Culture Day – Celebrating Our Diversity
What an incredible day at Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent! Culture Day was a vibrant celebration of the many nationalities, backgrounds, and traditions that make up our Academy community. Students and staff proudly displayed their culture, wearing national dress, the colours of their country’s flag, cadet uniforms, sports kits, and more—showing the rich diversity within our school.
One of the most powerful activities of the day was ‘Mapping Our Diversity,’ where students placed stickers on a large banner to represent their heritage. This interactive display will now become a permanent feature in the Academy, serving as a reminder of the many cultures that come together in our school.
Tutor groups took part in a fantastic cultural quiz, testing their knowledge of traditions from around the world, while students explored posters featuring facts about the 60 different countries represented in our Academy.
The highlight of the day was the cultural food and drink tasting, planned and run by our Co-op Young Leaders. Every student was given a token to try something new from one of our five themed stalls—Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. Over 800 students took part, sampling delicious treats such as puff puff, Supermalt, Tim Tams, and chin chin.
Ms Williamson, Assistant Headteacher, shared her thoughts on the event: "It was amazing to see our students celebrating their cultures with such enthusiasm and pride. The energy and sense of togetherness in the Academy were incredible. Days like this remind us how diverse and welcoming our community is, and I’m so proud of the students for embracing the opportunity to learn from each other."
Culture Day was a true celebration of community, inclusion, and learning from one another. It was wonderful to see so many students embracing the opportunity to share and experience different cultures, strengthening our Academy’s commitment to diversity and togetherness.