| Useful Resources Community Cohesion – Building on Best Practise Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, from 1 September 2007 schools have a new responsibility to promote community cohesion. This will be a focus in inspections from September 2008. Community cohesion is defined in the DCSF guidance as:
‘working towards a society in which there is a common vision and 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; and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community’. This is not a new initiative it will be a focus in inspections from Sept 2008. A number of helpful research projects and reports are available on the Institute of Community Cohesion website www.coventry.ac.uk/researchnet/icoco/a/2471. This organisation is inviting schools to submit case studies of best practice which will be published on the website from Easter 2008. Meanwhile one document that I found particularly useful is Community Cohesion Education Standards for School’. Published in 2004 this document sets out four specific aims and objectives: 1 - Close the attainment gap
- Assessment arrangements enable all pupils to attain at the highest level possible and do not put any group of pupils at a substantial disadvantage
- All staff have equal opportunity for promotion to all levels within the school
- The school contributes to capacity building within the community 2 - Develop common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity
- Curriculum content contributes to an appreciation of cultural diversity and challenges prejudice, bias and stereotypes
- The mainstream curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to learn about and become involved in the life of their communities
- Behaviour and discipline policies and procedures reflect the commitment to developing mutual respect and acceptance of diversity
- All staff and governors have the knowledge and understanding to develop common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity. 3 - Contribute to building good community relations and challenge all types of discrimination and inequality
- The school works with the LA and other providers to train its staff and governors on their responsibilities under relevant legislation
- All staff and governors have the knowledge and understanding to promote good community relations and challenge discrimination
- The school takes positive steps to promote good community relations
Partnership arrangements are conducted in line with the school’s equality policies. 4 - Remove the barriers to access, participation, progression, attainment and achievement
- The criteria and terms of offering a place at school, or placement at college or work-based learning reflect the local ‘catchment area’ or produce a broad intake that is representative of the community and that complies with legislation on equal opportunities and school admissions (including specific provisions for faith schools).
- The school excludes the minimum number of pupils with no significant differences in exclusion rates between different social or ethnic groups
- All pupils have access to the full curriculum and no one group is over-represented in vocational routes or disapplied from the national Curriculum
- The staff profile represents the diversity of British society
the governing body reflects the communities it serves
- All pupils, parents and community members have equal access to education and training provision in the local area. The aims and objectives are followed by a tool to support audit, planning, action and review of: Family, Community and Partnership related issues, Pupil related issues, Staff related issues. The objectives are addressed within those three headings. In each section the audit tool notes explicit points on what to monitor, the planning section includes points to include in plans, with further detail included in the action section. It’s not difficult to make the links between this document and the more recently published DCSF Guidance on the duty to promote community cohesion. That document sets out a vision for schools to contribute to community cohesion through:
- Teaching, learning and the curriculum
- Equity and Excellence
- Engagement and Extended Services These strands are embedded in the Standards. We’d like to publish our own examples of good practice. Short reports on what you’re doing, why, and what impact you hope to have would be most welcome. Michele Robbins, Education and Governance Consultant
schoolgovernor@hillingdon.gov.uk, 01895 277349 January 2008 | 
