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Anti-Prejudice Week: Celebrating Identity, Courage, and Our Shared Stories

As part of our celebration and learning for Anti-Prejudice Week, our school community is taking time to listen, learn, and reflect on what it means to be kind, inclusive, and truly proud of who we are. Over the next fortnight, we are privileged to host a series of deeply special assemblies led by two of our wonderful Teaching Assistants, Miss Alen Filo and Miss Omanya. It takes an extraordinary amount of courage and vulnerability to stand in front of a hall full of young people and share personal lived experiences, and we are immensely grateful to both of them for opening their hearts to help nurture empathy, understanding, and self-love in our pupils.

This week, Miss Omanya led the Key Stage 1 assembly titled "My Grandma, My Hero". Using a mystery bag packed with intriguing objects, she shared the inspiring story of her grandmother, who runs the Hopeful Rays school in Kenya. The children explored what truly makes a hero, learning that you do not need to be famous to change the world - everyday kindness, compassion, and community spirit make a lasting difference. Meanwhile, Miss Alen Filo spoke to Key Stage 2 about her journey towards loving her identity as a Black woman and former St Stephen’s pupil. She spoke candidly about memories of her primary school days and the hurt caused by unkind comments about her skin tone and hair, taking the children on a powerful journey from feeling excluded to embracing her beauty, culture, and roots. She reminded older pupils that words hold the weight to either tear someone down or lift them up, urging everyone to use their voices to make others feel valued and seen.

Next week, our speakers will swap key stages so that every child in the school experiences both stories. Miss Omanya will deliver a deeply personal assembly to Key Stage 2 titled "There’s More to My Story", sharing her experiences of growing up Black and neurodivergent. She will talk honestly about being one of only three Black children at her school, facing racism, and navigating the challenges of dyslexia and ADHD, while also celebrating her proud achievements as a university graduate, researcher, published author, and illustrator. At the same time, Miss Alen Filo will speak to Key Stage 1 about how our differences make us special. Through her story of learning to love her curly hair and braids, she will encourage our younger pupils to stand tall, celebrate what makes each of us unique, and join together in declaring with confidence: "I’m proud of who I am!"

Both Miss Alen Filo and Miss Omanya have given our school community a priceless gift across these two weeks - real-life lessons in resilience, self-respect, and active inclusion. 

We encourage you to speak with your children at home about the assemblies they have attended and the stories still to come, reflecting together on what it means to be a kind, respectful, and welcoming friend to everyone.