Undivided - Sydenham High School

Undivided

“Pupils have a very strong sense of social justice, social responsibility and equality.” (ISI)

Undivided

“Pupils have a very strong sense of social justice, social responsibility and equality.” (ISI)

Undivided

“Pupils have a very strong sense of social justice, social responsibility and equality.” (ISI)

GDST Charter for Action

  • A culture of inclusion

    • We will continue to embed a culture of inclusion. A community where everyone feels that they belong and where every person is valued and supported. This will encompass what and how we teach, the role models we elevate, the voices we amplify, and the cultures and faiths we celebrate.

  • Pupils

    Education and the school experience

    Pupils 

    • We will create opportunities for pupils to share feedback, discuss ideas and contribute to their whole-school diversity and inclusion strategies, as well as that of the GDST.
    • We will have a representative on the GDST Student Diversity Council which will feed into organisation-wide action plans for increased diversity and inclusion.
    • We will ensure that school policies are clear, visible, and inclusive of every pupil.
    • We will regularly survey our pupils so that their experiences can be channelled to make measurable improvements.

  • School community

    School Community

    • We will work with our school governors and other stakeholders in developing our own pledges on diversity and inclusion;
    • Senior school leaders will engage with families regularly, to ensure everyone feels listened to and represented.
    • We will share resources with the wider school community to educate themselves on issues of diversity and inclusion.
    • We will work collaboratively with local schools in activities and subjects that support a diverse and inclusive education, as part of ongoing outreach work.

  • Staff, trustees and governors

    Representation, recruitment, training, and progression

    Staff, trustees and governors:

    • We will regularly review our recruitment policies and practices, and ensure those engaged in recruitment are equipped to draw candidates from as wide and varied a pool as possible.
    • We will provide a robust programme of training for all staff on issues of bias, beliefs, and behaviours.
    • We will further enhance our continuing professional development programme to support the career progression of all staff.
    • We are committed to appointing candidates to leadership and governance positions that better reflect the diversity of our students and of society.

  • Key actions completed since signing up to the GDST Charter for Action

    • Undivided Calendar for diversity and inclusion embedded in to school calendar
    • We have signed up to The Halo Code and hosted a webinar with the founders, one of whom is an alumna of Sydenham High
    • Curriculum review with parents
    • Ongoing curriculum diversification across all subjects

    Halo code for schools

    Pupils
    • Afro-Caribbean Society
    • LGBTQ+ Society
    • Undivided Club at Prep
    • Pupil and staff book clubs, reading books such as ‘How to Be an Anti Racist’ by Ibram X Kendi.
    • Pupil led assemblies and opportunities for discussion and reflection
    • Neurodivergent speakers
    • Year 12 Diversity Prefects 
    • Undivided Prefects at Prep School
    • Annual pupil voice surveys
    • Student focus groups:
      • Undivided Action Group
      • Neurodiversity Group
    • Phonetic registers to ensure pupil names are always pronounced correctly
    Staff
    • Undivided Staff Community Group – staff collectively discuss and reflect upon all things undivided, this ranges from our ongoing journey to build a more balanced curriculum,  book clubs, staff training opportunities, analysis of student voice and open conversations regarding staff experience of working for Sydenham high school.
    • Staff INSET day on unconscious bias plus regular webinars such as ‘Building a Balanced Curriculum’ with speakers from The Migration Museum, The Black Curriculum, Book Love and Fill in the Blanks
    • Recruitment processes have been reviewed and adjusted in order to appeal to a broader range of applicants
    • Staff learning streams on topics such as neuroplasticity and neurodiversity

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