School Self Evaluation Forms (Author: Mandeep Rupra)
Under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005, schools are required to evaluate
whether pupils feel safe from bullying and racist incidents, and the extent to
which pupils have confidence in talking to staff and others when they feel at
risk. When assessing your school on these points you may want to ask
yourself the following questions. The questions are derived from Ofsted’s
thematic report on Race Equality in Education and the DfES advice on racist
bullying.
Documentation
∙ Is our commitment to addressing racism i.e. racist incidents clearly stated in
the school prospectus?
∙ Has documentation about dealing with racist incidents been thoroughly
discussed by and kept under review by ALL staff, pupils and parents?
∙ Do we have a written code of practice which clearly outlines specific
procedures to be followed for recording and dealing with racist
incidents/bullying on the school premises and on journeys to and from
schools?
∙ is our commitment to preventing and addressing racism clearly stated in
posters and displays in corridors and classrooms?
Discussion, monitoring and review
∙ Is there a shared understanding amongst staff – including support and
administrative staff as well as teachers to the policy and procedures to deal
with racist incidents. Does all the staff community understand how racist
incidents/bullying are different from other forms of bullying?
∙ Is training provided for lunchtime staff and learning mentors to identify racist
incidents and follow school policy and procedures on racist incidents?
∙ Do we keep a record of all racist incidents recorded, which takes into
account pupil ethnicity, times and types of incidents and repeat victimisation?
∙ Does a senior member of staff have responsibility for ensuring that incidents
of racism and racist bullying are appropriately dealt with and recorded?
The perceptions and involvement of children and young people
∙ Do pupils consider that the school has a history of taking racist incidents
seriously and following them up?
∙ Has a user friendly leaflet been provided for pupils and their parents on what
to do if they experience racism against them?
∙ Do we regularly canvass pupil’s views on the extent and nature of bullying
and racist incidents?
∙ Are there a variety of safe ways to report a racist incident?
∙ Are there ways in which the involvement of the school council should be
enhanced?
∙ Do we provide sensitive and effective support to targeted pupils?
∙ Ofsted states that responses to racist bullying should be ‘swift, proportionate,
discreet, influential and effective.’ Do pupils agree that this is how your school
operates?
Ethos and curriculum
∙ Does the general ethos of the school (displays, assemblies, examples in the
curriculum) reflect and affirm diversity of language, culture, ethnicity and
religion?
∙ Do our programmes of PSHE and citizenship include high profile references
to countering racism?
∙ Does the curriculum look at the various forms of racism i.e. individual,
institutional and cultural?
∙ Is the school involved in national projects such as Kick Racism Out of
Football, One World Week, Black History Month, Anti-Bullying Week and
Refugee Week?
∙ Have you reviewed opportunities in the curriculum to teach about intolerance
and prejudice and campaigns, projects and legislation to promote justice and
equality?
Working with parents
∙ Do we work with parents and other people in the local community to address
tensions beyond the school gates that may be played out within school?
∙ Do we make our commitments on countering racist incidents/bullying clear at
parent’s induction meetings?
∙ Are parents confident that the school deals effectively and sensitively with
incidents of racist bullying?
Partnership Working
∙ Do we have good working relationships with the police and with voluntary
sector organisations and networks concerned with racial harassment issues?
∙ Do we make good use of guidance and advice provided by the local
authority in connection with preventing and addressing racist
incidents/bullying?
Adapted from the DCSF guidance on Racist Bullying with kind
permission of Mandeep Rupra.
For training on dealing with Racist Incidents and racism in schools
contact Mandeep at MRC on 0116 251 9484 or email mandeep.rupra@mrc.co.uk or visit www.m-rc.co.uk.