Dear Parent / Carer

We are all aware of the ongoing, upsetting events in Israel and Palestine and the impact it is having on members of our school community. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the conflict.

Our school community is a diverse and inclusive one, comprising individuals with various backgrounds, beliefs and perspectives. We celebrate the diversity that exists amongst our students, their families and our staff and we work hard to maintain an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and safe.

We now that members of our community and their families may be personally affected by the events taking place and understandably this is a difficult and emotional time. As a school it is our responsibility to maintain a commitment to neutrality throughout the conflict, to ensure that education is not influenced by political bias in any way. 

We encourage open, respectful and informed discussion in our community about events happening in our country and the wider world. We use assemblies and coaching as vehicles to do this. By fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding, we can better prepare our students to navigate complex issues. We also encourage charity and supporting others in need and remain committed to working with politically neutral charities to support those people affected by conflict. Our student leaders coordinate this and will be sharing details of future events through coaching.

We want to reiterate our support for all those affected by the conflict whilst also stressing the need for a neutral stance within school. A small number of our Post 16 students and their parents have requested further guidance about the dress code in the Sixth Form. Please follow this link for a copy of the document. P16 dress code - 2023.docx  We hope it demonstrates our commitment to maintaining impartiality, something we know is essential in maintaining our inclusive, supportive and enriching educational environment for all of our students.

We thank you for your continued support with this and invite you to get in touch if you have any questions.

Kind regards

Louise Pratt

Vice Principal