A FASHION designer has spoken about her experiences of racism during her school years.

Krishma Sabbarwal left The Warriner School in Bloxham in 2010 and claims she endured racism on a daily basis.

Ms Sabbarwal says she was one of five BAME pupils in her year.

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She said: “I faced a lot of racism and microaggressions during my secondary school years at The Warriner School between 2005 and 2010.

“I became extremely shy and reclusive towards the end of my secondary school experience, I could not even make eye contact with others.

“I suffered from depression and anxiety during the last two years of my school experience, and at one point stopped attending school because of the intensity of the racism.

“There were a group of white people, mainly male, who racially abused me during my schooling experience.

“They would mock the Indian and South Asian accent and make terrorist ‘jokes’ in front of me and other BAME people.”

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Ms Sabbarwal claims incidents occurred such as during a trip to a Hindu temple when students mocked the religious chants, and another when she had stones thrown at her in the school field during lunchtime.

She added that she believed ‘some teachers were aware of what was going on but chose to turn a blind eye’.

Ms Sabbarwal said she still thinks about these instances and they have had an impact on her mental health, self worth and confidence.

Despite what she endured, she has launched a successful career in the fashion industry, and started her own fashion brand last year.

This came after she was selected to show her fashion collection during Moscow Fashion Week, and has also shown a capsule collection during Milan Fashion Week.

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She graduated in 2018 with a first class honours degree in Fashion Textiles from the University of East London.

Ms Sabbarwal says her fashion textiles designs are based on her personal experiences of racism, social injustice and intersectional feminism.

A spokesperson for the Warriner School said: “The Warriner School is a fully inclusive, growing and oversubscribed school.

“We are extremely proud of both the educational and pastoral support given to our students in promoting a healthy school, neither bullying or acts of racism are tolerated.

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“It’s extremely sad to hear of such past experiences from any student, part of our ethos and culture is to support all members of our community in being responsible and respectful individuals.

“In 2019, the school was awarded by councillor Mark Gray the Oxfordshire Equality Champion Gold School Award for our work developing an inclusive community.

“This was followed in January 2020 when The Warriner School was reassessed for the Inclusion Quality Mark, Centre of Excellence, and subsequently awarded for the second time.

“The IQM Inclusive School Award recognises the ongoing commitment by schools to provide the very best education for all children irrespective of differences.”