Hair Discrimination in Schools

For many Black pupils, battling school dress codes - official or unofficial - is part of everyday life. We are forced to choose between our education on the one hand, and our cultural identity and hair health on the other.

We’ve heard heartbreaking stories of Black people humiliated at school because our hair was deemed unprofessional, unruly, unkempt, a distraction to others.

That’s why we are working with schools, academy chains, and educational bodies to support them to adopt the Halo Code, the UK’s first Black Hair Code.

The Halo Code explicitly protects students and staff who come to school with natural hair and protective hairstyles associated with their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities.

By adopting the Halo Code, schools are proactively taking a stand to ensure that no member of their community faces barriers or judgments because of their Afro-textured hair.

The Halo Code

For Schools

Our school champions the right of staff and students to embrace all Afro-hairstyles. We acknowledge that Afro-textured hair is an important part of our Black staff and students’ racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious identities, and requires specific styling for hair health and maintenance.

We welcome Afro-textured hair worn in all styles including, but not limited to, afros, locs, twists, braids, cornrows, fades, hair straightened through the application of heat or chemicals, weaves, wigs, headscarves, and wraps.

At this school, we recognise and celebrate our staff and students’ identities. We are a community built on an ethos of equality and respect where hair texture and style have no bearing on anyone's ability to succeed.

Are you a school leader ready to adopt the Halo Code?

Want to join the Halo family? Click on the link below to complete the declaration and read about the requirements and rewards that come with adopting the Halo Code.

Adopt The Halo Code

Are You a Pupil or a Parent?

Call on your school's Head Teacher to adopt the Halo Code today!

You’re in good company…

See a handful of the institutions who have already joined the hair revolution and check out our map for the full list of trailblazing Halo schools!

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Has your school joined
the Halo family?

Hover over the map to see which schools and workplaces have adopted the Halo Code!

St Dominics Catholic Primary School, London South Lake Primary School, Reading Cedar Mount Academy, Manchester Oxford International College, Oxford Silverstone UTC, Silverstone Sutton High School GDST, Sutton South Hampstead High School, London Churchfield Primary School, London Derby High School, Derby Birchfields Primary School, Manchester Adswood Primary School, Stockport South Lake Primary School, Reading Sydenham High School, london Bristol Brunel Academy, Bristol Beech Lodge School, Maidenhead Haringey Learning Partnership, London Snaresbrook Primary School, London South Hampstead High School, London Blackheath High School, London Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School, Dronfield Chs south, Manchester THE BRIT SCHOOL, LONDON Barking Abbey School, Essex Forest School, London Eltham Hill School, London Wallington High School for Girls, Wallington Nonsuch High School for Girls, Cheam Carshalton High School for Girls, Carshalton Christ's School, RICHMOND St Margaret's Prep School, Halstead

The Advocacy Academy, London FEVACA, Bury St. Edmunds National Survivor User Network, London Ambrose Nursery Ltd, Oldham Hertfordshire Constabulary, Welwyn Garden City HAD & Co Property Consultants Ltd, Salford Choice Support, Maidstone British Youth Council, London Procter & Gamble, Weybridge Children England, London Galop, London Mollis Group Limited, Biggleswade The Brilliant Club, London Anexsys, LONDON Birthrights, Coventry Equal Lives, Framingham Pigot The Parole Board for England and Wales, London The Trampery, London AMV BBDO, London Become, London Whistlejacket London Ltd, London DiverseJobsMatter, London Avon Cosmetics, London Hatch Enterprise, London Turn2us, LONDON Pro Bono Economics, London Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, Brighton Bloody Good Period, London, UK Hercules Site Services Ltd, South Cerney Shape History, London Solace Women's Aid, London The Economist Educational Foundation, London LEWIS Communications, London Leap Confronting Conflict, London Unilever UK, Leatherhead Homes For Lambeth, Brixton ThisAbility Limited, London Marks & Spencer plc, London War Child UK, London London South Bank Students Union, London Lexis Nexis Risk Solutions Group, Sutton PrettyGreen & The Producers Ltd, London Anexsys, London Fooditude, London Citizens Advice Cheshire West, Northwich Art Against Knives, London London Community Gospel Choir, LONDON The Vine Community Centre, Nottingham LexisNexis Risk Solutions Group, Sutton Anna Freud Centre, London Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum, NOTTINGHAM The Vine Community Centre, Nottingham ACEVO, London Grosvenor Road Studios, Birmingham Race on the Agenda, London Black Voices, Birmingham gal-dem, London New Economy Organisers Network, London Pantene, weybridge P3, Ilkeston Prosource.IT (UK) Ltd, Aberdeen MTC Ltd, London Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation, West Bromwich Paul Hamlyn Foundation, London Spark & Co., London Project Embrace, Chadwell Heath The Co-operative Bank, Manchester Pause, LONDON National Children's Bureau, London Curlture, London YoungMinds, London BM Ambulance Service LTD, Charing, Ashford Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield Eversheds Sutherland, Leeds Tangle Teezer, London MarketAxess, London Leap Confronting Conflict, London Linklaters, London Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chesterfield Home Group, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Workplaces Map

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