School Self Evaluation Forms(Author: Mandeep Rupra)
Under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005, schools are required to evaluate whether pupils feel safe from bullying and racist incidents, and the extent to which pupils have confidence in talking to staff and others when they feel at risk. When assessing your school on these points you may want to ask yourself the following questions. The questions are derived from Ofsted’s thematic report on Race Equality in Education and the DfES advice on racist bullying.
Documentation
∙ Is our commitment to addressing racism i.e. racist incidents clearly stated in the school prospectus?
∙ Has documentation about dealing with racist incidents been thoroughly discussed by and kept under review by ALL staff, pupils and parents?
∙ Do we have a written code of practice which clearly outlines specific procedures to be followed for recording and dealing with racist incidents/bullying on the school premises and on journeys to and from schools?
∙ is our commitment to preventing and addressing racism clearly stated in posters and displays in corridors and classrooms?
Discussion, monitoring and review
∙ Is there a shared understanding amongst staff – including support and administrative staff as well as teachers to the policy and procedures to deal with racist incidents. Does all the staff community understand how racist incidents/bullying are different from other forms of bullying?
∙ Is training provided for lunchtime staff and learning mentors to identify racist incidents and follow school policy and procedures on racist incidents?
∙ Do we keep a record of all racist incidents recorded, which takes into account pupil ethnicity, times and types of incidents and repeat victimisation?
∙ Does a senior member of staff have responsibility for ensuring that incidents of racism and racist bullying are appropriately dealt with and recorded?
The perceptions and involvement of children and young people
∙Do pupils consider that the school has a history of taking racist incidents seriously and following them up?
∙ Has a user friendly leaflet been provided for pupils and their parents on what to do if they experience racism against them?
∙ Do we regularly canvass pupil’s views on the extent and nature of bullying and racist incidents?
∙ Are there a variety of safe ways to report a racist incident?
∙ Are there ways in which the involvement of the school council should be enhanced?
∙ Do we provide sensitive and effective support to targeted pupils?
∙ Ofsted states that responses to racist bullying should be ‘swift, proportionate, discreet, influential and effective.’ Do pupils agree that this is how your school operates?
Ethos and curriculum
∙ Does the general ethos of the school (displays, assemblies, examples in the curriculum) reflect and affirm diversity of language, culture, ethnicity and religion?
∙ Do our programmes of PSHE and citizenship include high profile references to countering racism?
∙ Does the curriculum look at the various forms of racism i.e. individual, institutional and cultural?
∙ Is the school involved in national projects such as Kick Racism Out of Football, One World Week, Black History Month, Anti-Bullying Week and Refugee Week?
∙ Have you reviewed opportunities in the curriculum to teach about intolerance and prejudice and campaigns, projects and legislation to promote justice and equality?
Working with parents
∙ Do we work with parents and other people in the local community to address tensions beyond the school gates that may be played out within school?
∙ Do we make our commitments on countering racist incidents/bullying clear at parent’s induction meetings?
∙ Are parents confident that the school deals effectively and sensitively with incidents of racist bullying?
Partnership Working
∙ Do we have good working relationships with the police and with voluntary sector organisations and networks concerned with racial harassment issues?
∙ Do we make good use of guidance and advice provided by the local authority in connection with preventing and addressing racist incidents/bullying?
Adapted from the DCSF guidance on Racist Bullying with kind permission of Mandeep Rupra.
For training on dealing with Racist Incidents and racism in schools contact Mandeep at MRC on 0116 251 9484 or email or visit .