Heart of the Forest Community Special School
Community Cohesion Policy
January 2010
Community Cohesion goes beyond traditional issues of race equality and is about all
kinds of relationships within communities. Schools have a strategic role in not only
promoting cohesive communities and removing barriers but in preventing or limiting
damage to those community relations.
There is a duty for schools to promote community cohesion which was introduced under
section 23A(6) of the Education Act 2002. The Education and Inspections Act 2006
added a new section, 21(5), to the Education Act 2002, introducing a duty on governing
bodies of maintained schools to promote community cohesion, and OFSTED inspections
to make a judgement (from September 2008) on the contribution that a school makes
to community cohesion. These acts identify the critical role schools play in:





Helping to create cohesive communities
Breaking down barriers between young people
Sharing the aims and objectives of tackling discrimination and inequality
Sharing the aims and objectives of closing attainment and achievement gaps
Developing common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect,
acceptance and diversity
A cohesive community is one in which:




There is a common vision and sense of belonging for all communities
The diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and
valued
Similar life experiences are available to all
Strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the
workplace, in schools and in the wider community.
At Heart of the Forest Community Special School we define our community as:




The school community includes pupils, parents, carers and families, staff and
the governing body, community users of our facilities and all other agencies that
we work closely with (SALT, Music Therapist, OT, Physiotherapist, Educational
Psychologist, School Nurse, Forest Pulse, for example)
The local community includes the locality of the Forest of Dean and the people
who live and work there, neighbouring areas, Gloucester and Gloucestershire. As
an area Special School we have a large catchment area and our pupils come from
a wide range of backgrounds and types of neighbourhood.
The UK nationally
The global community
Our school provides education for all, acknowledging that the society within which we
live is enriched by diversity. We strive to ensure that the culture and ethos of the
school reflects the diversity of all members of the school community, where everyone is
equally valued and treats one another with respect and fairness. Pupils are provided
with the opportunity to experience, understand and celebrate diversity.
We work towards eliminating all discrimination, on the grounds of race, gender, gender
reassignment, disability, sexuality (including sexual orientation), age, religion and belief.
We believe that all pupils, employees, parents, partners and members of our local,
national and global community should be treated with dignity and respect at all times
and we do not tolerate bullying, harassment or victimisation of any groups or individuals.
We recognise the need to address community cohesion under the following three
headings:



Teaching, learning and curriculum
Equity and Excellence
Engagement and extended services
Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum
We are committed to ensuring that we help our pupils to learn to understand others, to
value diversity whilst also promoting shared values, to promote awareness of human
rights and to develop the skills of participation and responsible action.
Our school addresses these issues in many ways, including:
 Promotion of the school as a community both through the Curriculum and in the
wider school arena such as Assemblies, Awards Assemblies, Special Days/Weeks
 Providing excellent RE, PSHE, Citizenship and Arts Curricula, giving pupils actual
experience as well as virtual experience, through the various media of ICT, of
multicultural enrichment
 Rigorous scrutiny of pupil achievement on an individual and group basis
 School Council, promoting Pupil Voice
 Extended School provision, such as the Inclusive Drama Group with Lakers’
School
 The Friends of Heart of the Forest fundraising/supportive charity
 Promotion of the Extended Services Agenda, particularly through Forest Pulse
 Taking part in national days of celebration, such as Red Nose Day and Children In
Need
 Valuable links with the Conti Seed School in Uganda, benefiting both school
communities
 Multicultural celebrations, such as International Week
 Signing club









Providing work experience placements for young people studying at Secondary
Schools within the locality
Providing educational placements for adults studying Further and Higher
Education courses
Strong links with the Gloucestershire Total Communication project, whose
excellent website signposts courses, resources and promotes a Total
Communication Environment for all
We have achieved the Gold Artsmark Award and the International Schools
Award
Enterprise projects to raise money for charities chosen by pupils
Educational visits into the local and extended community including places of
worship
Links with other Special Schools
Inclusive sports events
Regular visits to the theatre for productions, including an annual Pantomime at
the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
Equity and excellence
We ensure equal opportunities for all to succeed at the highest level possible, striving
to remove barriers to access and participation in learning and wider activities, and
working to eliminate variations in outcomes for different groups. As a Special School
we are very experienced in maximising inclusive opportunities for our pupils and this
expertise helps us to ensure that removing barriers to access and participation occurs
for everyone involved with our school community.
Engagement and extended services
We endeavour to provide the means for our pupils and families to interact with people
from different backgrounds and build positive relationships. We have very positive
relationships with our families and carers. We utilise the Common Assessment
Framework to remove barriers to access and participation. We run workshops, have
regular meetings and signpost parents, governors, staff and members of the community
to courses, resources, information, help and support. Strong links are fostered and
encouraged via multi-disciplinary working between the school and other agencies such as
health and social care professionals. We have many positive links with both Mainstream
and local Special Schools and we actively develop links with the local community. We are
part of an extended school cluster and have played a role in developing opportunities
for our pupils and families, particularly through cooperative working with Forest Pulse.
We have good links with the International Office and embrace opportunities to receive
visitors from other cultures/countries in our setting. We have a strong link with the
Conti Seed School in Uganda, in partnership with John Kyrle School in Ross-on-Wye.
We have exchanged letters and photographs with the school, raised money for specific
projects, such as providing desks for the classroom, and, currently, sleeping
accommodation to enable teenage girls to stay on at school when the journey to school
is prohibitive. We have been involved in a variety of Arts projects and are continually
looking for creative ways of interacting with the wider community.
Monitoring and Evaluation





Our Community Cohesion Policy and Action Plan is reviewed on an annual basis
We involve stakeholders in action planning for effective community cohesion
The Governing Body take positive steps to promote good community relations
We challenge any forms of prejudice towards individuals or groups
We assess the impact of our Community Cohesion Action Plan to determine
adverse or differential impact on groups or individuals on a regular basis