST schools on Teams to share ideas about how other schools represent all people from their community. In our meetings, we have been planning an assembly to perform to our school that focuses on inspirational people throughout history. My part will celebrate the role that Beyoncé plays in supporting black people. We have also thought of events to raise awareness of diversity within our school.
Darcy Year 10
As a new student at Shrewsbury High School, I felt like I should take advantage of what SHS has to offer and furthermore what the GDST has to offer.
In the last year I have had the opportunity join many clubs, one of them being the diversity and inclusion committee.
As part of the Diversity and Inclusion committee I was able to represent Shrewsbury High School at the GDST Undivided Meeting. The focus of this meeting was to discuss the student survey that was sent out across all GDST schools last November, but also to provide a safe space for students to share experiences and achievements within each school.
The future of the undivided meetings will always change depending on pressing issues at hand, but will always be a place where schools can give feedback to representatives of the GDST and improve and grow alongside others. It will be a place where schools can share resources and discuss issues that affect all schools.
Aaina and Libby Year 12
We are part of the SHS BLM Club which runs every week on Tuesday lunchtimes. Since we came back to school after the summer lockdown, we have looked at the racial issues and discrimination which has been happening in the media as well as in our own lives. We started with defining key terms such as microaggressions (small actions which point out how someone is different) and looking at examples eg. touching a black person’s hair. We also made an assembly in which we voiced some of the racism a few of us have faced in everyday life as well as having people talk about why they come to the club and what it has done for them. In the coming year, we hope to continue this Sixth Form led club with the focus on BLM and LGBTQ+ alternation every week. Our aim is to keep our school as inclusive as it possibly can be and keep conversations flowing about tough topics. We want our club to be a safe space for any questions, concerns or stories students or teachers may wish to share. We want to be at the forefront of change within our school, with our primary focus on increasing transparency surrounding minority issues as well as educating students and staff on how they can be inclusive and an ally on a personal level. This is open to all students and teachers and it is important to us that everyone’s voice is heard. Please come along at any point during lunch on Tuesdays, you can stay as long as you like!
You can read the GDST’s Charter for Action and find out more about the GDST’s Undivided commitment at https://www.gdst.net/about-us/undivided/
