Re: Student diversity at Harris Academy East Dulwich

[MelonSmasher]

I know someone currently studying at Harris Academy in East Dulwich (the one opposite Peckham Rye park). His class has a large majority of black students from what I've heard 90 percent plus, with the odd (1 from what I understand) white student. I haven't confirmed the exact numbers, but from what I've heard so far the lack of diversity is quite shocking.

I have no reasons to believe that the teaching or administration is anything short of excellent, this is purely a question of; is the lack of diversity, in your opinion, going to have any positive/negative effects when it comes to growing up and engaging with people who are not black in the future ie lack of exposure to other races? Would like to hear any opinions on the matter really.

The student I know would ideally be spending time with people of all races, beliefs and environments in general equally. The student I know is not black himself.

I hope no one sees this post as 'touchy' or me trying to say one race is better than the other either directly or indirectly, this is not the case in the slightest. The crux of the whole post being, living in London as we do, is this lack of diversity going to be a problem for the students now or later in life?

[AbDabs]

Mmm, now I went to a school where the majority of parents of my fellow students had been born and lived their entire lives within a twenty mile radius of the school. I suspect that was far more limiting than the fact that we were all much the same colour.

You will never find an institution that holds a perfect mix and fashion/lifestyle changes can be just as significant as any cultural differences so whatever you experience in youth may be of no help in later life.

[stress_head]

Would the prospect student feel the same about the lack of diversity if the vast majority of students were white?

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

It's london , you don't have to go far at all to find diversity .

[Loz]

stress_head Wrote:

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> Would the prospect student feel the same about the

> lack of diversity if the vast majority of students

> were white?

Maybe, maybe not. But a lot of other people would.

[*Bob*]

Touchy subject indeed. No doubt it will all kick-off with some inappropriate comment somewhere or other.

My personal opinion is that a lot of people would prefer a school which is reasonably reflective of the mix they experience in their day to day life, no more, no less. Which is pretty mixed, here in London - and all the better for it.

Many - (most, even?) of the local primaries are reflective of this mix.

Harris isn't. Not yet, anyway. I hope this will change.

[LondonMix]

I agree with Bob.

I think the ideal is a good social and ethnic mix in a school. A school that is all one thing is less than ideal but its not something I would be worried about.

People who tend to the only "fill in the blank" are very adaptable in my experience.

I am almost always the onlyor one of very few women in my industry. I don't even notice anymore much less feel uncomfortable with that.

[alice]

a narrow interpretation of diversity

[EDmummy]

My son attends the school, is white and has no problem with the diversity. He says in his year it's about 60\40 which is probably about the same as ED/Peckham/Nunhead combined area (not that he thinks it matters). It's true there has been very poor take up by local ED parents (we are in ED) and I would personally like to see this change, not for reasons of diversity but because I'd like it to be a local community school. My son is doing very well at the school and it works for him.

[James Barber]

EDmummy,

When I've visited ths school it has always been more mixed that the original poster suggests. Eitherway they've always been smart and engaged boys.

Many of the pupils do come from outside the immediate area. My hunch is that with great GCSE results this will change and it will increasingly become more and more a local community school reflecting the diversity of the neighbouring areas.

[aquarius moon]

My daughter left Kingsdale in 2010. When she joined the school was 85% black, 15% white.

She left school with black friends & white friends.

She then attended college with black friends & white friends.

She gets on well with everybody & has friends from all races & different cultures.

She thinks the same as I do.

Everybody is equal.

[EDmummy]

Great, James - close to the point I was making. This is my son's 3rd year there and has friends of every colour and creed - just like we, his family do.

James Barber Wrote:

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> EDmummy,

> When I've visited ths school it has always been

> more mixed that the original poster suggests.

> Eitherway they've always been smart and engaged

> boys.

> Many of the pupils do come from outside the

> immediate area. My hunch is that with great GCSE

> results this will change and it will increasingly

> become more and more a local community school

> reflecting the diversity of the neighbouring

> areas.

[Otta]

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote:

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> It's london , you don't have to go far at all to

> find diversity .

What she said.

[newboots]

I'm really surprised to hear those statistics MelonSmasher. I recently went on a tour of Harris Boys, along with a group of other Year 6 parents, and simply did not notice the ethnicity of the students - although I saw plenty of them going about their daily business. Is it really as dramatic a split as you suggest? I'm more inclined to believe son of EdMummy's analysis.

I've also been to Kingsdale and FH Boys recently, again the ethnic mix was virtually the last thing on my mind. What split would be acceptable to you, living as we do in South East London?

[MelonSmasher]

Alice- I was keeping it simple. It would of course be a similar issue if his class were 90 percent plus white, or had only one black student, I would be questioning the lack of diversity.

James Barber - it has not always been more mixed than I have suggested, don't be silly. I know for a fact that they're smart and engaged boys, I wasn't doubting this. a 60/40 split or whatever seems fairly decent and wouldn't be an obvious issue. As I mentioned, in this particular case its 90 percent plus.

Otta- This is strictly a school environment issue, obviously when the student I know is not in school he is engaging with who he wants and that means everyone.

Having attended Dulwich Hamlet myself not too long ago, I would say that Hamlet definitely had a representative mix of students and I have some great friends till this day as a result.

In any case, I have no issues with anyone of any race, neither does the student I know. These were just observations really.

[jane1]

Every one is the same colour underneath their skin,

my son is in year 11 of Harris boys east dulwich, his white and yet again i will say the same as others on here, his friends are all cultures,creeds,races and religions,why should colour make a difference,

my son has done and is doing really well at school,and is very happy at school.............

[EDmummy]

MelonSmasher

>

> James Barber - it has not always been more mixed

> than I have suggested, don't be silly. I know for

> a fact that they're smart and engaged boys, I

> wasn't doubting this. a 60/40 split or whatever

> seems fairly decent and wouldn't be an obvious

> issue. As I mentioned, in this particular case its

> 90 percent plus.

>

> Otta- This is strictly a school environment issue,

> obviously when the student I know is not in school

> he is engaging with who he wants and that means

> everyone.

>

> Having attended Dulwich Hamlet myself not too long

> ago, I would say that Hamlet definitely had a

> representative mix of students and I have some

> great friends till this day as a result.

> In any case, I have no issues with anyone of any

> race, neither does the student I know. These were

> just observations really.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

What is the stats for Charter, Habs and Kingsdale with regards to ethnicity ? just so that we can compare in case it's a name issue (Harris) or the fact it's a single sex school etc thus not making it a popular choice for Dulwich parents ?

[aquarius moon]

What difference does it make?

My eldest daughter went to the old Waverley school before it became a Harris academy. There were only 3 other white girls in her class.

My youngest went to Kingsdale & there was only one other white child in her class.

I grew up in a place that was 100% white but that didn't make me racist.

Children will choose their friends regardless of colour and do well at school regardless of diversity if they are brought up to believe that everyone is equal.

[EDmummy]

Well said Aquarius Moon. I had to push my son and his friend to come up with stats as they honestly don't see class mates colour.

aquarius moon Wrote:

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> What difference does it make?

>

> My eldest daughter went to the old Waverley school

> before it became a Harris academy. There were only

> 3 other white girls in her class.

>

> My youngest went to Kingsdale & there was only one

> other white child in her class.

>

> I grew up in a place that was 100% white but that

> didn't make me racist.

>

> Children will choose their friends regardless of

> colour and do well at school regardless of

> diversity if they are brought up to believe that

> everyone is equal.

[MelonSmasher]

Aquarius, I have to agree with everything you've said above, maybe it doesn't make a difference after all.

This isn't a major issue or anything, just casual observations. Wasn't trying to start a katie hopkinsesque statement/drama motion or anything.

[Tigres Pride]

I think you will find it is all down to the luck of the draw when they split the year intake into classes. I was there with my grandson on the first day of year 7 intake in September and I can assure you that there was a very diverse mix of colour, shape and height! My Grandson was dwarfed on either side by both black and white boys and has made friends with a whole range of them.

Having watched them all troop out at close of day, on many occasions since that first day, I would say that the overall mix is no better nor no worse than any other in the borough and as long as the boys get along with each other, enjoy the school, get a good standard of Education and do well in their studies, what is there to worry about?

[Earl Aelfheah]

I would be interested as to why (as some have suggested) local take up has been poor? Is this true? Do the kids tend to travel in to Harris from further a field?

[bawdy-nan]

Massive support for a new secondary might suggest that, locally, people want co-ed, even with seperate classes. I bet if they mixed harris girls and boys - making an upper and lower school there would be better uptake.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I agree with Bawdy Nan. I went to Waverley Girls on the Harris Girls site and most of my friends came from further afield ( Bermondsey, New Cross, Camberwell , Peckham and only one from Dulwich).

I do think it's because it's a single sex school so not as popular .

I wouldn't want my child going to a single school . I think it makes it difficult to relate to the opposite sex , at least it did for all of us .