Black Lives Matter

As an Academy, we do not align ourselves with any political party or movement. We do not tolerate racism or marginalisation of any community.

We support the view expressed by the Harris Federation that helping young Black people achieve the best possible exam results is a key way to improve their life chances.

The foundations of our Academy are the Chobham Values: Curiosity, Respect, Excellence, Inclusion, Empathy, and Honesty. We continue to use these values to make our Academy inclusive and strive to ensure equity and equality of opportunity, regardless of race, skin colour, or gender.

We have developed and will continue to create resources that foster a deeper understanding of these issues. We will further adapt the curriculum to better reflect the breadth of Black and other minority ethnic cultures represented at the Academy, thereby enhancing the knowledge and awareness of our entire community. It is important that all students and staff better understand:

The history and achievements of the communities that make up Chobham Academy
The role Black and other minority ethnic communities have played in the development of the modern world
Key reasons why modern Britain and the wider world are organised as they are today
How young people can make their voices heard to bring about change in peaceful and legitimate ways within our democracy
How young people can play a more active and constructive role in their local communities
The skills and attitudes young people need to be successful in the 21st-century world
How young people can showcase their skills and interests in ways that make them stand out as the best candidates for university places and employment

By pursuing these objectives, we believe we will help develop the confidence and self-esteem of all students, create spaces for young Black students to express their creativity, share their imaginations, and feel proud of their place in society.

Actions for future change

We are committed to further developing our curriculum and the attitudes and understanding of the Academy community in the following ways:

Conducting an audit of our current curriculum across the school to identify what is done well and which areas require improvement
Reviewing and updating the curriculum across all academic subjects to ensure it reflects the heritage and life experiences of our diverse student community. This includes incorporating resources that chart the Black British experience and the contributions of non-white communities globally. Students should understand the current status of their communities in historical, economic, and social contexts. While all subjects play a role, emphasis will naturally be placed on the humanities and literature
Delving deeper into the historical and contemporary BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) UK experience
Reviewing and improving the curriculum for Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE) and tutorial time. Tutor time, which occurs daily, is an excellent opportunity to discuss leadership, responsibility, and current affairs. We will ensure this time continues to develop students' knowledge, understanding, and skills
Enhancing the content of our half-termly innovation days to better reflect our objectives, particularly with a focus on democracy and participation
Implementing a program of staff training to help educators better understand the challenges affecting our students' lives and future prospects, including a focus on language and unconscious bias
Providing a program of activities aimed at improving students' social and presentational skills, enhancing their confidence and self-esteem, and helping them compete for higher education and employment opportunities
Creating more opportunities to celebrate the heritage and cultural diversity of our school community, particularly through our house and assembly systems. While it is important to address the negative experiences of BAME communities during and since the colonial era, the contributions of these communities must be celebrated. Our students should understand the remarkable achievements of BAME people
Encouraging greater community engagement through volunteering opportunities, such as assisting at food banks
Introducing a more diverse range of visitors, speakers, and role models for students to learn from
Featuring a wider range of books and other curriculum materials that represent diverse perspectives
Ensuring we provide high-quality, up-to-date careers guidance
Refining our mentoring program to focus on students where we can make the most significant impact, with a greater emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring
Expanding extracurricular opportunities (e.g., gym, boxing) to ensure they are accessible to a wider range of students, not just those perceived to have ‘earned’ the opportunity through poor behaviour
Seeking student input on how they perceive the curriculum and how they would like it to evolve
Engaging in discussions with students about how they feel they are perceived both in and out of school, and exploring how they believe these perceptions can be positively changed

We are committed to making our journey toward becoming a more inclusive and aware community an exciting and celebratory one. We recognise that there are many experiences in the histories and present lives of our BAME communities that must be addressed seriously and sensitively. However, our goal is to improve our students' futures through a deeper understanding of their pasts. We aim to equip our students to become happy, secure, and successful adults who take pride in their heritage. In turn, we hope this pride, along with the skills we help them develop, will inspire them to make meaningful contributions to their local communities and beyond.

Resources

Guide to Black History Month 2024 - https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/

Blm2 Chobham Academy BHM playlist: The playlist was created by staff and students to celebrate Black History Month. It is an opportunity to break down the myths of what black music is or represents.