Diversity in independent schools

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Can someone tell me which independent schools have ‘diverse’ school populations in and around Central/West London please? We are looking for somewhere which reflects the local area and somewhere where our child feels respected, included and welcome.

We are Muslim and whilst our daughter does not wear a headscarf (too young), we want somewhere where should she choose to wear one, she will feel included and represented (want to avoid a situation where she is the only one type thing).

Any firsthand experience of schools your children attend would be great.

This is based on suburban north west London (don’t want to be more specific) if that’s a location you would consider:

Based on observation and friends: private schools are majority Asian pupils. Mostly Hindu but with Muslim representation too. It’s a very Asian area. (We are white British and the state schools my children go to are majority Asian too but I’d say the private schools even more so).

I can’t name specific schools but I really don’t think you’ll have a problem where your daughter feels like the odd one out. Especially if you choose a girls school (most private schools in this area are single sex).

We are on the outskirts of London and the indies here are more diverse than the local population. In my daughter's class there are kids from families with Chinese, Korean, Hong Kong Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Lebanese, Spanish, French and Irish heritage off the top of my head, as well as English. I'm sure I have missed some.

I have DCs in West London and South West London schools. No one would bat an eyelid at a girl in a hijab. Both relatively diverse schools but definitely not majority Asian as a poster above mentioned.

My DD is Muslim and at a selective south London inde.

It's ethnically very mixed, with plenty of Muslim girls. There's a hijab option on the uniform list and it's worn by a couple of girls in each year, as they go up the school.

city of London?

Yes, this is a school we’ve looked at. Is the population quite diverse?

I've seen headscarves in SHHS and Wimbledon High. I don't think it would be a problem in any of London indies.

I have my 3 DCs in three London indies which are all ethnically (very) diverse, we have almost 1-2 children representing each nationality (as a vast majority have non-UK born parents). we have a lot of Muslim children as well as representatives of other religions, all play peacefully, I'm not aware of any cases where children have been alienated based on religion/race/ethnicity. you will be fine

I am probably further out than you want to be - zone 5 and many of the private schools are majority non white (as my London borough is about 70% non white and so the private schools are the same and very mixed - some allowing headscarves and some not). The nearest state primary to my house also has a lot of little girls in head scarves at a very young age too.

Thank you to all those who responded. Does anyone have personal experience of LU or SPGS?

Thanks

Both have a good mix of pupils. Your DD would not stand out in the slightest.

NLCS, Habs are in this category - it’s “diverse” but at the same time an extremely high portion of the students are from one or two ethnic group so is it really “diverse”?

We know people have who declined these schools as from their perspective, it wasn’t diverse at all - to them diversity is a mixture of different cultures eg white, British, black, Asian, oriental, European etc. and not just 1-2 cultures.

I have heard south London is more diverse eg Dulwich schools.

Having said that, I don’t think your dd will have an issue at most schools by wearing a headscarf

st Helen’s, John lyon and Northwood college also majority Asian as above. RMS is more mixed but further out.

There are a handful of girls in most years at LU who wear the hijab, it's racially very mixed and your dd would be absolutely fine.

Croydon High School is very diverse. Wide variety of cultures and religions present. Culture and diversity discussions are actively encouraged and supported in the school. Lots of muslim girls (and some staff) who do not wear hijab and some girls that do.

NE London indie - very reflective of the local population, so lots of asian/south asian pupils. Definitely less white pupils than other ethnicities which is the same as the local area.

My DS was at private school in NW LONDON and I would say in his classes there were probably more Muslim, Hindu Sikh boys than Christian or catholic

Akram, Mo (Mohammed) and Ibrahim being the most popular names

I know you are talking about girls and I am talking about boys

But my point is that some of these boys will have sisters who will be in the neighbouring girls schools