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I’m always in a bit of a dilemma when writing emails that fall over holiday periods. During term time, I try to keep them succinct and under a 5-minute read (or view, if you’re watching on YouTube) because I know how busy you are. But what about during the holidays? Should I keep them even shorter, or is this a time when you might enjoy a little space to reflect with a ‘think piece’?

I’m hoping it’s the latter this week—so make yourself a coffee, unwrap one of those Easter eggs or other guilty pleasures you’ve been promising yourself for days (if not weeks!), and settle down for what I hope will be a gently provocative read.

One of our Diversitybuds team members, Kirsty, recently sent me a cutting from a local newspaper. It reported that a nearby primary school would no longer be holding its annual Easter Bonnet Parade. The decision, shared with families by the Headteacher, was presented as a step towards inclusion:

By not holding specific religious celebrations, we aim to create a more inclusive atmosphere that honours and respects the beliefs of all our children and their families

Creating a more inclusive atmosphere is, of course, a deeply worthy aim. But I found myself wondering—how exactly is this going to be achieved? And is the removal of one religious celebration really the best way to promote genuine inclusivity?

There was no mention in the article of what would be done in its place, or how children’s different beliefs would be actively recognised going forward. If we stop holding space for one tradition, does that mean all similar cultural or religious celebrations are at risk of disappearing too?

Is this how we ensure equity—by erasing visible difference?

Or are we inching closer to a kind of cultural neutrality that feels, to some, like silence?

Alternatively, is the journalist partly responsible here? Perhaps they’ve offered a narrow slice of the Headteacher’s intent—something conveniently headline-friendly. After all, soundbites don’t always make space for the full picture.

We may never know. Maybe the school’s decision was a little clumsy in its communication. Maybe the article misrepresented it. Or maybe, as is so often the case, it’s a mix of the two.

But what really caught my attention was what came next.

The article mentioned that the school is working towards becoming a School of Sanctuary and will celebrate Refugee Week in June. That in itself is a wonderful initiative. But the placement of that detail, immediately after the announcement about the Easter Bonnet Parade being cancelled, felt… loaded.

Why pair those two things together?

Was it an attempt to offer balance? A distraction? Or perhaps an unconscious attempt to direct readers’ emotions in a particular direction?

It made me think about how language and layout influence the way we receive information. How stories get framed. And how easily these things can feed into our unconscious biases.

Thankfully, the article ended with a fuller quote from the Head:

We understand that this change may be disappointing for some… However, we believe that this decision aligns with our values of inclusivity and respect for diversity. We are exploring alternative ways to celebrate the season in future years that will be inclusive of all children and reflect the rich cultural diversity of our community

…to continue to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes… to enable pupils to appreciate and value difference and diversity, for example, increasing understanding between pupils from different cultural or faith communities…

…Recognising difference is not the same as dividing people. On the contrary, it’s how we build true connection and respect…

Here at Diversitybuds, we believe that talking about difference—even when it feels uncomfortable—is essential. We believe in creating safe spaces for even our youngest learners to explore these conversations. And we believe that recognising difference is not the same as dividing people. On the contrary, it’s how we build true connection and respect.

One of our team members, Helen, wrote a blog a while back about exactly this—how to create safe, open spaces for young children to talk about diversity and religion. If you have a moment this holiday season, I really recommend reading it. It’s short, practical, and deeply thoughtful:

Blogpost: Creating safe spaces for learning about diversity and religion

There’s no shame in noticing these things.

In fact, that’s where real inclusivity begins.