The Royal Hospital School has been named as just one of eleven Stephen Lawrence Ambassador Schools in the UK.

Last year, Stuart Lawrence, Stephen's brother, visited the school to talk about his brother's legacy and had been planning to visit again in May following the award to RHS. Instead, Stuart will be sending a video message to the pupils to congratulate them and the school on its strong commitment to challenging racism.

To qualify, a school must demonstrate to the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust a community commitment to five key behaviours that challenge racism and support diversity and inclusion.

Throughout 2020, RHS has devoted areas of the curriculum to topics that address these and in Lent term, pupils studied a 'Religion and Society' module focusing on prejudice and discrimination, examining how the Stephen Lawrence case was a pivotal force for change.

Head of Religious Studies, Kellyanne O'Callaghan, said: "As a Stephen Lawrence Ambassador School, we play an important role in ensuring the messages of diversity and inclusion go beyond a slogan and are intrinsic to not only our own school's day-to-day ethos but also to schools across the country and beyond.

"We want to be instrumental in a movement of schools working to create positive change and support pupils to 'live their best life'."

• On 22 April 1993, at the age of just 18, Stephen was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. He didn't know his killers and his killers didn't know him.

After the initial police investigation, five suspects were arrested but not convicted. A public inquiry into the handling of Stephen's case was held in 1998, leading to the publication of the Macpherson Report, which has been called 'one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain'.

It led to profound cultural changes in attitudes to racism, to the law and to police practice. It also paved the way for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms and new equalities legislation.

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