More than 7,000 schools set to celebrate LGBT+ inclusion this School Diversity Week

More than 7,000 schools across the UK are set to celebrate LGBT+ inclusion and allyship during School Diversity Week. 

This year, the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality run by charity Just Like Us is taking place 24 to 28 June. 

By signing up to take part, primary and secondary school staff can access LGBT+ inclusive resources for free. This year, 7,000 schools are signed up to get involved.

Schools across the UK will be marking School Diversity Week 2024 by getting involved in a wide range of activities from LGBT+ inclusive lessons, to storytime activities, to assemblies and school talks from Just Like Us, to fundraisers with Rainbow Ribbons and a Rainbow Friday dress-up day.

Pupils will be learning about diverse families, how to be allies to their peers, LGBT+ history, hearing inclusive stories told by LGBT+ children’s authors and celebrating diversity.

Grace, a primary school teacher in Yorkshire said their school will be “bringing awareness and shining a light on how we celebrate diversity.”

“We are looking forward to having a whole week focusing on celebrating differences and being PROUD of who we are, who we may become and acknowledging those who came before us,” Grace added.

Kay, a secondary school teacher in Wales, said: “There are more than 1.5 million LGBTQ+ people in the UK – School Diversity Week encourages students to embrace diversity and be more inclusive and tolerant of differences in not just identity, but all of the Protected Characteristics. Intersectionality needs to be discussed, and young people educated, if we want to ensure all young people feel fully safe and included in our communities.”

A primary school pupil said they are looking forward to celebrating because “diversity, to me, means everybody being different and celebrating their differences.”

A secondary school pupil said they are excited for School Diversity Week because: “I think it widens the school community. It strengthens us because then we know that everyone is accepted, everyone gets treated equally.”

Actor and patron of Just Like Us Jonathan Bailey said: “I am a very, very proud patron of Just Like Us. School Diversity Week is an important time to learn and to celebrate LGBT+ young people and allies. More than 7,000 schools across the UK are signed up to take part in School Diversity Week this year. If you are taking part, you are helping make history. 

“Growing up, for me, I struggled to find representation and I know I would have benefited massively from even having the conversation around queer lives in school. Just to hear the words in the classroom. It’s initiatives like School Diversity Week that are making that happen.” 

Laura Mackay, Chief Executive of Just Like Us, the LGBT+ young people’s charity, said: “The climate for LGBT+ young people is challenging right now, so it’s incredibly encouraging to see that more than 7,000 schools across the UK will be celebrating School Diversity Week this year. I am especially grateful to the teachers and school staff who are making this possible, ensuring that pupils are able to learn about allyship, kindness and celebrating all of our differences. 

“I am very proud of the huge range of free resources we are able to offer to schools, allowing schools to celebrate in whatever way works best for them, and I look forward to seeing the joyful and creative ways that those we work with mark School Diversity Week 2024.”

School Diversity Week is supported by headline sponsor JPMorgan Chase & Co., as well as Addleshaw Goddard and Primary School Champion iCandy.