Statement from the Heads Regarding Black Lives Matter

Bancroft’s Prep and Senior Schools stand in solidarity with Black and Minority Ethnic people who are understandably anguished and angry following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We celebrate the fact that we are a very diverse school community but we are never complacent about the risks of racism and discrimination to which all institutions in this country are susceptible.

As a school we are in a strong position to promote mutual respect and tolerance and to help educate children and young adults about racism and its devastating effects. We are always keen to see what more we can do to ensure our community is well-informed, anti-racist and inclusive. We are very aware that this is a time for schools and other institutions to listen to the expressions of hurt and anger as voiced by the Black Lives Matter campaign and to honour these often marginalised perspectives. We want to be part of the solution and will always speak out about racism; we are also ready to listen and learn.

We would like to hear from anyone in our community, past or present, who may have experienced racism at Bancroft’s and would be willing to share their experiences so we can learn from them and consider how best to make Bancroft’s a place free from racial abuse and prejudice.

You can contact: Elizabeth Channer or Lisa Life, Deputy Heads Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Officers in the Senior and Prep Schools, or Joe Layburn or Simon Marshall, Heads of Prep and Senior Schools. Alternatively you can email: blm@bancrofts.org. We will be collating all stories and enabling ways for us to share with you how we intend to learn from these experiences.