29 September 2020
Thanks to the English Department working with a group of students, we have a prominent new Black Lives Matter reading list display along the busy English corridor.
GCSE curriculum changes place increased emphasis on British literary heritage texts and, consequently, white male writers. The removal of a range of multi-cultural texts means schools have less opportunity to explore issues of race in preparing for GCSE English exams. This reading list of fiction, non-fiction and poetry by a wide range of authors addresses some of the omissions in the current GCSE curriculum. With such a variety in the reading list, there should be something of interest to students across the school.
Alongside this display, our Librarian Mrs Owens recently bought some new books to extend our range in the library covering issues of diversity and race. This includes the recent book co-authored by former Woldingham Deputy Head Girl and Cambridge graduate Ore Ogunbiyi, ‘Taking Up Space: The Black Girl’s Manifesto for Change’.
Following agreement on the core areas within the equality and inclusion improvement programme, which are on the school’s website, detailed plans are now in development. These include training and awareness for staff and students, a curriculum review and recruiting more teachers who reflect the school’s diverse student community. Judge Ifey Munonyedi and Mr Tim Woffenden have taken on new roles as lead Governors for diversity and inclusion and they are championing this important area of improvement at governor level.