ACS International Schools – School group adds ‘Belonging’ to its ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ strategy

ACS International Schools, which has campuses in Egham, Cobham and Hillingdon, has evolved its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) charter to include ‘Belonging’ (DEIB) in response to reflection from their communities and DEI Council on what approach is most impactful for student wellbeing and success.

ACS International Schools prides itself on offering personalised learning, and supporting positive identity development is an important focus of that. Belonging, which ACS International Schools aims to foster – by creating opportunities for all students to feel seen, heard and to build trust – is a natural outcome of personalised learning that considers identity, wellbeing, celebration of diversity, and community.

Lauren Kelley, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Coordinator at ACS International Schools, said: “In order to learn, grow and become global citizens and creative problem-solvers of the future, young people need to feel like they belong, are valued and add value. At ACS International Schools, we listened closely to the feedback we received from our students and recognise the inextricable link between feeling a sense of belonging, wellbeing, and DEI. We are proud to now include this as part of our ethos and are excited to witness the positive impact across our entire school community.”

Student voice is a top priority at all ACS International Schools. Students are frequently given the opportunity to share their voices through student-led panels, student voice clubs, and councils. The schools appreciate the firm link between mental health and a sense that one’s voice matters, and therefore continuously look for opportunities to include student voice in our reflection and planning.

In partnership with the DEIB Council, the school group’s Senior Leadership Team has developed a diverse range of policies to ensure staff and students can connect with the updated ethos. These include introducing ‘Welcoming Gender Diversity Guidance,’ a name pronunciation tool called NameCoach, and an Inclusive Language Policy, as well as updating the Child Protection Policy to include identity harm. In doing so, ACS International Schools aims to ensure systems that may not have previously served all community members will now do so.

Lauren Kelley added, “We strongly believe in the power of the diversity of thought that comes from a range of lived experiences and cultures. To solve the challenges we face, we must welcome all voices into the conversation, and in order to do that, all of our community members must know that their ideas have value, that their voice is welcome, and that they themselves matter. This is perhaps the most vital benefit of Belonging.”