At Westwood, we believe that children should learn about the rich and diverse society in which we all live and which we all share. We want our pupils to feel fully included themselves and to be welcoming and accepting of others, whatever their background, beliefs or situation.
We therefore set out on a journey at the end of 2024, to work towards the Lancashire Equality Mark. This means working towards six different ‘badges’ over several years.
The six badges are:
- Race Equality Badge
- Sex Equality Badge
- Disability Equality Badge
- Socio-economic Equality Badge
- Sexual Orientation Equality Badge
- Religion and belief Equality Badge
Race and Religion Badge
We are currently working towards achieving our Race and Religion badge and our priorities are to:
- Ensure that all curriculum subjects, school displays, library books and other resources reflect religious diversity in a positive and constructive way.
- Support every member of the school community to develop an awareness of other religions as well as their own, if they have one. Explore the fundamental values, beliefs, stories, practices and traditions of each one, and encourage everyone to notice the similarities between them.
- Help all pupils understand that there are many religions (or belief systems) in the world, with many similarities and differences between them. Regardless of another person’s belief, treating people with respect is non-negotiable.
- Encourage pupils and staff to voice their opinions respectfully and to work together to resolve any difficulties in embracing religious diversity, including the fact that some people have no religion or belief.
- Discuss with pupils stories which appear in the local or national media and help them recognise any signs of prejudice; consider alternative representations of the stories that are being reported.
- consider and review policies or actions which may have an adverse impact on people from particular religions.
- Treat religious diversity in school as a rich learning resource.
- Ensure that all staff challenge any faith-based bullying incident consistently.
The Halo Code
At Westwood, we uphold our core value of respect, and we are proud to have adopted The Halo Code, the UK’s first black hair code.
The Halo Code explicitly protects students and staff who come to school with natural hair and protective hairstyles associated with their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities.
Our commitment to The Halo Code is a commitment to respect, inclusion, and celebration of diversity. By adopting the Halo Code, we are proactively taking a stand to ensure that no member of their community faces barriers or judgments because of their Afro-textured hair.
