Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Black History Month at HAOC encourages students and staff to explore history, celebrate achievement, and engage in meaningful discussions. Through workshops, performances, art, and assemblies, students not only learn about the past but also reflect on how Black heritage shapes the world today. The month-long celebration fosters pride, curiosity, and respect for the contributions of Black individuals in Britain and across the globe.

School-Wide Activities

Across the school, we hosted a wide range of assemblies, workshops, and celebrations:

• Assemblies: Delivered by staff and students across all year groups to explore the themes of the year.
• Black Entrepreneur Marketplace: Students in Years 10, 12, and 13 received career advice from local business owners, offering mentorship and guidance.
• Music Workshops: African drumming and Samba workshops gave students hands-on experience with traditional music.
• Culture Club: Activities and talks celebrating cultures with a Black origin.
• Competitions: Students participated in book reviews and poetry competitions celebrating Black authors, with winners displayed in the library and on the school website.
• Recipes and Cooking: Staff and students tried traditional African and Caribbean dishes, including Jollof rice, celebrating heritage through food
• Movie Nights: Films were screened to encourage discussion and reflection.
• Inspirational Posters & Classroom Displays: Staff selected powerful Black figures from history to create posters, prompting curiosity and engagement among students.

Motivational Speakers

Over the years we have been lucky enough to welcome some amazing guest speakers, who met with students to share their inspirational stories and insights.  These have included;

Ije McDougall, Magistrate, HR/Employment Law Expert, and the Founder of The Kairos Initiative

Bernadette Thompson, OBE, Associate Director of Inclusion at King’s College Hospital NHS Trust

Lorraine Wright, MBE, British Ghanaian entrepreneur, Oxford Executive MBA graduate, and currently the Head of Partnerships at Amicable.

Art Exhibitions

Student artwork celebrating Black heritage is displayed prominently around the school during October, some examples of the wonderful tallent on display is shown below.

Each year in March, HAOC proudly hosts the #LetGirlsPlay football tournament in celebration of International Women’s Day, bringing together girls from local schools for a day of competition, teamwork, and fun.

The tournament brings together roughly 12 schools and 180 girls each year, who showcase incredible skill, determination, and sportsmanship. From the first whistle to the final goal, every player demonstrates just how far girls’ football has come, proving why opportunities like this are so important.

Over the years we have welcomed special guests Emma Samways and Hayley West from Hashtag United FC Women, Miss Joel from Thurrock School Sport, David Lewis from Masterclass Sports Tours, and members of the Kinetic Foundation.

We are thrilled to continue hosting these events and look forward to providing more opportunities for girls to play football and achieve success on and off the pitch.

Each February and June, our school community come together to mark LGBT+ History Month and PRIDE, honouring the LGBT+ community and the history of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969.

We celebrate the importance of inclusion, respect, and standing up for others; our students show incredible creativity, courage, and empathy through performances, discussions, and community activities.

We are proud of our students for embracing diversity and fostering an environment where everyone can feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

School-Wide Activities

Across the school, students, staff, and the EDI team organise a variety of activities to promote inclusion:

• Rainbow Cake Sale & Pride Products: Proceeds went to Stonewall, an LGBT+ charity.
• Music in Reception: Pride/LGBT+ themed playlists played each morning to celebrate diversity.
• Photo Booth Fun: Students enjoyed taking photos with colourful Pride-themed props.
• Kindness Tree: Notes of encouragement, kindness, and support were shared across the school.
• Sixth Form Podcasts: Year 12 & 13 students explored LGBT+ topics, stories, and allyship through podcasts
• School Displays: LGBT+ flags were displayed around the school, alongside inspiring quotes from prominent LGBT+ figures.
• Inclusive Lessons & Resources: Teachers designed lessons that included LGBT+ perspectives, while the student EDI team promoted reading lists and challenges celebrating LGBT+ literature.
• Pride Club: Continued each Wednesday lunchtime, offering a safe space for LGBT+ students and allies.
• Assemblies & Awareness: Students delivered assemblies on LGBT+ history and the significance of Pride, helping to educate and inspire the wider school community.
• Human Pride Flag: Students recreated the Pride flag on the school field by wearing coloured t-shirts.

Creative Arts Workshop & Performance

Students from our Pride Club, alongside talented dance and drama performers, participated in an LGBT+ creative arts workshop, which culminated in a moving performance at Thameside Theatre. Throughout the workshop, students collaboratively created original poetry, dance, and drama pieces that explored themes of discrimination, inclusion, and allyship.

The final performance was a powerful reflection of their creativity, courage, and empathy, inspiring the audience with honest portrayals of the challenges faced by the LGBT+ community. The video of this fantastic performance can be viewed by clicking on the image below.