Mortimer Community College students visit Parliament to promote inclusion in schools

Students from Mortimer Community College, a coeducational secondary school based on Reading Road in South Shields, travelled to London recently to promise inclusion and diversity in schools.

Mortimer Community College has been part of the Inclusion in Schools programme for the past year, which is run by the Institute of Physics (IOP).

The school joined forces with the IOP to help build up their curriculum in order to make it more inclusive and diverse.

Deputy Head Teacher, Joanne Thornton said: “We currently have 28 different languages spoken in the school, so we thought it was really important to look at different cultures, countries and religions within the curriculum, to ensure that all students feel welcomed and included.”

Mortimer Community School has also begun to teach their students about all types of people, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities.

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Thornton said: “We want to ensure that we have a good reflection of what our community is like, and ensure that our students are learning about things that they can relate to.”

Mortimer Community School were then invited by the IOP to join them in London, to promote their Limit Less campaign, which helps young people play their part in changing the world by making physics more accessible for underrepresented groups.

Four students made up of two Year 7’s, a Year 8 and a Year 10, all of whom had an interest in politics travelled to Westminster, to share their own experiences with MPs and Lords.

Mortimer Community School represented the Inclusion in Schools programme, and the students spoke of diversity within school, their support for inclusion, and their part in creating an inclusive environment at their own school

The students were joined by teachers and South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck, and while in London were given the opportunity to tour the House of Parliament and 10 Downing Street.

Thornton said: “It was an amazing experience for them.”

Mortimer Community College has a video promotion inclusion within their school, which can be viewed on their website.