DISABILITY AND NEURODIVERSITY AWARENESS WEEK
What is it like to be disabled or neurodiverse at Sevenoaks ? Our first week exploring these topics and experiences as a whole school community raised awareness and was a huge success .
After the success of the first diversity week last year , the EDI ( Equity , Diversity and Inclusion ) Action Group joined together with the Disability and Neurodiversity working group to create the Disability and Neurodiversity Awareness Week this January . Being disabled and on both committees meant that I had a unique insight into how the week worked , and after some initial concerns about how it would be presented , it was a resounding success ! We ran numerous assemblies , a bake sale , a sign language taster session and a movie night . We also raised money for the IREDE Foundation and JDRF and welcomed external schools and speakers , including Paralympians Will Bayley and Claire Danson , for sports sessions and to discuss the experiences of neurodivergent and disabled people .
One of the most memorable moments for me was the response to the tutor group activities throughout the week . Eliska Witney ( Lower Sixth ), Lilia Shrubsole ( Year 10 ) and I introduced the week to the school via three assemblies and the overwhelmingly positive responses from across the school were incredibly impactful . Being stopped by teachers or students to say how much they learned from the events was incredible and made the challenging conversations we had about stereotypes , community and access worth it . Furthermore , having the whole school stop and listen to our experiences , both in and outside school has meant a lot . I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while at Sevenoaks and the response from the school has transformed something that can be challenging into a way to make the school into a more inclusive community – an opportunity I will never forget .
Finally , I would like to thank the members of both committees , students and staff ! The planning that went into preparing for the week and the conversations weren ’ t always easy , but the week resulted in increased awareness of disabilities and neurodiversity , which is something I know will continue to be important to the school in the future because of the Disability and Neurodiversity working group .
Being disabled or neurodiverse at Sevenoaks can be difficult due to the fast-paced nature of life here ( speaking from my own experience !), nevertheless , the responses from this week have made me hopeful that for those coming through the school in the future , their experience will be as positive as can be .
Millie Britain , Upper Sixth
116 WELLBEING