UVHS believes that everyone is welcome in our school, and we have decorated reception with a supportive banner and flags around the site to join in with the festivities.

We also have two trails around the site that staff and students can take part in with a map to follow on the digital signage in each building. 

Trail 1: Subject Champions!

• We have displays in each subject area of a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who is a superstar for that subject.
• There are 26 information boards around school covering all areas of our curriculum.
• These include historical figures and current celebrities who have faced difficulties and paved the way for improving the rights of the community.

Trail 2: Pride Flag Trail!

• The first rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978.
• It has changed dramatically over this time, and we have another trail around school showcasing 16 different variations of this.
• This trail finishes with the “Allyship” flag. This has the sole purpose of representing heterosexual people who support the LGBT community as allies. Kindness towards everyone is something we promote in school, regardless of gender.

What’s Been Happening In Form Time?

We kickstarted Pride month by looking at the British Army. Students have learnt about important figures in history, including those who were pilots in WWII such as Roberta Cowell who transitioned from male to female in 1950, and also Military Cross winner Wilfred Owen.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people weren’t allowed to join the Army until 2000, though many did, and were proud to be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We have also watched videos from the British Army on diversity and allyship, and the need for reflection for those who did not feel welcome before 2000. You can find out more information about this here: https://jobs.army.mod.uk/base/lessons/lgbtq-voices/

Our Y10 Peer Mentors have also been working with Y7 form groups to help identify ways students can be role models to new students starting in September, show kindness to everyone, and the importance of looking back at history to make positive choices for the future.