Longvernal Primary School, in Midsomer Norton has been celebrating diversity with the help of Paulton student, Karrieanne Chedgy, who is in her final year studying media and film at Bath Spa University. Karrieanne has been helping each child at the school produce a piece of art which, when complete, will be made into a wall of pictures in the school hall. Longvernal is a Stonewall champion, which aims to tackle homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in local schools and to support LGBT young people in their community.
Each pupil will produce a piece of art which celebrates what makes them different and why they are proud of it, with the response having had a noticeable effect. Kerrie Courtier, Headteacher at Longvernal Primary School, said: “The children have been celebrating diversity in their lives, learning that we are all special in our own way. There are children living with two mothers or fathers, as part of a step-family, being cared for by grandparents, learning to live with bereavement, or who have family from different cultures and so on – the children have been very respectful of each other and there has been a real sense of openness and acceptance, which is wonderful.”
The project has taken five sessions and will continue for the rest of the school to complete. Karrieanne has been so inspired that she hopes to take the idea to different schools in her free time. She has previously worked with Aspire Academy, Bath, on an origami street art project and is due to move on to Bristol Children’s Hospital next.