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Promoting Race Equality in Schools and Pre-School Education Centres

The part you can play to help comply with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act

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Scotland is a multi-cultural society.

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 aims to make equality integral to all public services, including education.

THIS LEAFLET

This leaflet explains changes to the laws on Race Relations, and the role that school staff can play in promoting equality. The Act is relevant to all publicly funded schools across Scotland. Research indicates that anti-racist and multicultural education is even more important in schools with few or no minority ethnic pupils. See www.scotland.gov.uk/structure/hmi/eandf1.htm

WHAT IS THE NEW ACT?

The changes, which came into effect in April 2001, place a statutory proactive General Duty on public authorities to:

• eliminate unlawful racial discrimination
• promote equality of opportunity; and
• promote good race relations

Scottish Ministers introduced a set of Specific Duties, to assist Education Authorities to meet the General Duty.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

By 30 November 2002, Education Authorities must:

• prepare and publish a written statement of its

policy for promoting racial equality _ known as its Race Equality Policy

• make arrangements for schools to assess and
• monitor the impact of its policies, including its race equality policy, on pupils, staff and parents of different racial groups, particularly with regard to the impact on attainment level
• make arrangements to publish annually the results of its monitoring.

The Education Authority will develop the Race Equality Policy, but schools and pre-school education centres will have responsibility for putting it into practice.

Education Authorities are responsible for meeting the general duty and specific duties in all their functions, including those carried out by someone else through a contract (e.g. school meals, cleaning) or a service level agreement (e.g. family centres) or in partnership with others (e.g. partnership nurseries).

RACE EQUALITY POLICY

It should be a written statement of responsibilities and commitments, which is linked to an Action Plan for putting the policy into practice. Education Authorities may require each school and pre-school education centre under its management to develop its own Race Equality Policy. Alternatively they will be required to comply with the Education Authority's policy.

SO WHAT IS NEW?

Many schools already have been proactive in promoting good practice in race equality. However, the new Act requires that everyone looks again at their attitudes and practice in light of the new Policy and Action Plan and makes relevant improvements.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Everyone has a part to play.

Promoting race equality in a school setting is about building on what you are already doing.

All are involved and everyone on the school staff must play their part. But to do this, they need the active support of:

• the school board
• pupils
• parents/carers
• the wider community

Schools should consider how they promote race equality in the following key areas:

• creating a positive and inclusive teaching and learning environment
• curriculum programmes
• pastoral care, including the prevention of bullying and harassment
• developing positive partnerships with parents and the wider communities
• staff development and training
• monitoring access, progress, and achievement.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

The Act is about improving the lives of people, making a difference. In order to achieve race equality it is important to monitor how well we are doing. What this Act does is to ensure that ethnicity is included as a category in monitoring. The Commission for Racial Equality in Scotland's Guidance on Ethnic Monitoring provides help on how you can do this. Monitoring will provide information that will help us make a difference.

However, the new duties are not about gathering statistics. They are about improving practice.

WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE?

There is a lot of help available and good ideas should be shared. First contact your school equalities co-ordinator or your Headteacher, then your Education Authority's Equal Opportunities Officer.

SOME WEBSITE BASED RESOURCES

HMIE- Quality Indicators:

• How Good is our School?
• A Route to Equality and Fairness

www.scotland.gov.uk/structure/hmi/eandf1.htm

Scottish Executive - for Pre-school

• The Child at the Centre

www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc16/cac2-09.asp

Commission for Racial Equality in Scotland has up to date information about legislation, guidance on carrying out the duties, and useful links.
www.cre.gov.uk

Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland - legislation, resources and good practice. www.education.ed.ac.uk/ceres

The Scottish Traveller Education Programme (STEP) advises on Gypsy/Traveller issues
www.education.ed.ac.uk/step

The Scottish Development Education Centre has teaching packs on global issues, human rights, fair trade
www.scotdec.org.uk

One Scotland: Many Cultures - The Scottish Executive's anti-racism campaign.
www.onescotland.com

Educational Institute of Scotland
www.eis.org.uk

LTScotland - A Curriculum Framework for Children 3-5
www.ngflscotland.gov.uk/earlyyears/resources/cf25.pdf

Scottish Anti-Bullying Network
www.antibullying.net

Leaflet prepared in partnership with: