Community Cohesion: Issues and
Practice
Sir Keith Ajegbo
Why Community Cohesion now?
7/7 and the fear of terrorism and extremism related to
religion
Trevor Phillips: ‘Sleepwalking to segregation’
Changing patterns of immigration-immigration as a major
political issue – fears around the BNP and local council
elections
Fears around teenage gang killings, teenage pregnancy,
binge drinking and community relationship
Concerns about the achievement gap of pupils on free
school meals including white underachievement.
Why Community Cohesion now (2)




In 1965 75 million people lived outside the home
country, now 180 m
600,000 Britons live in Spain, more in other countries
(200,000) in NZ; 3m with second homes
25m tourists to the UK, 70m from UK to global
destinations
Globalisation in many forms: internet, international
students, brands etc
Review for the Secretary of State


How is ethnic, religious and cultural diversity
addressed in the school curriculum?
Should British modern, social and cultural history be
the 4th pillar of citizenship?
Response: while schools should celebrate difference
they must also explore what brings us together, what
we share and how we create communities.
What are schools for?
What are the wider responsibilities of school
to society?
Children’s Plan: Schools at the heart of their
community
Development of pupils as active and
responsible citizens
Creating more cohesive and resilient
communities

Pulling policy strands together
How do schools in their visioning and planning pull together the
demands on them?
Every child matters
Personalised learning
Extended schooling
Citizenship
Community cohesion
Difference, pupil voice, pupil participation, enjoying and achieving,
positive contribution, community involvement

What are the implications of
community?
School community
 Community in which school is located
 UK community
 Global community
How does the school operate in relation to local
communities? How does it deal with issues of
national identity? How does this link with
ideas of global citizenship?

The Big Themes



Religion and non religion
Ethnicity and culture
Socio economic status
These can be controversial areas. How does
the school deal with controversial issues?
Teaching, learning and the curriculum

Perspectives of some students
They see Africa as poor, Asia as flooded and England as
snobby whites and poor blacks’
‘I’m black I live in London-that’s my home. My parents are
from the Caribbean but I’m really African. I’m a Christian,
but I’m E7 -that’s where I hang they’re my people. That’s
who I am.’
‘I do feel sometimes that there is no white history. There’s
either black history month or they do Muslims and Sikhs.’
‘You’re bored with it, you’re just British.’
Challenges: Leadership


The conclusion in our report was that issues of race and
identity are often not high on schools’ agendas. Need to
be regardless of location and intake
The values that the head creates in the school are crucial
in creating an ethos and curriculum that combats both
personal and institutional racism and religious
intolerance, celebrates diversity and practices inclusion.
Will the new duty to promote community cohesion act as
a lever?
Challenges: teachers



36% of teachers felt well equipped to teach in
multi cultural schools following their Teacher
Training.
Are teachers across the board equipped to deal
with sensitive and controversial issues in the
classroom? Should they be?
Does the system make the best use of minority
ethnic teachers in terms of valuing their
experience and contribution?
Challenges: the curriculum
Who in the school ensures coherence across the
curriculum, picking up issues from local to global
Keystage 3 concepts:
History: understanding the diverse experiences and ideas and
beliefs and attitudes--Geography: appreciating the differences and similarities between
people, places --English: Literature in English---reflects the experiences of people
from many different countries
RE: encouraged pupils to devlop their sense of identity and
belonging
Citizenship education as a driver for
change
Citizenship education is about understanding
community and active participation in the
community.
 It is about pupil voice and pupil involvement
in issues and ideas that affect their lives.
Where does your school stand in its
development of citizenship?

Identity and Diversity: Living together
in the UK
Rationale: Britain has committed itself to certain valuesrespect for the law, democratic political structures, values
of mutual tolerance, equal rights. These should be
subject to discussion and debate through looking at
aspects of modern British history.
The aspects of modern British history:
 The UK as a multi national state.
 Immigration, Commonwealth and the legacy of Empire
 The European Union
 Extending the franchise (eg the legacy of slavery,
universal suffrage, equal opportunities legislation

Curriculum Support

QCA Cross curriculum dimensions (revised
1st September)
Identity and Cultural Diversity
Case studies
Who Do We Think We Are?



The week in June attracted around 500
schools.
Website: www.whodowethinkweare.org.uk
Vast array of resources at sharp end of
issues:
School and community
Relationships, belonging and faith
History and settlement
Britishness, national identity/values; 2012 Olympics
Materials on the website







Local history, local archives: eg Northamptonshire Black
History Project
Blackhistory4schools: looking afresh at the Elizabethans
Britishness and the flag
Materials on ‘understanding slavery’
A project from Hull looking at the stories of recent immigrants
Materials from rewind on racism
Materials from the global gateway
School Linking Network
www.schoolslinkingnetwork.org.uk
Started in Bradford following 2001 disturbances
1) Gateway: 100 schools registered
2) Waves: Wave1 3 pilot authorities, Wave 2
10 authorities, Wave 3 10 authorities
Sponsored by DCSF, money for authorities
involved + CPD for teachers

Equity and Excellence




Community cohesion depends on equal chances.
A frightening statistic is that black pupils are three times more
likely to be excluded from school than white pupils. (‘Getting it.
Getting it right’ DCSF 2006; Guardian Sept 2008 report form
Warwick University))
Black pupils are .3 times as likely to be on gifted and talented
register.
Evidence that they are less likely to be in top streams.
In 2005 twice as many black men in prison as at university.
Good practice at Preston Manor in Brent

Equity and Excellence 2




There is an achievement gap for Roma, Gypsy and
travellers of Irish heritage pupils and for Pakistani,
Bangladeshi and Black.
These pupils are almost 3 times less likely to do
maths and science at level 3.
What is the relationship between institutional racism
and community cohesion?
How do we deal with white underachievement?
Engagement and Extended Services




How far should schools travel from standards
agenda?
Where should student voice stand?
Does the concept of extended schools play in to
community cohesion? Is it a vehicle for bringing
together families who would not otherwise meet?
Is the BSF model for schools to become the
community hub bringing together services and
community activity?
Engagement and Extended Services 2

At a conference focussed on raising
achievement of Somali pupils 2 schools
(Richard Atkins Primary in Lambeth, Little
Ilford Secondary in Newham) indicated how
they used extended schooling to raise
achievement and build community cohesion.
The Challenge

The challenge for schools is, while ensuring
all children achieve, to work in their
communities to create new concepts of what
living together and national identity mean.