Groups give Sutton Coldfield school a voice on equality
Two pioneering groups at Sutton’s Fairfax School are ensuring that students’ voices are heard while helping students support each other on issues of diversity.
Since summer, students have organised alternating weekly meetings of an LGBTQ+ group at the school, after pupils expressed a wish to get more involved in the issue.
Assistant head Helen Williams said: “A while ago we asked the students what they would like to get more involved with, and there was a real appetite for a new Equalities group, which we set up.
“This talked about all kinds of issues like race, disability and mental health and led to brilliant projects on Black History Month and had input into the curriculum.
“Then, just before the summer, members said they wanted to set up a Pride group too, for the LGBTQ+ community.
“We now regularly have 40-50 students attend the LGBTQ+ each week, some of whom identify as LGBTQ+ but also many others who are allies – they are there to support their peers and their friends.”
“Both groups have been a great success and have been a really positive development within the school community, and they are very much student-led.”
Sixth Formers have been trained to lead the meetings, following guidance from LGBTQ charity Just Like Us.
“We knew from the start that it was vital that there was a strong structure to the meetings, to ensure that what the members did was supportive, educational and positive,” Mrs Williams said.
“The response has been great, as the older students have really liked how it has empowered them and taught them really valuable new leadership skills, while they are also setting a brilliant example for the younger kids too.
“But most of all, the groups are helping the students learn about respect in a very mature way, and how we should treat people the way that we want to be treated ourselves.
“There’s a lot of students at Fairfax who just want to make the world a better place, and we have been so encouraged by how they have embraced this opportunity to talk about really important issues in a positive way.”
Head of Academy Deborah Bunn said: “Fairfax is always proud to promote the British values of mutual respect and toleranceas part of our students’ character education.
"The groups have enabled students to take an active role in engaging their peers in issues of equality and diversity and we look forward to seeing the impact of these groups on our students’ personal development in the coming years.”
