Anti-Racism in the Independent School Sector: Five Years On – Where Are We Now?
We invite you to join us for a significant conference marking the five-year anniversary of ACEN’s registration as an organisation, which notably coincides with the murder of George Floyd.
This turning point brought long-overdue attention to the voices of parents, teachers, and students, advocating for change and greater awareness of both overt and covert racism within education. Shortly thereafter, the Everyone’s Invited movement emerged, both emphasising the importance of EDI in safety, belonging, and engagement in academic spaces.
In partnership with Eton College, we are commemorating this milestone, reflecting on five years since our inaugural annual anti-racism conference held at Dulwich College, and subsequent conferences at St Paul’s School, City of London School, and North London Collegiate School. This special anniversary conference will look back on the challenges still ahead, share key learnings, and consolidate best practice - while creating an opportunity to engage schools, particularly boarding schools, that have not yet been part of ACEN’s curated spaces, ensuring broader, expert-led participation in this crucial conversation.
What makes this conference different?
This year’s conference will bring together all school departments/functions with specially curated sessions, showcasing best practice in racial inclusion from those who have made a lasting impact in schools, as recognised by ACEN, students, parents, and cross school EDI leads & Heads. The sessions will be delivered to different departments covering:
- Deputies, Heads, and Governors
STUDENT CONFERENCE
In addition to school staff, we will also invite students (Y10 - 13) to join the event. They will attend the keynote sessions together with staff but will also participate in specially designed workshops:
- A session on balancing identity led by Andrew Isama, Master of Economics and Inclusion Education Officer at Eton College.
- A student-led workshop, designed and facilitated by the students themselves.
Student Registration: We encourage schools to register and facilitate the attendance of student groups. While the content of the day will be designed with students of African Caribbean heritage and other racially minoritised students in mind, all students are welcome to attend. Student tickets are free and include lunch and refreshments.
