Bristol as a city is impressively ethnically diverse. It's home to people from more than 180 countries, who follow 45 religions and speak 91 languages.
This means that diversity to represent such people is necessary across all of the cities institutions. And this includes schools.
Schools across the city are home to students with a range of different heritages and it is therefore their job to ensure that all of their attendees feel represented. And one school, John Cabot Academy, take that task seriously.
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Knowing that their student body is wonderfully diverse, John Cabot took the time to set up a school equalities council to tackle inequality and diversity. A representative for the school said: "Students felt that we needed to celebrate the student diversity that we have at JCA and educate one another about different cultures that exist at our school."
And so, they decided to introduce a day annually that's dedicated to doing things a little differently. 'Culture Day'.
The day brings a range of ways for all at John Cabot, students and teachers, to immerse and educate themselves about the cultures of their peers. "Students can expect food tasting, live music, a cultural clothing fashion show (organised by Year 10 students), education about different cultures through class lessons and visiting speakers and organisations who champion equality and diversity," a spokesperson for the school added.
On culture day, not only are there fun ways to engage with different cultures but lessons are also made to prioritise inclusivity. Teachers are made to ensure that their lessons reflect cultural diversity in some way - whether that be maths or P.E.
And in the run up, students take the reigns by delivering assemblies to whole year groups to make all students aware of the activities that are upcoming. Students emphasise how important it is that they take a lead role, saying: "[it's] very important that students have the input because it is for students and [it's] a way for them to celebrate their different cultures".
The school also has plans for Culture Day to eventually include the wider community too. A spokesperson for the school said: "We would like to expand our culture day into our parent/carer community and get families more involved in building the community at JCA.
"This could also spill out to our local Kingswood community. Some students have come up with the idea of having an evening event with musicians, poets etc and a feast of cultural foods and inviting families along."
The students know the importance of having not only their own cultures celebrated but also that of their peers. One student said: "culture day is a day to celebrate but also learn and embrace other people's cultures".
Students also shared that Culture Day not only allows their experiences to be shared during the event but impacts their educational experience all year round. "Students and staff can experience different cultures and food and how people dress in different cultures, it educates them" one student said.
Another added: "it brings acknowledgement of different cultures, which is very important." Agreeing with this statement another pupil explained: "some students are very uneducated about different backgrounds, this can be challenging for those who are in the minority from a culture and therefore find it very lonely to be around others."
And whilst the students say their favourite part is seeing all of the cultural clothing and tasting all of the foods; they also can't wait to see all of their peers get involved with the things that are dear to them.
And they want to see Culture Day made the norm in all schools, not just their own. A John Cabot student added: "Most schools in Bristol are multicultural. It is important from a young age to embrace different cultures and educate staff and students about people's heritage as this is an important part of student's feeling heard and belonging to a school".
