Memorandum submitted by the Commission
for Racial Equality
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
1. The Commission for Racial Equality and
Ofsted have a shared interest in working together to embed the
equality dimension within education, to ensure that the needs
of ethnic minority children are met and that positive race equality
outcomes are achieved.
2. Particular areas of concern for ethnic
minority pupils are the persistently lower levels of attainment
and the higher rates of exclusion from school.
3. The Inspector's proposal that there is
scope for a more focused evaluation of how pupils progress in
order to address differential attainment levels of ethnic minority
children is welcome.
4. The early years sector should also consider
how it can address the needs of ethnic minority children, including
Traveller, asylum seeking and refugee children.
5. The new race equality duty framework
is proving helpful in ensuring that education authorities and
schools proactively identify and tackle differentials between
children of different ethnic backgrounds.
6. Effective leadership in schools can ensure
a climate where equality of opportunity and anti-racism are part
of the ethos.
7. Schools should have strategies in place
to meet the needs of children who are advanced EAL learners.
8. Effective interventions are needed to
address the lack of engagement of traveller children in secondary
education.
9. The Commission is concerned to note that
the programme for citizenship is unsatisfactory in over half of
the schools.
10. The development of links and partnerships
between schools and their communities is important for the creation
and maintenance of community and social cohesion.
11. There is a need to address poor practice
in relation to harassment and bullying through appropriate training.
12. Effective parental/school partnerships
will be enhanced by the use of appropriate communication methods.
13. Further education colleges need to implement
race equality measures to address ethnic minority participation
an achievement.
14. Attention should be paid to the disproportionate
impact of education provision on ethnic minority youth in young
offender institutions.
15. The needs of children in alternative
education projects must be addressed.
16. Training providers should have in place
strategies to recruit trainees from ethnic minority groups and
address the training needs of teachers of English as an additional
language.
17. LEAs need to improve the measures they
have in place to combat racism.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)
welcomes this opportunity to comment on the Report of the Chief
Inspector on Standards and Quality in Education.
1.2 The CRE was established under the provisions
of the Race Relations Act 1976 as an independent statutory body.
We work to eliminate racial discrimination and to promote equality
of opportunity and good relations between racial groups.
1.3 In 2000 the Act was amended to give
public authorities a general statutory duty to have due regard
to the need to eliminate racial discrimination and promote equality
and good race relations. In addition to this general duty, specific
duties apply to schools and colleges. Schools have to:
— draw up and periodically review a
written statement of their race equality policy; and
— assess and monitor the impact of
their policies on pupils, staff and parents of different racial
groups, especially with regard to attainment.
1.4 Colleges of further education have very
similar duties and, in addition, they are required to monitor
employment. The monitoring of employment in schools is the responsibility
of local education authorities. In addition to the general duty,
and in common with other government departments, Ofsted has specific
duties to draw up a race equality scheme and carry out monitoring
in employment.
1.5 The Amendment Act provisions were government's
response to the findings of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. They
were intended to deal with the effects of institutional discrimination
and to ensure that the benefits of public services are enjoyed
equally, irrespective of the racial group of citizens.
2. RACE EQUALITY
IN EDUCATION
2.1 The Commission and Ofsted have a shared
interest in working to address racial inequality and embed the
equality dimension in education. We value the relationship which
has been established between us and look forward to working together
to ensure that the needs of ethnic minority children in education
are met and that positive race equality outcomes are achieved.
2.2 While the report reflects the fact that
progress is being made, areas of concern remain, particularly
at school level, including the persistently lower levels of attainment
and the higher rates of exclusion from school of certain ethnic
minority groups.
2.3 Evidence shows that:
— By Key Stage 3 it is estimated that
only 15-20% of Gypsy and traveller children are registered or
regularly attend school[12]
— Black Caribbean pupils are more than
three times more likely and black "other" pupils are
just under three times more likely to be permanently excluded
than white pupils[13]
— 28% of black Caribbean secondary
school pupils, and 23% of Pakistani and Bangladeshi pupils were
recorded as having special education needs compared to 18% of
white pupils[14]
— Boys of Bangladeshi, black African,
black Caribbean and Pakistani origin are far less likely to get
five or more GCSEs than their white counterparts.
— While black Caribbean pupils have
better than average levels of attainment at Key Stage 1, this
declines so that they are one of the lowest attaining groups at
GCSE where they are 28% below the national average; Yemeni and
Somali pupils have the lowest attainment overall.
— In the FE sector all groups of minority
ethnic learners have lower levels of achievement than white students[15]
2.4 We understand that Ofsted is undertaking
a thematic inspection for race equality in relation to schools
and LEAs and look forward to the opportunity jointly to consider
the findings.
3. THE CHIEF
INSPECTOR'S
COMMENTARY
3.1 The Chief Inspector reports an increase
in the capacity to analyse how individuals and groups of learners
are achieving and notes the finding that "groups from different
minority ethnic backgrounds perform very differently". We
welcome his proposal that there is scope for a more focused evaluation
of how pupils progress.
3.2 The commentary refers to asylum seeker
pupils who often have needs which require specific interventions
and responses. We would also add Gypsy and traveller children,
who are particularly marginalised from the education system as
Ofsted itself has reported.
3.3 In the section on The work ahead we
welcome the full-scale review of Ofsted's processes for inspecting
schools and colleges. Inspectorates can be a powerful mechanism
for raising quality standards and addressing institutional issues
including those which may result in disadvantage for minority
ethnic children in education.
4. CHILDCARE
AND EARLY
LEARNING
4.1 We are conscious of the importance of
early years learning in establishing a basis upon which children
can build as they move into the primary sector. We would encourage
the sector to consider how it can address appropriately the needs
of minority ethnic children, including traveller, asylum seeking
and refugee children, as the provision of a high quality, accessible
service in the early years will help these children to integrate
more swiftly into the education system generally.
4.2 It is not clear whether Ofsted has access
to data by ethnicity for children in the childcare sector; this
would be an important first step in determining the level of provision
across communities as well as the gaps which may need to be addressed.
5. NURSERY AND
PRIMARY EDUCATION
5.1 The gender gap in achievement referred
to in paragraph 38 is an example of the importance of monitoring
the progress of children across a range of variables. By doing
so schools and educationalists can understand better the dynamics
of the problem in order to design and deliver appropriate solutions.
The race equality duty now provides a useful framework for proactively
identifying adverse impact and tackling differentials between
children of different ethnic backgrounds, and inspecting effectively
for this.
5.2 Leadership and management in primary
schools are addressed on pages 20 and 21 of the report in respect
of subjects, governing bodies, accommodation and resources. We
consider that effective leadership can also play an important
role in creating a climate where equality of opportunity and anti-racist
strategies underpin and are integral to the ethos of a school.
5.3 Equality of opportunity is addressed
in paragraph 73 and it is encouraging to note that around 66%
of schools are considered to "provide equality of opportunity
well". This means, of course, that one third may not be doing
so and this would need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
5.4 HMI appears to define equality of opportunity
in the primary sector as having "full access to the curriculum"
with "barriers to learning . . . identified and overcome."
The report does not specify whether the steps taken to address
barriers to learning include addressing differential levels of
attainment of ethnic minority children, including traveller children.
Further detail on the "vital contribution" of ethnic
minority achievement grant staff would also be helpful.
5.5 It is worrying to note that only "a
minority of schools" have strategies in place to meet the
needs of children who are advanced EAL learners (paragraph 75).
This is particularly so given the report's acknowledgement in
paragraphs 112 and 107 that in two out of three primary and secondary
schools EAL speakers make at least good progress.
5.6 We are encouraged by the finding that
three quarters of schools covered by the report provide good or
better extra curricular activities and would suggest that, if
not already in place, ways be found to share the examples of the
good practice referred to in paragraph 81.
6. SECONDARY
EDUCATION
6.1 The report identifies the differential
attainment levels of some ethnic minority children and white boys
from poorer socio-economic backgrounds (paragraph 105). It goes
on to mention "as a matter of serious concern" the lack
of engagement by traveller children in secondary education. In
this, as in other areas, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss
with Ofsted the types of interventions and strategies which may
help to address these issues. (paragraph 115)
6.2 The report considers the race equality
duty at paragraph 162; the addition of an analysis of schools'
responses to their obligations and, in particular, what steps
are being taken to address long-standing and well substantiated
areas of concern for ethnic minority children would have been
particularly helpful here and we would welcome a stronger focus
on this in future reports
6.3 Note our comments in 5.2 about leadership
and management.
6.4 The report makes it clear that more
work is needed both in relation to cultural development, particularly
in schools without pupils and teachers from a range of backgrounds,
and in the study of citizenship. The Commission is concerned to
note that the programme for citizenship is unsatisfactory in over
half of the schools (paragraph 144); this needs to be addressed
as a matter of urgency.
6.5 We see the development of links and
partnerships between schools and their communities as important
for the creation and maintenance of community and social cohesion
(paragraph 152). Schools have a significant role to play here
and have much to gain from developing a better understanding of
the communities in which they are located. The report states that
". . . fewer schools evaluate the benefits of these links"
and it may be that the provision of guidance on ways to undertake
such an analysis would encourage more schools to do so.
6.6 We are encouraged by the progress which
is being made to combat harassment and bullying (paragraphs 160
and 161); however the findings point to the need to address poor
practice through the provision of appropriate training for inexperienced
and temporary staff.
6.7 We have already pointed to the opportunity
which the race equality duty provides to address seriously the
persistent racial inequalities that the Chief Inspector notes
in his report. And while the report contains some evidence of
the response of schools and colleges to the race equality duty
(see paragraph 162), we look forward to the opportunity to consider
in more detail how the sector is using this lever to improve education
outcomes for minority pupils.
6.8 The features of effective parental/school
partnerships (paragraph 166) provide a useful checklist against
which schools can assess and then improve their relationship with
parents. The use of appropriate communication methods is particularly
important when English is not the language spoken in the home
or where levels of literacy are low, as is found among the traveller
community.
7. POST-COMPULSORY
EDUCATION
7.1 The Chief Inspector reports that "generally
colleges have developed race equality policies . . . and most
have made at least satisfactory progress in the initial stages
of implementation." Importantly, this includes monitoring
in relation to ethnic minority participation and achievement.
However, given the Chief Inspector's concerns that not enough
is being done in a number of areas, it would appear that many
colleges have yet to move beyond the process stage of implementing
equality measures to identify the outcomes to which these measures
are directed and monitor progress towards their achievement. This
will need to be rectified if real change is to come about.
7.2 The report is critical of the quality
of education in young offender institutions. It should be noted
that such failings have a very disproportionate impact on some
ethnic minority groups and is for the CRE a significant concern.
8. EDUCATION
IN SPECIAL
SCHOOLS AND
PUPIL REFERRAL
UNITS
8.1 Paragraph 302 talks of the unsatisfactory
nature of alternative education projects, the use of unqualified
teachers and the inability to promote reintegration into mainstream
education for children who have dropped out or been excluded.
We consider that particular attention needs to be paid to the
needs of these children; otherwise they will only be further marginalized
and disadvantaged.
9. TEACHER TRAINING,
DEVELOPMENT AND
SUPPLY
9.1 Paragraph 361 points to the need for
training providers seriously to address how they recruit trainees
from ethnic minority groups. Equal opportunity training for recruiters
should be required, steps should be taken to ensure that providers
understand what is permitted under the positive action provisions
of the Race Relations Act, and race equality action plans should
set out the measures to be taken to encourage more ethnic minority
recruits.
9.2 It is clear from the report that there
is a need for training providers to address the training needs
of those who will teach pupils for whom English is an additional
language (paras 366 and 376), including taking account of skills
and experience acquired outside the training environment. The
importance of doing so is reinforced by the Chief Inspector's
earlier observations at paragraphs 42 and 107 on the progress
EASL pupils can make.
10. LOCAL EDUCATION
AUTHORITIES
10. While it is somewhat encouraging that
nine out of 10 LEAs inspected were determined to be "satisfactory"
or better in how support was provided for minority ethnic pupils,
including travellers, the fact that only one quarter were deemed
to be "good" in their provision (paragraph 455) indicates
that a lot more needs to be done in this area.
10.2 This is supported by the Chief Inspector's
comments in paragraph 477 in relation to measures to combat racism,
where he finds it "seriously worrying that in a quarter of
LEAs inspected support was unsatisfactory". Clearly, work
needs to begin as a matter of urgency to remedy this situation
and to address issues such as the reporting of racist incidents
and consultation with representative groups.
February 2004
12 Ofsted The education of Traveller children: a survey
of educational provision for Travelling children (1996). Back
13
DfES National Statistics First Release, SFR 16/2003. Back
14
DWP Opportunity for all, 2003. Back
15
Challenging Racism: further education leading the way. Back
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