One of the core values of Pioneer Educational Trust is to drive equality. This means providing all children and young people with equal access to an outstanding education and championing the vulnerable and disadvantaged but also to our commitment to drive equality in society, foster inclusion and celebrate diversity. As a multi-academy trust we are proud to serve a diverse and rich community.
Over the past months, we have become even more acutely aware of the horrors of racism and prejudice within our society. The killing of George Floyd, the shooting of Breonna Taylor and a number of hate crimes have understandably sparked a global outpouring of grief and anger.
Within our own community, we recognise the deep and profound impact that racism and other forms of prejudicial attitudes and behaviours have had on our children and their families, and our valued colleagues. We are here to listen, learn and take collective action to address inequalities in our community and society. As educators we are in a privileged position to take responsible action that can affect change over the long-term. In doing so, we will uphold Fundamental British Values and remain politically neutral.
In responding to this, and the many other instances of prejudiced and hateful attitudes and behaviours, this declaration makes clear our position to drive equality, taking an anti-racist position and critiquing and challenging any institutional racism in our organisation. Rather than virtue-signalling and taking knee-jerk action, we will ensure that we implement and sustain significant and systemic changes through considered, reflective and accountable action in line with the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty. We will embody our other core values – to drive collaboration, to invest intelligently and to pioneer – in encouraging and engaging in critical thinking and debate, in exhibiting unconditional positive regard and in embracing the discomfort that is necessary to officiate this ongoing process.
From September, Pioneer Educational Trust will work to establish an Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) steering group that will adopt an intersectional approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. This will be a collaborative process that will enable us all to be held to account for critiquing and challenging any institutional racism or prejudice, ensuring that policies and structures are revisited through the lens of EDI and identifying and actioning ongoing strategic priorities that will lead to a fairer and more equal community.
These strategic priorities will include but not be confined to:
- Trialling approaches to usualising diversity within the curriculum leading to a full review of the taught curriculum from 3 to 18;
- Educating pupils about discrimination and what to do if they encounter it;
- Providing wide-ranging and ongoing professional development, including training in unconscious bias for all colleagues;
- Being explicit and deliberate in addressing challenging subject matter in our actions and communications with children and young people, families, colleagues and the community;
- Critiquing and improving any policies or structures to ensure that they support and promote equality, inclusion and diversity, including diversity in leadership at all levels;
- Building a community of pupils, families and colleagues who are able to share their experiences knowing that they will receive support and that racism and discrimination will be challenged.
Over the past months, alongside anti-black racist incidents and events, we have also witnessed continued islamophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, homophobia and transphobia. Collectively, this creates a culture of suspicion, division and hatred. Minorities from all backgrounds and faiths and those with protected characteristics, have all struggled and suffered as a result of racism, bigotry, discrimination and prejudice.
We will be strong, brave and unremitting in challenging any form of prejudiced and discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, including looking at our own actions and behaviours. We will support every individual, demonstrating unconditional positive regard, to challenge and taking positive action including identifying any conscious or unconscious bias or prejudice. No individual will be made to feel lesser than or guilty. We believe in fairness, respect for one another, freedom to think critically and debate, and celebrating the wonderful diversity in our world and community. We are united in our compassion and respect for one another, and we will stand together.
We pledge to listen, learn and grow. We do not claim to be experts on all these issues but pledge to ask questions and educate ourselves.
We pledge to amplify our voices and not create a culture of silence.
We pledge to stand as allies and in solidarity.
We pledge to combat racism, prejudice and discrimination wherever we find it, and work in collaboration and partnership with our community to create a fairer, more equal and just society.