The Education and Inspections Act 2006 introduced a duty on all maintained schools in England to promote community cohesion and on Ofsted, to report on the contributions made in this area. The duty on schools came into effect on 1 September 2007 and the duty on Ofsted commenced in September 2008.

Community cohesion is promoted through the key concept in the Citizenship curriculum, 1.3 ‘Identity and Diversity: living together in the UK’ and is also one of the seven cross curriculum dimensions, 'Identity and Cultural Diversity’.

Find out more about community cohesion and download the guidance, handbook for schools and case studies, click here

A national community cohesion project called the School Linking Project can be found here
This has been running for nearly three years in Tower Hamlets, as the first pilot roll out from Bradford before it went national this year. To find out more about the Tower Hamlets School Linking Project click here.

The role of student voice is stated in the community cohesion guidance:

“Ensuring that the pupil voice is heard and able to effect change: by involvement of pupils in the governance and organisation of the school through school councils, in a way that facilitates their participation and ability to make a difference in school, in their local community and beyond; or enabling pupils to take responsibility and to evaluate how well the school is building community cohesion.” An example taken from the ‘School to parents and the community’ under Engagement and extended services, page 10.

Reach Out: community cohesion for schools – conference

Race cohesion and faith

Community Cohesion

Institute of Community Cohesion

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Equality Bill