Celebrating Diversity at Orchard Therapeutic Farm, Oxford

At Orchard Therapeutic Farm, we believe in celebrating every unique family! Whether you're from a traditional mum-and-dad household, a single-parent family, or a family with two mums, two dads, or even grandparents as guardians, we welcome everyone with open arms. After all, it's what makes us who we are – and it’s what makes the world so wonderfully diverse.

Oxford is a city brimming with people from all walks of life, and at OTF, we’re passionate about reflecting that diversity. With nearly 250,000 people identifying as LGBT+ in London alone, we know that many of our children will grow up knowing LGBT+ family members, friends, and neighbours. Some may even be part of same-sex families themselves! That’s why, at OTF, it’s important that every child sees themselves, and the people they love, reflected in our space.

Our goal is simple: to create an environment where all children feel valued and understood, and to help them grow up confident, kind, and open-minded. We know that children thrive when they feel safe and accepted, which is why we teach about different family structures from the get-go.

How Do We Celebrate Diversity?

Through our engaging PSHE lessons and our vibrant celebration of LGBT+ History Month, we open up conversations about the diversity of families and people in our world. We don’t just talk about it – we celebrate it! And to ensure every child can see themselves reflected, our farm library is stocked with books that show all kinds of families, from same-sex parents to gender-diverse characters.

Our Functional Skills English lessons also feature LGBT+ characters, so children can connect with stories that feel true to their own lives. From celebrating Pride to learning about trailblazing LGBT+ figures in history, we believe that education should inspire respect, curiosity, and compassion.

Our Promise: Respect for All

At OTF, we’ve created a space where no one has to hide who they are. Homophobic, biophobic, and transphobic language has no place here, and we encourage all our children to speak up for what’s right – to talk positively about their own families, and to respect others’ differences. We’re not just teaching kids about tolerance – we’re teaching them how to be allies and champions for inclusion, no matter what background they come from.

At the end of the day, it’s about empowering children to grow into compassionate, open-hearted citizens who are excited to be part of a diverse and beautiful world.

(LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender. The “plus” represents other sexual identities.)