Case studies on developing a multicultural school ethos and curriculum

Achieve case study: Lonesome Primary School

Leading the development of a multicultural school ethos

The school setting

Lonesome Primary School is located in Mitcham within the London Borough of Merton. The catchment area has undergone some significant demographic changes over the past two decades. What was once an overwhelmingly white area has become a culturally diverse community. This is reflected in the school community, 59 per cent of whom are from Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities.

The old catchment area did not enjoy a reputation for racial tolerance. This is changing thanks to local schools and the LEA working together.

What’s changed at Lonesome Primary School?

Lonesome Primary School in Mitcham appointed David Winters as headteacher in September 2004. You do not have to go far to see the impact the new headteacher is having on the ethos of the school. The positive role model provided by David Winters was evident throughout October, when the reception wall outside his office featured examples of the positive contributions made by the Black community to British society. These displays, personally put up by the headteacher, included a biography of Stephen Lawrence and a celebration of the achievements of Black footballers as part of the “Kick racism out of Football” campaign. Each theme was followed up with a weekly assembly to reinforce the powerful message of the displays.

So what?

The fact that this initiative was led by the headteacher sends out a clear signal to the entire school community that a commitment to racial equality is central to the values of the school.

This commitment was tested when a school governor, the parent of a Year Six child at the school,questioned the validity and importance of the Stephen Lawrence display. Is this Black History? Do people need reminding of such a terrible event? Why don’t we forget about it and move on? These arguments were welcomed by Mr Winters as an opportunity to open the debate in a positive way.

Within days of the “Kick Racism out of Football” display being constructed, a racist outburst by football commentator and manager Ron Atkinson received widespread publicity. Given the high esteem in which footballers are held by large numbers of children, the display gave a powerful message. It provided young people with the tools to highlight the contributions of different parts of the British community and to challenge the racism that seeks to undermine and marginalise these efforts.

Maintaining the ethos: beyond the display

David Winters and his team continually re-examine policy and practice, driving the attainment of all children forward and reinforcing the key messages: that every student must reach their potential, and valuing diversity is not an option but a necessity.

The school offers a huge range of enrichment activities, performance opportunities and celebrations of pupil achievement. There is a wealth of extracurricular activities on offer at lunchtimes and after school, headed by staff or members of the local community,

David Winters says: “At Lonesome School we are continually striving to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. In my view promoting race equality and raising the achievement of minority ethnic pupils is the responsibility of the whole staff.”

The Head and Leadership Team demonstrate commitment to this policy through personal leadership.

Is leadership successfully challenging racism by providing a positive role model in your school setting? If so we would like to hear about it. How does your school raise achievement in under-performing ethnic groups? Share your success with other teachers.

For further information including a copy of Lonesome Primary School’s Race Equality Policy and information on their anti-racist resources please contact Mr Winters at: lonesome@lonesome.merton.sch.uk

Achieve case study: National School, Hucknall

Raising the Profile by Peter Foster

The National School in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire is both a Church of England school and a specialist technology college, but like a large number of secondary schools in small town settings it has a tiny number of children from minority ethnic backgrounds. In the case of the National School there are 25 in a school of almost 1100. However, there is an awareness that in such schools there is also a latent racism based on ignorance and inappropriate stereotyping. Supporting minority ethnic children and combating racism is vital to the school ethos but, of course, it is not easy to accomplish.

In our case we stumbled upon a strategy that has made a substantial difference by providing positive role models that can be admired by the whole community. This started as a poster campaign depicting minority ethnic people in positive situations such as working in science and technology careers, and then developed into highlighting minority ethnic participation in 20th century European history; for instance, contributions to the RAF in World War Two. Even so, this always seemed somewhat forced and perhaps typical of the tokenism that beset programmes aimed at racial tolerance and understanding.

Our first realisation that all communities could see people from minority ethnic backgrounds as positive role models came when we invited a local black TV newscaster to present our Year Eleven Records of Achievement. She appeared to most pupils as something of a curiosity until she began to speak about her life, her job and the difficulties she had experienced. Within seconds a rapt silence had descended and she enthralled the pupils. The fact that she talked on well into the pupils’ lunchtime went unnoticed and at the end she could scarcely get away.

We followed this success by the appointment of the school’s first black teacher, who was a maths specialist. She did encounter some racism at the start, but it was quickly stilled by the rapport that she built with children across the school and the growing admiration when she was happy to do solo assemblies singing and playing the piano.

This year the school’s Head Girl is a black pupil: an intelligent ambassador who was able to speak before 500 people at Prize Giving and greet the Princess Royal. Again this is a very positive role model that instils pride in the black pupils who see this exposure and success, and also brings admiration from white children.

It may all seem rather naive to colleagues who work in difficult inner-city circumstances, but continual and deliberate presentation of positive role models gives pride to minority ethnic children and brings acceptance and more from the white majority. All that we can say in this context in the National School is that racial incidents have all but disappeared and we are left with pupils who we believe recognise each other’s humanity and ignore colour.