Aims:

1. To raise awareness about racism amongst staff/governors and pupils.
2. To embed the principles of anti-racism within the school’s work.

Objectives:

• To raise awareness of racial stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination and the impact these can have on members of the whole school community, with specific reference to minority ethnic communities. It will also enable staff to appreciate cultural and religious differences, and values and beliefs within the school community.
• To work with pupils so that they are better able to appreciate differences
• To draw up a race equality policy and guidelines for the school.

Progress since March 2002:

1. Work has taken place with pupils (years 4, 5, 5/6 & 6), through the use of theatre-in-education, with the following aims and objectives:

Aim:

a) To give the pupils the awareness, ability and confidence to recognise and
reject racist stereotypes and attitudes.
b) To encourage a culture where racist behaviour is actively challenged.

Objectives:

By creating a safe environment and, through the use of drama games, hot seating, forum theatre (also debate and discussion where appropriate) actors external to the school have:-

• Entertained and stimulated thoughts and feelings about racism.
• Encouraged pupils to express their opinions and experiences of racism.
• Explored issues of identity, similarity and difference in relation to racism.
• Give pupils increased confidence and self-esteem as individuals within the school.
• Illustrated the power of language as a positive tool for self-expression but also as a negative barrier to communication.
• Explored appropriate responses to racism.

2. Race Equality Policy. The external consultant and a small working group, comprising teaching and non-teaching staff, worked on a draft race equality policy. Consultation on the policy will take place in the autumn term.

3. Racist Incident Procedures. The external consultant put together draft procedures, to be agreed by the school.

• The project has heightened awareness of race equality among staff and pupils. There is a general understanding that race equality is about everyone, not just members of Black and minority ethnic groups. There is also a recognition that silence is collusion, and jokes and name-calling have to be challenged.

• The input from the external consultant has been critical to the success of the project to date.

• Race equality will form part of the Schools Improvement Plan and other policies where appropriate.

A staff awareness day will be held (date to be agreed). This will build on the work done in the school to date and involve theatre to explore the issues in some depth.

 

	Overview
	Bow School (Boys Secondary)
	Central Foundation School (Girls Secondary)
	The Cherry Trees School
	Chisenhale Primary School
	Columbia Market Nursery School
	Globe Primary School
	Poplar Partnership EAZ
	St Agnes (RC) Primary School
	St Anne's (RC) Primary School
	Stebon Primary School
	Swanlea Secondary School
	Thomas Buxton Junior School