Viridis Governors have adopted the anti-racist statement drafted by headteachers at their annual conference on the 18th March 2022.

As Hackney Headteachers, we jointly affirm our full commitment and continued action to the best possible safeguarding of every child in our care, ensuring a safeguarding first approach always applies.

We know that we have already been doing work to eliminate racism in our schools, but recognise that there is much work to be done. We recognise that Black and Global Majority children face racism in Hackney and beyond: we are committed to and will act on taking forward anti-racist practice.

In Hackney we are ambitious, caring and inclusive in working for every child. As educationalists we will work jointly, with our children, their families, our staff and with other professionals, particularly with our Black and Global Majority stakeholders, in building on the strong work already in our schools, towards being a beacon of excellence in inclusion and anti-racism.

We are committed to revisiting staff training and guidance to ensure that all staff:

• feel confident that their duty to safeguard the children in our care comes above any other need,
• understand, and are able to counteract, any assumptions or actions that may lead to children being treated unfairly or unjustly
• are able to act to protect children in crisis as if they were our own, seeking senior leader support if needed.

We are committed to supporting and challenging each other to ensure this happens.