BNP Teachers

Dear Mr Walker

Thank you for your email dated 31 December 2009

So that we can deal with your enquiry, your email has been sent to: -

Department: Freedom of information

This Department will now deal with your enquiry.

If you have any further queries, please contact Customer First by:-

Email [Blackpool Borough Council request email]
Telephone 01253 477477
Facsimile 01253 478808
Web site www.blackpool.gov.uk

Or visit the Customer First Centre on Corporation Street Blackpool FY1
1NA.

We are open:-
Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm for Face to Face enquiries
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm for telephone enquiries on 01253 477477.
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Dear Mr Walker,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST

As we have completed our search for the information you requested on 20
October 2009, I am now writing supply the answers to the questions you
raised as follows:

1) What evidence is there that schools' equal opportunity policies are
effective in combating racism?

From the beginning of the school year 2006/7 the work of the Local
Authority Ethnic Minority Achievement Service was moved into the School
Improvement Division. This meant that the model of the service worked to
changed radically from a caseworking, targeted model to a model that
operated at whole school systems and policy level. During the first year
when staff and schools were dealing with the change, the rate of racist
incidents reported by schools expressed as a percentage of the total
children believed to be non white British (as identified through school
census information) was 11%. Over the subsequent years, as the schools
have had more support to develop and embed their policies, the rate of
incidents measured in the same way has dropped significantly to 6% in
2007/8 and 7% in 2008/9. The increased effectiveness of schools' policies
is likely to have impacted on this.

Our School Improvement Partners have a set of prompts around equality /
community cohesion but do not have the capacity to monitor policies on a
formal basis. Where people have had support from our Diversity Learning
Team, we know from follow-up visits that attitudes and some practices have
improved in some cases and we would expect that to link to policy.

2) What are schools in your area doing to promote racial equality and
promote community cohesion? Examples of measures deemed to be good
practice and recognised as being successful would be useful.

Promotion of Racial Equality - part of the wider inclusion / respect
agenda. Many schools now have Inclusion Managers who monitor the progress
and outcomes for children from vulnerable groups as part of 'Narrowing the
Gap'. National Curriculum materials well received and being used in many
schools. Whole authority Annual Diversity Fortnight exceptionally well
supported by schools involves competitions, drama, music, poetry writing,
poster design, exhibitions and workshops all aimed at encouraging respect
and valuing difference. Some schools have taken part in Show Racism the
Red Card through Blackpool Football Club. The pupils in one secondary
school made a DVD to encourage primary aged children to look beyond the
colour of someone's skin following their outrage at racist incident on a
bus reported in the local newspaper.

Community Cohesion - A primary school has developed an on-site community
room for the use of the local Traveller population. They have held
assemblies where Traveller children in the school have played accordions
and performed traditional songs. One school has engaged a Polish
Engagement Worker who works closely with Polish families across the town
and signposts them to appropriate services. A Blackpool-based inclusive
theatre company, TramShed (an offshoot of ChickenShed in London), have
been engaged in working in numerous schools developing inclusive dramas
which, for example, help prevent teenage pregnancy.

3) Can you provide me with any evidence that the measures listed above
have been effective (if this has not already been done)?

Ofsted reports are now showing impact but we do not lift this information
and record it separately. There is also evidence in School Improvement
Plans and Self-Evaluation Forms. These would need to be collected from
individual schools.

4) Are further measures required to either maintain trust in the teaching
profession or protect children and young people?

If Local Authorities are to continue to monitor racist incidents as a
statutory duty then schools need to be statutorily required to report.
Judgements about inclusivity of schools based on levels of racist incident
reporting can never be robust since this provides an incentive not to
report or, even worse, could be an indicator that the school is not aware
of such incidents. More thought needs to be given as to how to monitor
and improve school ethos, attitudes and culture, not just policies and
practices.

If you have a complaint about the handling of your request you may ask for
an internal review and you should submit this in writing to: Council
Complaint, Blackpool Council, PO Box 50, Town Hall, Blackpool, FY1 1NA.

If you are not happy with the outcome of the review, you have the right to
apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. You can
contact the Information Commissioner at: Information Commissioner's
Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
([1]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk).

If you have any queries about this letter you can contact me, or write to:
FOI, Town Hall, Blackpool, FY1 1NA, or email us at
[2][Blackpool Borough Council request email]. Please remember to quote your
reference number (004 / MITAH/MW(1)) when you contact us.

Yours sincerely

Jon Williams,
Principal Management Information Officer,
Management Information Team - Business Support Division, Children & Young
People's Department,
Blackpool Council,
Progress House,
Blackpool FY4 4US

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