Why Should Schools Promote Community Cohesion?

Sir Keith Ajegbo

The Duty to Promote Community Cohesion By community cohesion we mean working

towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all; and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community.

This duty will be inspected by OFSTED from September 2008.

The role of governors The legal duty to ensure that the school promotes

community cohesion lies with the governing body.The talk will help governors:1. To define what the school means by community2. To consider what the duty means for the development

of the curriculum3. To understand the implications of achievement for

different groups within the school4. To look at their extended provision in the light of

promoting community cohesion

Review for the Secretary of State

How is ethnic, religious, cultural diversity addressed in the school curriculum?

Should British modern, social and cultural history be the 4th pillar of Citizenship?

Our response that school should celebrate difference and explore togetherness.

What are schools for?

Where do diversity in the curriculum, citizenship and community cohesion stand in the light of Every Child Matters and Personalised Learning?

Where do school stand in terms of their responsibilities to society?

Schools’ Contribution In the guidance schools’ contribution is

grouped under three headings.

i) Teaching, learning and the curriculum

ii) Equity and excellence

iii) Engagement and extended services.

How far does community stretch?

FROMSchool CommunitytoCommunity in which the school is locatedtoUK CommunitytoThe Global Community

What social dimensions of community?

Religious and non religious

Ethnicity and culture

Socio-economic

Why Community Cohesion now? The context:7/7 and the fear of terrorismTrevor Phillips: ‘Sleepwalking to segregation’Changing patterns of immigration – immigration as a major

political issue – fears around the BNP and local council elections

Fears around teenage gang killings, teenage pregnancy, binge drinking and community relationship

Concerns about the achievement gap of pupils on free school meals including white underachievement.

Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum Perspectives of some students:‘They see Africa as poor, Asia as flooded and

England as snobby whites and poor blacks’‘I’m black I live in London – that’s my home. My

parents are from the Caribbean but I’m really African. I’m a Christian, but I’m E7 – that’s where I hang they’re my people. That’s who I am.’

‘I do feel sometimes that there is no white history. There’s either black history month or they do Muslims and Sikhs.’

‘You’re bored with it, you’re just British.’

Challenges: Leadership

Our conclusion was that issues of race and identity are often not high on schools’ agenda. Need to be regardless of location and intake

The values that the head creates in the school are crucial in creating an ethos and curriculum that combats both personal and institutional racism and religious intolerance, celebrates diversity and practises inclusion. Will the new duty to promote community cohesion act as a lever.

Challenges: Teachers 36% of teachers felt well equipped to teach in

multi cultural schools following their Teacher Training.

Are teachers across the board equipped to deal with sensitive and controversial issues in the classroom? Should they be?

Does the system make the best use of minority ethnic teachers in terms of valuing their experience and contribution?

Challenges: the curriculum Is diversity education a cross curricular theme? What evidence is there that the school

curriculum is coherent and that diversity education can be woven through it?

What evidence is there of schools in different locations dealing with the issues in a way that is relevant to their circumstance.

Will the curriculum be transformed by the changes at Key stage 3. Diversity and identity are highlighted throughout the processes and concepts.

The curriculum 2 What are the best ways of spreading good

practice?

Around the country there are examples of outstanding practice:

The Northampton Black History Project

Dan Lyndon: blackhistory4schools

The curriculum 3 Do you support citizenship education? Do you support the introduction of the 4th

strand: Identity and Diversity: Living together in the UK.

Rationale: Britain has committed itself to certain values – respect for the law, democratic political structures, values of mutual tolerance, equal rights. These should be subject to discussion and debate through looking at aspects of modern British history.

The curriculum: the 4th strand

The aspects of modern British history: The UK as a multi national state. Immigration, Commonwealth and the

legacy of Empire The European Union Extending the franchise (eg the legacy

of slavery, universal suffrage, equal opportunities legislation)

Equity and Excellence Community cohesion depends on equal

chances. A frightening statistic is that black pupils

are three times more likely to be excluded from school than white pupils. (Getting it. Getting it right)

Black pupils are .3 times as likely to be on gifted and talented register.

Evidence that they are less likely to be in top streams.

Equity and excellence 2 There is an achievement gap for Roma,

Gypsy and travellers of Irish heritage pupils and for Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black.

These pupils are almost 3 times less likely to do maths and science at level 3.

What is the relationship between institutional racism and community cohesion?

How do we deal with white under- achievement?

Engagement and extended services

How far should schools travel beyond the standards agenda?

Where should student voice stand? Does the concept of extended schools

play in to community cohesion? Is it a vehicle for bringing together families who would not otherwise meet?

Is the BSF model for schools to become the community hub bringing together services and community activity?

Two Ideas

i) The School Linking Network: based on a model of school linking in Bradford it provides a route for schools in different communities to learn from each other. (www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk)

Who do we think we are?

A week in the summer for schools to look at their communities and to think how they, both as individuals and in their community, hold wider allegiances.(www.WDWTWA.org.uk)