foi/732/09 Freedom of Information Request

foi/732/09 Freedom of Information Request

Brighton & Hove January 2010

What evidence is there that schools' equal opportunity policies[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ] are effective in combating racism?[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ]

Ofsted Reports. These are public documents and give an external view as to the effectiveness of policies. The reports usually only comment on things which are better than normally seen or indeed worse. There have ben some schools which have had good comments and none which highlight racism as a problem.

[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ]

What are schools in your area doing to promote racial equality[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ] and promote community cohesion? Examples of measures deemed to be[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ] good practice and recognised as being successful would be useful.[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ]

The CYPT works in partnership with the Racial Harassment Forum, the Partnership and Community Safety Team and the Community and Voluntary Sector to provide appropriate support to schools. Brighton & Hove Schools are currently:[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:36:00 2010 ]

Improving Racist and Religiously Motivated [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:36:00 2010 ]recording[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:37:00 2010 ] ([Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:40:00 2010 ]supported by staff CPD)[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:40:00 2010 ] and using this to monitor[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:37:00 2010 ] and develop practice[Author ID0: at ]
Monitoring [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:37:00 2010 ]racist and religiously motivated bullying as reported anonymously in the Annual Safe at School Survey[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:38:00 2010 ] [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:37:00 2010 ][Author ID0: at ]
Monitoring exclusions and attainment according to ethnicity[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:44:00 2010 ][Author ID0: at ]
Auditing and developing practice using the [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:37:00 2010 ]Learning together to be safe and Community Cohesion Audit Tool[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:39:00 2010 ] w[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:40:00 2010 ]hich is based on the DCSF Community Cohesion Audits[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:39:00 2010 ]. This is then followed up by School Improvement Partners[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:40:00 2010 ].[Author ID0: at ]
Review[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:42:00 2010 ]ing and develop[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:42:00 2010 ]ing Race Equality policies including use [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:42:00 2010 ]the CYPT produced [Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:42:00 2010 ]Single Equalities and Community Cohesion[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:42:00 2010 ] Scheme[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:43:00 2010 ][Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:43:00 2010 ]
Using Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:43:00 2010 ] to develop social and emotional skills including empathy[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:44:00 2010 ]
Reviewing and developing the PSHCE curriculum to include lesson plans for example on Gypsy,[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:44:00 2010 ] Roma Traveller Awareness[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:45:00 2010 ]
Participating in selected Equalities Calendar events such as Black History Month, Holocaust Memorial Day, Refugee Awareness Week[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:45:00 2010 ]
Working in partnership with the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) to support and include individual children, young people and families with English as an Additional Language.

Two case studies of effective practice;

A. Two Brighton and Hove primary schools are working through a Healthy Schools Partnership Project to develop:

Equalities assemblies
TA and teacher staff training sessions on professionally appropriate language
An Equalities Language Code
Guidance on establishing equalities teams
Diversity Learning Walks for children (where pupils visit the other school to evaluate how culturally inclusive it is
Case studies from Family Diversity Week and Diversity Week with a focus on disability

B. A Brighton & Hove Secondary School has recently received `outstanding' for its work on Community Cohesion and Equalities. The types of race equality practice they have in place include:

Robust recording of RRMI (all staff, teacher training students, governors are trained and all students receive an annual input to ensure that they report RRMI)
Robust monitoring of the attainment of BME children and young people
Mentoring for BME students provided by the University
Involvement of refugee students in presenting assemblies in Refugee Awareness Week
Use of Restorative Justice to resolve conflicts

Can you provide me with any evidence that the measures listed[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ] above have been effective (if this has not already been done)?[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ]

Increase in numbers of RRMI recorded in secondary schools shows an improvement to monitoring and recording systems

Decrease in numbers of RRMI involving physical violence has reduced showing a possible reduction in `serious' incidents

Awaiting results of Safe at School Survey 2009

Are further measures required to either maintain trust in the[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ] teaching profession or protect children and young people?[Author ID2: at Mon Jan 11 11:34:00 2010 ]

The introduction of the planned Single Equalities Act should further support schools in developing a coherent approach to this agenda.

Increased duties on schools to record bullying incidents by type will provide another important data set.

The review into whether BNP members should work in schools and any guidance / law which comes from this will be useful to schools.

The current Ofsted Framework has served to increase the profile of this work and no further measures are needed only continued support for schools in this challenging and important area of practice.