Cultural diversity and
community cohesion a guidance document
Cultural diversity and
community cohesion a guidance document
Contents
P1
Introduction:
information about cultural diversity in York, recent population changes
P2
Section 1:
New legal duty to promote community cohesion: guidance and ‘toolkit’
P3
Section 2:
Asylum seekers and other new arrivals: economic migrants, trafficked children
P5
Section 3:
Cultural and religious considerations for schools: food, PE, dress etc
P9
Section 4:
Issues for governors and school managers
P12
Appendices
P14
Information about cultural
diversity in York, recent
population changes
The needs of newly arrived children can
vary greatly. Some are already fluent in
English when they arrive, others speak
only a few words. However, all will be
adjusting to a new culture, climate and
way of life. Schools clearly have an
important role to play in facilitating a
smooth transition. Many learners of EAL
are very isolated, often being the only
person to speak a particular language in
their school.
Introduction
There are also asylum-seeking families
resident in the city, many of whom have
experienced significant trauma. This
document contains a specific section on
meeting the needs of asylum seekers.
P2
There are over 1300 pupils from
minority ethnic communities in York
schools, speaking over 50 different first
languages. These include, amongst
others, children from established second
or third generation Chinese and
Bangladeshi communities. The Traveller
community comprises people from
Gypsy Roma and Irish backgrounds, as
well as ‘occupational‘ Travellers such as
circus and show people. There is a
growing Kurdish community of families
who have come to York as asylum
seekers and refugees. A significant
number of English as an Additional
Language (EAL) learners attend York
schools temporarily whilst their parents
are working or studying at the
University. Historically, Travellers have
been the largest minority ethic group in
the city. Recently schools have admitted
a growing number of pupils whose
parents have come from a range of
African and eastern European countries
to take up employment opportunities in
York. There is a sizeable Nepalese
community because of the Gurkha
regiments based at Fulford and Strensall
barracks. Other families come for
personal or economic reasons from
countries as diverse as Thailand, Brazil,
Greece, Russia, the Philippines, Korea,
and many others.
All new arrivals, including Travellers,
face additional challenges due to high
mobility, or turbulence in their
educational experience. Schools need to
be aware of measures they can adopt to
alleviate some of the difficulties faced
by mid-term entrants. Advice is available
from the Ethnic Minority Support
Service (EMSS) or Traveller Education
Support Service (TESS). Contact details
are given at the end of this document.
See also the section on Asylum seekers
in this document.
A new legal duty on schools to promote
community cohesion came into force in
September 2007. Recognising and
addressing the needs of children from
different ethnic groups has an
important part to play in delivering this
agenda. Promoting awareness of issues
relating to cultural diversity will help
prepare all pupils for adult life in a
society that is culturally and ethnically
diverse.
The local authority would like to
acknowledge the support given by the
Standing Advisory Committee for
Religious Education (SACRE) in
producing section 3 of this document.
New legal duty to promote
community cohesion:
guidance and ‘toolkit’
Section 1
From September 2007 schools are
subject to a new legal duty to promote
community cohesion.
The full Guidance is available from the
Department for Children, Schools and
Families (DCSF) at: http://www.teacher
net.gov.uk/wholeschool/Community
cohesion/.
There are many reasons why community
cohesion has become an important
agenda: the increasing polarisation of
communities; widespread migration
within the European union;
communities affected by gang violence;
the effects of the international situation,
particularly the middle east. In York,
tensions sometimes arise between the
settled community and transient
Travellers
P3
York has been identified as one of the
areas within the UK with the fastest
growing black and minority ethnic
(BME) communities, particularly
migrants from the latest EU accession
countries (Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister 2005). As in other areas, this
can create social tensions as new arrivals
often become the focus for feelings of
frustration. A few years ago there were
500 children in York schools from BME
communities; there are now over 1300,
speaking over 50 different languages.
Schools face a growing challenge in
meeting the needs of new arrivals,
particularly those who speak little
English when they arrive. It can be hard
to address the needs of some groups,
for example Travellers, who may be
reluctant to identify their ethnicity. This
is at least in part because of their
experiences of discrimination and
prejudice.
Race and faith are not the only friction
points between communities. The DCSF
guidance also makes reference to
discrimination and prejudice
experienced by other groups, for
example disabled or lesbian and gay
people.
The guidance on the new legal duty on
schools defines community cohesion as
‘working towards a society in which
there is a common vision and a sense of
belonging by all communities; a society
in which the diversity of people’s
backgrounds and circumstances is
appreciated and valued; a society in
which similar life opportunities are
available to all.’
The guidance recognises that schools’
role in building community cohesion by
promoting equality of opportunity and
inclusion for different groups is not a
new idea, and that much excellent work
already takes place. It is also stated
clearly that schools face tensions and
problems stemming from societal
factors outside their control and which
they may not be able to solve. The
involvement of local partners is
therefore important.
The DCSF guidance groups schools’
contribution to community cohesion
under 3 headings:
Teaching, learning and curriculum:
helping children and young people to
learn to understand others, to value
diversity whilst also promoting shared
values, to promote awareness of
human rights and to apply and defend
them, and to develop the skills of
participation and responsible action.
One example of this is the new
Identity and Diversity: living together
in the UK strand within citizenship
education.
Equity and excellence: ensuring
equal opportunities for all to succeed
at the highest level possible, striving to
remove barriers to access and
participation in learning and wider
activities and working to eliminate
variations in outcomes for different
groups.
Engagement and extended
services: providing reasonable means
for children, young people, their
friends and families to interact with
people from different backgrounds
and build positive relations, including
links with different schools and
communities and the provision of
extended services. Extended services
should provide opportunities for
pupils, families and the wider
community to take part in activities
and receive services which build
positive interaction and achievement
for all groups.
Case studies to illustrate each of the
above are available on Teachernet:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholesch
ool/Communitycohesion/Community_co
hesion_case_studies/ .
Locally there are many examples of
good practice: the inclusion of resources
to reflect cultural diversity within the
Literacy Hour; involving community
groups in school events; displays in
schools to reflect diversity; visits and
links with schools in other areas, and
other parts of the world.
P4
Because all schools are already involved
in activities to support community
cohesion, a starting point should be an
audit of existing good practice. This will
enable schools to identify areas for
development. A ‘toolkit’ for schools to
use and adapt is attached as Appendix 1.
The guidance states that local
authorities should work in partnership
with schools, providing appropriate
support and information, for example
through the identification of relevant
local contacts, facilitating links with
other schools and organisations, and
providing information about good
practice. Some useful contacts and links
are provided in Appendix 1.
Ofsted will include community cohesion
in their inspections from Sept 08 and
before then further guidance will be
available in ‘Inspection Matters’ on the
Ofsted website. (www.ofsted.gov.uk)
Asylum seekers and other
new arrivals: economic
migrants, trafficked children
Section 2
An asylum seeker: ‘Someone who
is fleeing persecution in their
homeland, has arrived in another
country, made themselves known to
the authorities and exercised the
legal right to apply for asylum’.
A refugee: ‘Someone whose asylum
application has been successful and
who is allowed to stay in another
country having proved they would
face persecution back home’.
Most refugees live in developing
countries. Africa and Asia host over
60%, Europe 25%. The UK is home
to less than 3% of the world’s
refugees. At the end of 2004, the
UK was 11th in the league table of
European countries for the number
of asylum applications per head of
population. Since 2004 the number
has fallen. In 2000, the UK ranked
32nd in the table of the world’s
refugee hosting countries on the
basis of size, wealth and relative
populations.
P5
In 1999 the government introduced
the National Asylum Support Service
(NASS) to provide accommodation
and support for asylum seekers.
Families from then on have been
dispersed to LA regions across the
country to ease pressure on services
in London and the South East.
Authorities were asked to volunteer
as ‘dispersal zones’ on the basis of
availability of housing. Families have
no choice about the area to which
they are dispersed. In some cases,
asylum seekers are placed in areas of
socio-economic deprivation and in
‘hard to let’ accommodation. There
is evidence that families are subject
to frequent geographical mobility
even after dispersal which has a
negative impact on children’s
education.
When NASS was set up, regional
consortia led by local authorities
were also established to ensure cooperation between statutory
agencies in order to provide efficient
and reliable support strategies for
asylum seeking families. (Leeds is the
nearest dispersal area, and the
regional consortium for this area is
based there.)Thus awareness of the
issues that affect families is perhaps
higher in authorities that are
dispersal zones as more support
mechanisms have been established
in these areas.
Financial support for asylum seekers
is 70% of basic income support
levels. So even small amounts of
money, for school trips or Food
Technology for example, can be
difficult for an asylum seeking family
to find.
York is not a ‘dispersal zone’ for
asylum seekers. However, individual
private landlords can also apply to
NASS to accommodate smaller
numbers of asylum seekers, and
hence there are asylum seeking
families resident in the city, with a
number of children in our schools.
These are mainly Kurdish families
fleeing persecution in Turkey.
From March 07 all new applications
for asylum are dealt with under the
‘New Asylum Model’ (NAM). A key
feature of NAM is that each asylum
seeker has a named ‘case owner’
who is responsible for all aspects
from initial interview to final
decision. Cases are also subject to
tighter timescales.
Families in York do not always
disclose that they are asylum seekers
or refugees, not least because they
may have previously been in
situations where disclosing
information is a risky undertaking.
Schools do therefore not always
know if they have children from
asylum seeking families. Once
families have been granted leave to
remain they have the same rights as
any other citizen, and thus we also
have refugees who have chosen to
live in York.
At a recent conference organised by
the regional consortium in Leeds, 4
groups of vulnerable children were
identified:
Asylum seeking children living with
their family
Unaccompanied asylum seeker
children
Children of economic migrants
Trafficked children
Children of economic migrant
families were included in the list as
many of the issues that apply to
asylum seekers apply to this group
too.
We have children living in asylum
seeking families in York, as well as
refugee families who have been
granted leave to remain. There has
been a big increase in the number of
children whose parents are
economic migrants.
P6
There have been three instances of
unaccompanied asylum seeker
children arriving in the city. These
children are probably the most
vulnerable of all, having no family,
friends or money, and having
witnessed traumatic events. They are
also likely to remain very isolated in
York as it is difficult to make links
with community groups or people
who speak the same language.
The term ‘trafficked children’
includes those who have been
brought into the country to provide
childcare/domestic help within
families, as well as those brought to
work in the sex and drug industries
which is perhaps the more common
understanding of the term. If we
consider the former, there may well
be children in York who fall into this
category.
Children who are newly arrived in
the country mainly become known
to the LA when they register with a
school. There are obviously
difficulties in tracking children who
are not registered in school.
Attendance at school is therefore
one of the best mechanisms we
have for ensuring the whereabouts
and safety of international new
arrivals.
Key issues for families:
financial hardship
geographical mobility
inadequate or sub-standard
accommodation
access to education (schools and
English language classes for adults)
access to healthcare
isolation from their cultural, ethnic
and religious community
language difficulties
marginalisation and isolation from
settled community
hostility and racism
uncertainty about the future
It is likely that staff within Learning
Culture and Children’s Services will
increasingly be involved in meeting
the needs of children whose families
will be affected by these issues.
Key issues for service providers:
Ensuring families have accessed
any benefits they are entitled to,
including free school meals, help
with uniform costs etc.
Being aware that asylum seeker
families may move frequently if
they are in temporary
accommodation, and helping
children to have continuity of
education where possible by, for
instance, providing help with
transport costs rather than moving
school.
Reporting private landlords to the
appropriate authorities where
housing is sub-standard.
Making sure that children take up
school/nursery places as quickly as
possible, and helping adults access
English and other adult education
classes, for example, Family
Learning.
Making sure families can
understand information sent home,
for instance, letters about nonuniform days, trips etc
Making sure families know how to
register with doctors, health
visitors, dentists, where to go for
emergency medical help etc.
Helping families to make contact
with community and/or religious
organisations.
Knowing how to contact
for legal advice and support.
See appendix 2 for contacts and links
to other organisations to support the
above.
For further information about
support available in York go to
www.yor-ok.org.uk and look for the
Service Directory. This will help you
find the right service for specific
needs.
If you want to find out who else may
be involved with a child or young
person then ask for consent to
contact the YorOK Child Index.
Access to this system is through
authorised users. If you are unsure
please call 01904 554268 or email
[email protected]
Negative decisions
If a family receives a negative decision
on their application for asylum, they
have a right to appeal. They will be
supported by a solicitor and may seek
testimonials from other individuals or
organisations, such as their local MP and
schools. In dispersal areas they will have
access to support from refugee
organisations.
If a school wishes to provide a
testimonial it should focus on:
positive contribution made by pupils
attempts to learn English/fit in, how
settled they have become, progress
made
medical/educational needs that may
not be met in country of origin, where
information on this is available, if the
child has medical or special
educational needs
interpretation/translation services
where needed.
trauma/distress that pupils will
experience by removal.
where to go for support if they are
experiencing harassment.
If an appeal fails, families can be
deported very quickly. This will obviously
be traumatic for the family, but also for
Making sure that families know
P7
Knowing where to signpost families
the school community, especially those
who have become friends with the
children being removed. The school has
an important role to play in supporting
both groups through an emotionally
difficult process.
The family that are leaving will need:
exercise books/samples of their work
records of achievement
information about subjects
studied/references.
The school could also:
hold an assembly/use circle time to say
goodbye
make cards/letters, provide addresses
so pupils can stay in touch
make sure the children feel valued
give them photos as a reminder of
their time in the school.
After departure, staff may need support
to deal with their own feelings,
especially if a family is returning to a
war zone, for example. Children will
also need opportunities to discuss
events. Personal Social and Health
Education (PSHE)/circle time/RE may
provide opportunities for this. They may
want to collect information about the
country the family have returned to,
and follow up opportunities to write
and maintain contact, if possible.
This is a very short briefing about a very
complex area. Legislation changes
rapidly. There are many sources of
information. Some of these are listed
below:
National Consortia Co-ordinating
group, Leeds 0113 214 3944
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
www.childrenssociety.org.uk
Facts and figures given in this section
have been supplied by the Refugee
Council.
P8
Cultural and religious
considerations for schools
food, PE, dress etc
does not permit pupils to be regularly
withdrawn from school to attend
prayers in a place of worship. It is
however deemed good practice if the
school can make an allowance for these
pupils by offering the opportunity to
pray during the school day. A quiet
room, with desks and chairs moved
aside if possible, should suffice.
Religious Festivals
Section 3
Schools will already have equal
opportunities and/or race equality
policies that state in some detail how
the school intends to:
promote equality of opportunity for all
pupils,
promote good relations between
people from different ethnic groups
and eliminate unlawful discrimination.
This section outlines some areas where
cultural or religious considerations may
impact on the delivery of equality.
Collective worship
P9
Governing bodies and headteachers
should allow parents the right to
withdraw their children from school for
a whole day to observe a religious
festival of their faith. This provision is in
line with the 1996 Education Act
(Section 444) which allows for such
provision: “On any day exclusively set
apart for religious observance by a
recognised religious body to which the
family belong.”
Religious festivals are an important aspect
of life for many cultures and religious
traditions. They can be successfully
incorporated into the school day and
have a sense of occasion which is not just
a celebration but will also educate
children. Schools should consider festival
dates well in advance when planning
activities. (See appendix 3)
The law states that every pupil should
be involved in a daily act of collective
worship unless specifically withdrawn by
parents. Most acts in any one term
should be wholly or mainly Christian in
nature and guidance is available from
the City of York SACRE (Standing
Advisory Council for Religious
Education).
This section refers in detail to fasting
during the Muslim month of Ramadan
which, like Easter, is determined by the
moon. However it must be remembered
that some Christians, Jews and also
Sikhs practise fasting as a part of their
religious observance.
Some Muslim parents may feel that,
when their children have reached
puberty, they should attend Jumu’ah, or
Friday prayer, which usually lasts 20-30
minutes, starting at around 12.30 GMT
or 13.30 BST. In this situation schools
should remember that legislation about
attendance and access to the curriculum
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims
are expected to fast from dawn to
sunset. This involves abstaining from
food, drink, smoking and sexual activity.
As a general rule, fasting is obligatory
for all Muslims with permitted
exceptions. These exceptions include:
pre-pubescent children; anyone with
Fasting
severe learning difficulties or certain
chronic illnesses (eg diabetes); females
during menstruation, among others.
Fasting is an act of worship. Ramadan is
not seen as a time which has to be
endured but is rather seen as a very
special time of spiritual renewal, when
family and community relationships are
strengthened and enjoyed.
P10
alternative could be to hold an evening
event or to give out party food parcels
to take home.
Schools may wish to foster the spiritual
dimension of Muslim pupils’ lives during
this holy month. For example, schools
could invite parents to a meeting to
discuss arrangements for Ramadan and
Eid and how parents might be involved.
It may be possible to designate a
member of staff to supervise pupils who
are not eating dinners in a quiet room.
Likewise, sensitivity should be exercised
when planning activities relating to the
preparation of food: not to make
tasting, for example, appear obligatory.
The month of Ramadan, which lasts
either 29 or 30 days, begins with the
sighting of the new moon and ends
with the sighting of the new moon
marking the first day of the following
lunar month, on which is celebrated the
festival Eid-ul-Fitr. It should be noted
that, because of the difficulty of
sighting the moon in Britain, not all
Muslims, even in the same school, will
necessarily celebrate their festivals on
the same day. In the absence of a clear
sighting, some determine the date by
one or other astronomical calculation,
some will adopt the date used in their
country of origin, others will opt to
follow what happens in Mecca.
Many religions have dietary
requirements, for example Jains and
many Buddhists and Hindus are
vegetarian. For Muslims all food should
be ‘halal’ while for Jews it should be
‘kosher’, both of which prohibit pork
products. (See appendix 3 for a fuller
definition)
Fasting and Muslim pupils
Schools need to:
Fasting becomes obligatory for Muslims
on reaching the ‘age of reason’ (or
responsibility), and many pupils, even as
young as seven years old, may try to
keep at least some of the days, or part
of the day, as fasts. Pupils involved in
the fast will neither eat nor drink during
school hours. They may also wish to
observe prayers at lunchtime (see under
Collective Worship above). Additionally,
due to tiredness, pupils may not be able
to participate fully in activities such as
PE if they are fasting. Because the
Islamic calendar is lunar rather than
solar, Ramadan begins about ten days
earlier every year. It may therefore occur
during the latter half the autumn term
when schools may be planning
Christmas parties. Pupils who are
fasting will not be able to eat or drink
during the hours of daylight so an
Food requirements
find out about special dietary
requirements on a pupil’s entry into
school
respect and provide for any reasonable
cultural or religious dietary needs
teach children about the range of
different dietary needs and their
religious or cultural significance
promote healthy eating
ensure that any snacks or treats do
not contain ‘forbidden’ foods.
Vegetarian items are generally less
problematic than foods that contain
meat products.
Many parents will choose to provide
their children with a packed lunch to
cater for their own particular religious
or cultural dietary requirements.
Dress and articles of faith
Many schools adopt a policy of school
uniform and jewellery restrictions for
pupils but there are some aspects of
dress and other articles of faith which
have religious or cultural significance.
Schools need to be careful that these
items are not under-estimated in a
secular society and account needs to be
taken when drawing up policies on
school dress. For example, PE as well as
regular uniform needs to allow for girls
to cover their legs.
Swimming lessons can be seen as
problematic by some families. However,
if single sex sessions can be arranged
this often overcomes any difficulties.
Muslim girls may sometimes wish to
wear costumes that cover their arms
and legs, eg, long sleeved t-shirt and
leggings.
Sometimes children, for example
Travellers or Sikhs, may come to school
wearing something that looks like
jewellery but which has religious or
cultural significance. Schools may want
to consider whether it is appropriate to
let children wear these items in certain
circumstances, and that all parents
know what the school policy is on this
issue. Health and Safety considerations
must always take precedence.
P11
If the wearing of particular clothing for
religious reasons poses a health and
safety concern the head teacher should
seek the co-operation of the parents in
allowing its removal during certain
specific activities. For instance, there is a
religious requirement for Muslim girls to
cover their hair. Where headscarves are
worn, they should be well secured, to
ensure they are safe. Care should be
taken if headscarves are worn for PE
lessons. In gymnastics, where wearing a
headscarf could increase the risk to
pupils, they must be securely tied back
or tucked inside tee shirts.
Good relations between school and
parents are the key to overcoming
potential barriers. Health and safety
issues need careful consideration in all
lessons with a practical element, for
example Design and Technology.
A link to further guidance on uniform
issues from the DCSF is provided in
Appendix 3.
Issues for governors and
senior leadership team:
Management of the school and
multicultural awareness
staff. Check whether the catering staff
are sufficiently informed and trained.
Racist incidents
Make sure that the school deals
effectively with racist incidents. Make
sure that appropriate documentation
is returned to the LA.
Find out if all staff take prompt and
appropriate action against offensive
name-calling.
Section 4
Policy
Ensure that actions identified in the
school’s Race Equality Policy are
reflected in the school development
plan and that appropriate monitoring
of progress in this area is in place.
Ensure that equal opportunities extend
to all pupils (this does not mean
treating everyone the same!) and that
no-one is discriminated against
because of ethnicity, culture or
religion.
Promoting cultural diversity
Make sure that all curriculum areas
address cultural diversity and promote
understanding and appreciation of
difference.
Ensure that plays, concerns and other
performances by and for pupils are
sensitively chosen and that all pupils
are equally chosen for parts.
Celebrate different cultural and
religious holidays and occasions.
Take steps to ensure that events such
as open evenings, concerts, visits out
of school are planned to avoid
religious holidays.
P12
Ascertain whether the menu in the
dining hall caters for the religious
and/or cultural needs of pupils and
Admissions, attendance, exclusion
Make sure that admission forms ask
about:
the religious and cultural
backgrounds of pupils
the different communities’
celebrations and their implications
for school life.
what languages are spoken at home.
Make sure that appropriate members
of staff know how to meet the needs
of Traveller families, eg, dual
registration, distance learning
arrangements.
Find out if the school’s documentation
requires the “first names” of pupils
rather than “Christian names”. Be
aware that children are sometimes
known by a different name than that
on their birth certificate.
Make sure that admissions,
attendance and exclusions are
monitored by ethnicity to ensure that
no group is treated unfairly.
Parents and the community
Check that all parents are encouraged
to participate in school life. Determine
how parents who do not have English
as a first language will be encouraged
to participate.
Determine whether the parents’
association welcomes those from all
backgrounds.
Determine to what extent parental
representation on the governing body
is a mirror of the local community.
Ensure that neither staff nor governors
make stereotyped assumptions about
parents, eg, marital status, educational
background.
Determine who checks whether
appropriate information and advice is
supplied to parents.
Ensure that Home-School Agreements
affirm the school’s policy with regard
to multicultural education and antiracist practice and that the agreement
is accessible to all parents including
those whose mother tongue is not
English.
P13
Community Cohesion
Toolkit for community
cohesion
Implementing the duty to
promote community cohesion
Appendix 1
From September 2007 the government
is placing a new legal duty on schools to
promote community cohesion.
Rather than producing new policy
documents and introducing new
initiatives, schools should in the first
place undertake an audit of current
practice before taking any further
action. An audit will help schools
identify areas where they are already
contributing to community cohesion,
and areas for development.
Schools’ contribution to community
cohesion is grouped under 3 headings:
Teaching, learning and curriculum
Equity and excellence
Engagement and extended services
P14
The proforma below will help to focus
schools’ thoughts around these 3
headings. Other questions can be added
to personalise the form to individual
schools’ needs, for example, to reflect
the needs of particular communities
within the school.
Some useful contacts are provided to
help schools with ‘next steps’. This is not
a comprehensive list: there are so many
websites, but each one given has further
links which can be investigated,
depending on each school’s area of focus.
Teaching, Learning and Curriculum
Judgement: Date assessed:
Red
Staff involved:
Amber
Governors informed:
Green
The curriculum provides
opportunities to promote shared
values, challenge prejudice and
stereotyping.
Evidence:
Next steps:
Pupils have opportunities to visit
places of worship.
Evidence:
Next steps:
Pupils have opportunities to meet
members of different communities.
Evidence:
Next steps:
Assemblies involve all
members of the local
and wider community.
Evidence:
Next steps:
Support is in place for
pupils learning EAL to
ensure successful
integration and
achievement.
Evidence:
Next steps:
Staff have the
confidence to address
sensitive and
controversial issues.
P15
Evidence:
Red = focussing
Next steps:
Amber = developing
Green = established
Equity and Excellence
Judgement: Date assessed:
Red
Staff involved:
Amber
Governors informed:
Green
The school tracks the performance
of different groups of pupils, eg,
ethnic groups, boys and girls, LDD.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school takes steps to tackle the
under-performance of particular
groups.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school has effective
mechanisms in place to deal with
incidents of prejudice
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school returns racist incident
monitoring forms to the LA.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school monitors exclusions by
gender, ethnic group, LDD.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school encourages parents
from all communities to apply for
admission to the school.
P16
Evidence:
Red = focussing
Next steps:
Amber = developing
Green = established
Engagement and extended services
Judgement: Date assessed:
Red
Staff involved:
Amber
Governors informed:
Green
The school has established links
with different types of schools,
locally or further afield, via email,
internet, video conferencing,
exchange visits, joint projects,
international links etc.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school works with parents and
community representatives, for
example, to develop mentoring
schemes, lead assemblies.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school is involved in multiagency working with, for example,
the Youth Service, different
religious groups.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school engages with parents
through curriculum evenings,
parent and child courses, tailored
to suit the needs of all groups
within the school community.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school undertakes consultation
with families, voluntary groups, etc,
to meet the need of all families.
Evidence:
Next steps:
The school works closely with the
LA (and other partners) to find
appropriate support and
information, connections with
community groups etc.
P17
Evidence:
Red = focussing
Next steps:
Amber = developing
Green = established
Useful numbers
Teaching, learning and curriculum
http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ethnicminorities/
Information and guidance on a range of issues including EAL, supporting new
arrivals, Travellers, asylum seekers. Links from this site to many others.
http://www.multiverse.ac.uk/
This website provides a comprehensive range of resources focussing on the
educational achievement of pupils from diverse backgrounds. Links to other useful
sites.
Equity and Excellence
www.teachernet.gov.uk/racistbullying
Specialist guidance on countering prejudice-driven bullying in schools.
The LA’s Management Information Service can provide detailed breakdowns for
schools on a range of issues: achievement, ethnicity, gender etc.
Contact [email protected]
Engagement and extended services
A range of LA services may be helpful, for example:
Ethnic Minority Support Service: Contact [email protected]
Traveller Education Support Service: Contact [email protected]
Personal Social and Health Education: Contact [email protected]
Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE):
Contact [email protected]
National Strategies teams: Contact [email protected] or
Contact [email protected]
Extended schools service: Contact [email protected]
Cultural diversity project: Contact [email protected]
Local community groups For information contact:
York Race Equality Network Tel: 642600.
P18
Asylum and Refugee issues
Appendix 2
Religious and cultural organisations:
York Race Equality Network
Tel: 01904 642600
York Mosque, Bull Lane, Hull Rd
[email protected]
Cultural Diversity Project
Tel: 01904 554699
Travellers’ Trust Tel: 01904 630526
Refugee Action York
Tel: 01904 656862
The Equalities team at the council can
provide information about a wide range
of organisations: Tel: 01904 551726
Housing issues: contact Housing
strategy and enabling group
Tel: 01904 554092
Citizens Advice Bureau
Tel: 01904 623550
P19
(The information on the intranet has
been put together for use of council
employees. The council needs to be
careful not to act as an advertiser of
commercial services. )
Racial harassment contacts:
York Race Equality Network
Tel: 01904 642600
Police: Tel: 0845 6060247
Housing offices:
Mill House Tel: 01904 554246
Legal advice
Refugee Legal Centre Leeds
Tel: 0113 218 2650
Refugee Council
Tel: 0113 244 9404
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
Refugee Action York Tel: 01904 ?????
CYC benefits advice
Tel: 01904 552233/552235
For further information from the LA
please contact:
Adult education: contact Future
Prospects Tel: 01904 634748 or Family
Learning Tel: 01904 554292
EMSS team leader
[email protected]
Tel: 01904 554329
Interpretation and Translation
services:
Council workers can access information
via the intranet: the pathway is Council
- Policies, Standards and Procedures Equalities - Making Connections
TESS team leader
[email protected]
Tel: 01904 554335
Sue Foster, SACRE
[email protected]
Tel: 01904 553034
Cultural and Religious
considerations
Appendix 3
Religious and cultural organisations:
York Race Equality Network
Tel: 01904 642600
York Mosque, Bull Lane, Hull Rd
[email protected]
Cultural Diversity Project
Tel: 01904 554699
Travellers’ Trust
Tel: 01904 630526
DCSF guidance on uniform issues:
http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/manage
ment/atoz/u/uniform/
*Note on halal meat: According to the
Koran (5:5), with the exception of pork,
the meat of animals and poultry
slaughtered by Jews and Christians is
halal. However, because of doubts that
have arisen since the early 20th century
when the stunning of animals before
slaughter was introduced in British
abattoirs, most Muslims in this country
have tended to restrict themselves to
meat slaughtered in accordance with
Islamic or Jewish ritual. More details can
be found on the website of the Islamic
Cultural Centre in London
(www.iccservices.org.uk/halal_food_me
at/what_is_halal_haram.htm).
Halal:
For English-speakers, the word ‘halal’ is
usually associated with meat, where the
most obvious dietary distinctions may
arise.* However, halal literally means
‘permissible’, which, in terms of food,
Kosher:
Certain animals may not be eaten at all.
This restriction includes the flesh,
organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden
animals. Of the animals that may be
eaten, the birds and mammals must be
Refugee Action York
Tel: ????? ????????
The Equalities team at the council can
provide information about a wide range
of organisations: Tel: 01904 551726
SACRE also have a list of religious
organisations. Contact Sue Foster tel
553034 or email [email protected]
Religious festivals:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/cale
ndar/index.shtml
P20
includes all fruit, vegetables, cereal
products, eggs, fish, seafood, and dairy
products (though some Muslim families
may avoid cheese made with animal
rennet). Therefore schools that provide
food or snacks which avoid meat
products can be confident that they
have fully met the dietary needs of
Muslim pupils, teachers, parents and
other visitors.
killed in accordance with Jewish law. All
blood must be drained from the meat or
broiled out of it before it is eaten.
Certain parts of permitted animals may
not be eaten. Fruits and vegetables are
permitted, but must be inspected for
bugs. Meat (the flesh of birds and
mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy.
Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains
can be eaten with either meat or dairy.
(According to some views, fish may not
be eaten with meat). Utensils that have
come into contact with meat may not
be used with dairy, and vice versa.
Utensils that have come into contact
with non-kosher food may not be used
with kosher food. This applies only
where the contact occurred while the
food was hot. Grape products made by
non-Jews may not be eaten.
(www.jewfaq.org)
P21
If you would like this information in an accessible format (for example
in large print, on tape or by email) or another language please
telephone the ????????????????? on 01904 ??????? or
email [email protected]
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