Diversity Day at Rupert House

Children arrived dressed to represent a specific country, wearing either the colours of a national flag or traditional national dress. The vibrant display of outfits helped spark conversations about different cultures from around the world.

We were also delighted to welcome several parents who generously gave their time to share insights into their home countries. Alexandra Diaz Martinez, Isabella's mother, spoke to Year 5 about Colombia. She explained the diversity of cultures, peoples, climates and ecosystems that make up the country’s rich social and physical landscape, helping pupils gain a deeper understanding of this vibrant South American nation. While Mr Kellett introduced Year 1 pupils to life in Canada. We are extremely grateful to both of them for sharing their knowledge and experiences with the children.

Throughout the day, lessons across the school incorporated a cultural diversity focus. In Year 4, pupils discovered that French is the official language in 29 countries around the world. Using atlases, they located these countries and coloured them on a map, developing both their geographical knowledge and their understanding of the global reach of the French language.

Year 5 pupils used their devices to research French-speaking countries. They were fascinated to discover the number of French-speaking nations across different continents. As Maisie observed, “There are lots of French-speaking countries in Africa.”

Meanwhile, in Year 6 Maths, the children investigated a range of ancient number systems that predate the Arabic numerals most widely used today. They learned how to count using Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Babylonian systems and discussed some of the advantages of Roman numerals, including their brevity when writing large numbers – such as using “M” to represent 1,000 – and the ease with which symbols such as I, V and X could be carved into stone.

The afternoon provided further opportunities for children to share their learning and celebrate the rich diversity that makes our community so special. Diversity Day was a wonderful reminder of the value of learning from one another and appreciating the different cultures, traditions and experiences that contribute to life at Rupert House.