• To identify issues of racism in the school through focus groups and 1:1 discussions with staff, parents and pupils;
• To raise the awareness of the whole school of the history of race relations, what is offensive to others and target specific issues;
• To plan a programme of intervention, based on outcomes from focused groups of pupils, parents and staff, so that the whole school community has ownership;
• To draw up a workable Anti-Racist Policy for the school which will be agreed by the whole school and implemented in Summer Term 2002;
• To reduce the incidence of racial abuse in the school.

• Meetings with previous and current head to define project aims and objectives; agree proposal and to up-date new head on the project.
• Interviews with Learning Assistants (group and 1:1), based on questionnaire devised by the two consultants.
• Discussion with all teaching staff at a staff meeting, again based on a questionnaire.
• INSET on developing a shared understanding of racism, involving theatre. Also, focused on three policy areas (curriculum, supporting victims of racism and dealing with perpetrators). The outcomes from this work will contribute to school’s race equality policy. (Project contributed towards half the cost of the residential £3,000)
• Work with two groups of pupils on their understanding of racism and awareness of how the school deals with racist incidents.

Impact of the project on the school:

• INSET provided an opportunity, for the first time, for up to 20 teaching and support staff to discuss issues of race and racism, and the impact of racist language on everyone within the school community. Issues identified by staff, through interviews, were built into the day e.g. the use of racist language.

• Work with pupils indicated that they were very clear about what constitutes racist comments and behaviour, and the action the school takes in challenging these. This has been fed back to staff at the INSET as good practice. It will also inform the race equality policy.

• At the Governors' Meeting (18/3/02), the head teacher reported that the 'INSET day was of great value for our staff, both individually and from the team aspect. A fundamentally important yet sensitive and complex issue was tackled with openness and honesty. Two members of staff will attend a day INSET dedicated to raising achievement of Black and ethnic minority pupils. These two members of staff have joined the working group, which is steering the racial equality action plan (see next bullet point).

• The Anti-Racist Policy has been superseded by a more pro-active stance to promoting race equality. A working group has been set up to support the school to move towards a meaningful race equality policy and to develop an action plan to this end. The working group comprises of the head teacher, three class teachers, and a school governor who has responsibility for developing the Race Equality Policy.

• The school is using the guidance produced by the LEA on recording and monitoring racist incidents, including the recording form.

• The working group is also addressing how the school can meaningfully integrate race equality into the curriculum.

 

	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