Education key to promoting diversity, says Purton schoolteacher

Assistant headteacher at Bradon Forest School Paul Dipple has launched several initiatives since he arrived in Purton in September last year to champion and celebrate diversity.

He told the Adver: “I was born in London and diversity has always been important to me because I have lived within a diverse community all my life.

“I’ve only been here for a year and a bit, and it was my main aim to make sure we had things in place and that we are celebrating diversity.”

The school has a pro-diversity student group, where they can meet and pitch ideas.

He added: “The aim of them is to challenge the curriculum content that we put out there, and also the operational procedure just to ensure the school constantly maintain and strengthen our beliefs and diversity.

“The students lead that, and we have a member of staff that works with them.

“Students are pleased that it exists. Young people are passionate about diversity. And so, therefore, it is our job at school to give them the platform to celebrate diversity.”

Member of the pro-diversity group Sean Appiah Otoo, 11 said: “Diversity is key to living in a successful community and it is therefore important that we celebrate diversity through all that we do”

As part of Black History Month, Paul is showing his students several films promoting diversity.

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Paul believes educating children now will influence the next generation.

He added: “All of those people will be leaders in our society. And if we do not educate them to celebrate diversity at this age, then that is going to have a negative impact on society in the future. We are creating the leaders of the future.

“We want them to celebrate diversity because, in the future, that means that diversity would be celebrated even more in our society, that’s my aim while I do it. I do it because I really want to improve society at the end of the day.”