Tracy Collins

01582 546747

[email address]

Mark Walker

Mark Walker

Solidarity Trade Union

[Author ID1: at Fri Mar 6 13:03:00 2009 ]

20 January 2010

Dear Mark

Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

I am writing in respect of your recent enquiry for information held by the Council under the Freedom of Information Act.

A response has been provided by the Head of Support, Challenge & Intervention and this is as follows:

1) Combating racism is impossible to evidence the link between policy and the fight against racism. Good practice with good outcomes stems from a range of sources and cannot be attributed to policy alone.

2) Schools develop and promote racial equality by a range of means. For example by promoting respect for others through both the taught curriculum and enhancement activities; by monitoring achievement, attainment participation etc. of all ethnic groups and individuals; by providing curriculum materials that reflect a range of cultures; by promoting and celebrating difference; by providing support to pupils/students who have English as an additional language and so on.

The promotion of community cohesion flows from the above but also includes for example, visits to places of worship, workshops between pupils and elderly people; confronting anti-racist events that jeopardise community cohesion; developing strategies based on knowledge of the community profile; linking mono-cultural schools with multi racial and diverse communities and so on.

3) Evidence of the effectiveness of community cohesion measures is logged in Ofsted reports (these are available on the Ofsted website).

4) Trust in the teaching profession could be maintained if the media demonstrated respect for the profession and did not promote a blame culture.

If you are unhappy with our response, please write to Tracy Collins, Customer Support Officer (Equalities & Complaints), Luton Borough Council, Children & Learning Department, Wesley House, 2^ND Floor, 19 Chapel Street, Luton Beds, LU1 2SE.

If you remain unhappy after the conclusion of the Council's internal complaints procedure you may apply to the Information Commissioner Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely,

Tracy Collins

Customer Support Officer (Complaints & Equalities)