Anston Hillcrest Primary is proud to be a ‘No Outsiders’ school. No Outsiders is about equality and acceptance and encourages children to be respectful and considerate of all people regardless of their age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender. It’s intended to support a school’s ethos where children are taught to identify, respect and accept difference and develop confidence in who they are as they navigate their childhood recognising it’s ok to be different to someone else, that everyone is welcome in school. That complements our vision here at Anston Hillcrest Primary.
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You can read more about No Outsiders on their website - here
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For an in depth discussion of the No Outsiders ethos, parents can also see "No Outsiders: Everyone Different, Everyone Welcome Preparing for Life in Modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat, from which the description of all the books below are adapted
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No Outsiders - Book Collections
The No Outsiders ethos is supported in school by a collection of books, selected for each year group, which explore inclusive themes. You can read a little about each book in the sections below:
FS1 and FS2
In the Early Years Foundation Stage we introduce No Outsiders with the simple message that we are all different, that's ok and that we can all still be friends. In You Choose and Red Rockets and Rainbow Jelly children are encouraged to think about how we all like different things but that we still like each other. Hello Hello shows different animals of varying shapes and colours but all say hello to each other and leave nobody out. The Family Book shows different types of family whilst Mummy, Mama and Me helps children understand some families have two mums (or two dads). In Blue Chameleon a lonely chameleon tries to make friends by changing colour to match the colours of others. At the end, he Chameleon realises you can be yourself and you don't have to change to make firends.
Year 1
In Year 1 we develop the understanding of difference to consider ways in which we might be different and how that can make you feel. In Elmer an elephant decides to hide his difference, but realises at the end he should celebrate it. Going to the Volcano shows a huge range of different characters working together so that no one is left out. Want to Play Trucks? focuses on conversations between Jack and Alex, one of whom likes to play with dolls and the other with trucks, showing children how they might find solutions to conflict and subtly exploring gender expectations at the same time. Hair, It's a Family Affair encourages children to celebrate their family and the ways their family might be different. My World Your World explores how two children are different before finding a way they are similar. In Errol’s Garden Errol knocks on his very diverse set of neighbours’ doors asking for help and everyone joins in!
Year 2
Can I Join Your Club? explores how Duck feels when animals exclude him from their club for not being like them. How to be a Lion shows children that not all lions behave the same way. Leo is gentle and makes friends with a duck. This book explores peer pressure to behave in a certain way as the other lions tell Leonard to be more lion. The Great Big Book of Families is a celebration of diversity in the UK today. Amazing is a snapshot of friendship where the main character uses a wheelchair, but the disability is never mentioned allowing us to demonstrate it's not an issue. What the Jackdaw Saw is a subtle way to promote awareness of communication needs as to ensure all the animals could understand him. Finally, All are Welcome shows us a diverse class of children who come to school with diverse families where everyone is welcome.
Year 3
In This is our House George shuts people out and gives reasons why: because they wear glasses because they are girls because they like tunnels. When is pointed out to George that he has red hair and could also face discrimination the penny drops, this house is for everyone! We're all Wonders is a beautiful story about a boy with a facial disfigurement. He is bullied and he dreams of running away. What would happen in our school? The children are asked to consider what would we say if heard someone being unkind. Beegu gives children an opportunity to explore reasons why the main character, an alien crash landed on earth, feels like an outsider some characters in the story. Stereotypes are explored in The Truth about Old People. What is a stereotype? How do we recognise a stereotype and what can we do if we hear someone being discriminatory? In The Hueys in the New Jumper the Hueys are all the same but one day Rupert knits an orange jumper. This causes much constellation and Rupert is treated as an outsider until others learn it’s okay to be different. Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet provides opportunities for discussion about stereotypes, racism, islamophobia, bullying or boundless mental health is also reference. Does a central character has an imaginary friend.
Year 4
Along Came a Different provides opportunity to discuss attitudes towards race and racism. The red shapes don't like the blue shapes. Who in turn don't like the yellow shapes or the red shapes. At the key point of the story, the shapes draw up a set of segregation rules which give us a class basis to work from what do we think of these rules? In Dogs Don't Do Ballet everyone tells a dog that he can't be a ballerina but he proves in the end you can be what you want to be, In Red: A Crayon Story a crayon who looks red can only colour in blue. This is very distressing for him as he knows he should be read but he cannot get it ‘right’. This tale is a fantastic stimulus for discussion about identity and expectations and for teaching children to be who you are. Aalfred and Aalbert gently shows how two aardvarks get together, helped by a small bluebird. Some children may realise the aardvarks in the story are two males, but that is not the focus of the lesson plan. Rather, the focus is recognising loneliness choosing to help others finding common ground and understanding how companionship affects mental health. When Sadness Comes to Call explores how to recognise feelings of sadness and their impact. Finally, Julian is a Mermaid tells a story of a small boy wanting to be a mermaid. The reader is lead to believe his Grandma is going to tell him off for dressing up but, instead, she supports and helps him.