Several weeks ago, St George’s pupils were privileged to welcome Ria Kalsi back to the school. Ria opened up some fascinating conversations and stimulated thinking about privilege, unconscious bias, and how to start to walk in another person’s shoes in order to understand the world from their perspective.
In an assembly last week, Miss Wooldridge’s tutor group articulately challenged and explored what it means to be ‘uniquely you’. They considered the many ways in which we can all, as a community, show a greater appreciation and understanding for one another, hence enabling us to grow and develop our own sense of self and our connection to the world and people around us.
A lot of work has been done to raise conscious thought about cultural differences within the school community at St George’s. Pupils and staff have gained insight and empathy for people who have very different lives to those experienced by pupils and staff in the school community. This includes outreach work in the local community, fundraising and collections for charities including Ukrainian refugees and for the charity Mind.
The ambition of the school is to ensure that when girls leave the Sixth Form, they have had a healthy balance of exposure to, and education about, real-world experiences and one of the other aspects recognised at St George's as vital to teenage development is a thorough understanding of relationships, identity and sexuality. This is discussed during core curriculum time in PSHE lessons which provides a valuable forum for the girls, along with the Diversity and Inclusion Group and Diversity Club.. This year sees the 50th anniversary of Pride, and St George’s is committed to being an inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ pupils are a welcome part of our diverse community. With the new role from September 2022 of the Diversity and Inclusion Prefect there is an opportunity for us to seek even more feedback from all pupils on this, and all the elements of diversity and inclusion that make up life at St George’s. Not only does this focus on each individual and their sense of self and belonging but it will help to ensure all our pupils are well prepared for the realities of life now and in the future.