Awards and Accreditations

David Livingstone Academy awarded for commitment to racial equality

David Livingstone Academy, a part of the successful STEP Academy Trust, has received national recognition for its efforts to improve racial equality and foster an inclusive culture, after being awarded the RACE Charter Mark Bronze Award by The Schools, Students and Teachers Network (SSAT).

The Thornton Heath primary academy received the award after extensive training with SSAT and developing a RACE Action Plan to consciously pursue equality and prevent all forms of racial discrimination across the school community.

SSAT commended David Livingstone Academy’s particular passion for enabling every child to take pride in their heritage and identity.

To receive the award, David Livingstone Academy also made the following changes:

• Working with other race equality leaders across the STEP Trust

• Creating safe spaces to challenge and discuss issues

• Addressing diversity within the curriculum to make all pupils feel positively represented and included

Throughout the application process David Livingstone Academy was supported by STEP Academy Trust, which has a strong anti-racist approach across all its schools that underpins its wider mission to improve the life chances of all children, no matter their circumstances.

David Livingstone Academy, says:

“Ensuring David Livingstone Academy is inclusive at every level is vital to the success of both our school and our students. I’m honoured that David Livingstone has received the bronze Award in recognition of our commitment to achieving true equality and inclusion.

“This goal is shared by STEP Academy Trust, which has supported our anti-racism work every step of the way and provided strong foundations on which we continue to build. These include career pathways for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic teachers, to improve accessibility to different careers within teaching. This forward planning will have fantastic long-term effects on the diversity of staff, especially in leadership positions.

“This Award is only the beginning of our journey. David Livingstone Academy will continue working with The Schools, Students and Teachers Network and STEP Academy Trust to implement our anti-racism action plan and ensure equality for every staff member and student within our walls.”

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Rights Respecting Schools: Achieving Our Silver Award

We are incredibly proud to have achieved the Rights Respecting Schools Silver Award. This recognises the work we have done to make children’s rights an important part of everyday life in our school.

To achieve Silver, we have worked together as a school community to:

• Learn about children’s rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Create class charters, helping pupils understand the rights and responsibilities that support happy, safe and respectful classrooms.
• Embed rights across our curriculum, giving children regular opportunities to explore and discuss their rights.
• Develop pupil voice, ensuring children feel listened to and know that their views matter.
• Promote respect and inclusion, encouraging everyone to respect both their own rights and the rights of others.
• Use the language of rights throughout school, helping children understand how our values, expectations and choices connect to their rights.

Achieving Silver is an important milestone on our Rights Respecting journey. We are now continuing to build on this work, empowering our pupils to become confident, respectful and active citizens who understand their rights and champion the rights of others.

Why does this matter?

Being a Rights Respecting School helps our children understand that every child has rights, regardless of who they are or where they come from. It gives them the knowledge and confidence to speak up, make positive choices and contribute to a school community where everyone feels safe, valued and heard.