As you will already know from our school newsletters, we are always discussing our ‘No Outsiders’ ethos at Dartington. This is our mission to ensure that we have a truly inclusive school where all of our school family feel that they belong and are valued and respected. We take time each week to look at differences and how we can be more inclusive and accepting of others around us. Over the past week, Miss Barber has been working across the school going into classrooms and through a whole school assembly to raise the awareness of alopecia.
It was a real honour to speak with our children about the importance of understanding and accepting people’s differences. Hair loss can be incredibly tricky for school aged children and to be in a position to raise alopecia awareness is such an honour. It was wonderful to hear the children’s questions on this topic and to see the positive outlook of the minds of these young children, was simply beautiful. It was truly moving. Working closely with our brave pupil Zuzana, who also has alopecia has been wonderful. Last week I visited her class and we read a story called ‘Hair in my Brush’ written by a lovely 10-year-old girl who also explains her experience of what it was like in school when she lost her hair. As a class we all talked about how important it is to be kind to one another regardless of what differences we may have. ’Together We Grow, Together We Flourish’ is Dartington’s vision and values and what a perfect example to teach our young children the importance of understanding people’s differences and to celebrate it.
“Hair In My Brush” focuses on a young girl named Briana receiving the rare, yet difficult diagnosis of alopecia, where patches of hair continuously fall out. Hair is a part of many children’s identity. Briana has to learn how to redefine her own identity, as she no longer has the hair she once knew. Through love, patience, and understanding, Briana and her mother embark together on a journey to show others who Briana truly is and can be: smart, beautiful, and capable of anything. No hair needed.
For more information on alopecia please visit Alopecia UK