Diamond Award for cultural diversity

Diamond Award for cultural diversity


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Published: 16 August 2010

Canon Slade School in Bolton is to be congratulated on becoming only the third school in the country to achieve the Cultural Diversity Standard Diamond Award.

The achievement is all the more remarkable because the Church of England secondary school does not have significant numbers of pupils from ethnic minorities.

Senior Deputy Head, Revd Craig Watson said, “This award, the first for a school in the North, says a lot for the work we do to engage students with Asian communities, both in Bolton and internationally in Pakistan.

Canon Slade provides opportunities for cultural diversity within its curriculum. Lesson planning, schemes of work and strategic planning all consider opportunities for enhancing community cohesion and celebrating cultural diversity while challenging student perceptions.

Revd Watson said, “We have links with five schools in north Pakistan. We chose this region because it is the area from which some of the Bolton Asian community originates and because Manchester Diocese has links with Lahore. Our curriculum is enriched by the links. For example, students have been learning about Pakistani truck art.

“Lessons in Urdu are on offer to pupils, not just those of Asian heritage. These are delivered jointly by staff and the local Urdu-speaking community.

“We have a parent currently visiting schools in Sialkot, Pakistan, and on a recent visit of Pakistani teachers to Canon Slade, pupils could converse with them in their own language.”

The school also has international links with Japan and offers exchange visits.

Revd Watson added, “By engaging with people from different cultures, our students learn to understand the difference between faith, culture and ethnicity. They have the opportunity to challenge one another and learn from one another.”


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