Finham Pride Alliance
The Finham Pride Alliance, headed by Sixth Form students, actively engages with students and fellow students to advance LGBTQ+ inclusivity, thereby cultivating a secure and nurturing academic environment for all to thrive in. Our focus has always been to address the following issues in our school...
Strategic foci
- Distinguishing between identity and expression.
- Differentiating between usualising and normalising.
- Understanding the importance of respecting and using correct pronouns.
- Implementing more inclusive language practices throughout the school.
- Addressing the use of slurs and offensive language including in relation to the reclaiming of language.
- Strategies for supporting students in navigating these sensitive issues effectively and with discretion.
The engagement in discourse surrounding these matters is underscored by statistical evidence showing the widespread nature of adversities experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals within the education system. Research by Stonewall found around 45% of LGBTQ+ students encounter bullying while attending school. This statistic rises to 64% for Trans individuals. Distressingly high rates of self-harm amongst transgender students with 92% having reported thinking about taking their own life. This shows the necessity of our goal to increase proactive intervention.
Recognising the pivotal role of education in fostering inclusivity and resilience, the incorporation of LGBTQ+ themes into a curricular framework serves to validate diverse identities and experiences, thereby equipping students with the requisite skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of adulthood.
We have already made leaps in pursuit of this goal through training the faculty to deal with LGBTQ+ matters sensitively and appropriately, as well as smaller projects such as the production and distribution of pronoun badges to encourage the practice of respecting pronouns. We intend to take our projects further, including encouraging similar practices within sister schools and further supporting projects within our school.