Diversity
We are a non-denominational school and we celebrate the wide range of cultures within the school community. 26 languages are spoken by our children and we have pupils from a range of ethnicities, nationalities and religious backgrounds. We run an annual Languages Day to celebrate the many languages and cultural traditions within our Parkgate House community. We highlight key world religious festivals, including Diwali, Ramadan and Hanukkah as well as Christmas and Easter. Parents are often keen to talk to our younger children about different cultures to enhance their understanding of different cultural traditions; for example, we recently held an interactive nursery Diwali workshop and a Reception Hanukkah workshop. At Parkgate House we feel privileged to be teaching children of different nationalities and cultures. We are extremely proud of the multi-culturalism at Parkgate House and the opportunity it offers our pupils to learn about and appreciate different cultures.
During lessons and as part of school life we celebrate diversity in its broadest sense and promote acceptance and respect. Our curriculum allows the children at Parkgate House to regularly learn about, and to be inspired by, individuals of all abilities from all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexualities, religions and ethnicities. It is important for us as a school that the celebration of differences is embedded in our lessons and discussed frequently throughout the year.
We run a Diversity Day to further highlight the importance of celebrating difference and promoting inclusivity, and every child from the Nursery to Prep 6 attends a range of workshops to gain an insight into the lives of people who are different to themselves. These whole school events are highly beneficial in helping children to develop an awareness and understanding of and empathy for those with different life experiences and challenges, which ultimately helps us to achieve our goal of enabling each child to become the best possible citizen within their communities. We also encourage the children to ask questions, speak freely and reflect on what they have experienced.
The PSHE and RE curriculum advocate diversity and teach pupils about ‘Celebrating Difference’, creating a healthy school culture. In many of our lessons we explore key dates, including Black History Month and Holocaust Memorial Day. School and Department assemblies provide further opportunities to celebrate diversity within our school, nationally and on a global scale.