Whole school approach to racism and racist incidents: guidance

Introduction

This guidance has been designed to assist school leaders, school staff, and local authorities to implement a consistent and robust whole school approach to responding to racism and racist incidents in schools. It should be read alongside the Addressing racism and racist incidents guidance.

Every child has the right to grow up fully included in their learning experience, to feel a sense of belonging, and to be treated with dignity and respect. When a child’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled, their health and wellbeing can improve, which positively impacts on their learning and achievement. Children’s rights include the right to protection from all forms of violence (UNCRC Article 19) and discrimination (Article 2), and to an education which develops respect for human rights and prepares children for responsible life in a free society (Article 29).

The guidance is applicable to all schools, regardless of the diversity of the pupil population or wider community. It has been developed by the Scottish Government in conjunction with the Racism and Racist Incidents Subgroup of the Scottish Government Anti-Racism in Education Programme. It is underpinned by the Anti-Racist Curriculum Principles, the Anti-Racism in Education Commitment, and guidance on developing a positive whole-school ethos and culture. It builds on Addressing Inclusion: effectively challenging racism in schools. Racism is understood in the context of Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) wellbeing indicators, children’s rights, and human rights.

The work of the Scottish Government’s Anti Racism in Education Programme highlighted that many adversely racialised children and young people are experiencing racism and racist incidents in Scottish schools, and that schools may not have robust policies in place to recognise, respond to, record, and monitor incidents of racism. Robust policies and practices in this area play an important role in creating and reinforcing an antiracist culture and ethos, in upholding children’s rights, and in supporting the health and wellbeing of all members of a school community.

Language used to discuss and describe racism continues to evolve. This guidance uses the term “adversely racialised” to describe people who have experienced racism. This term recognises that racism is a systemic problem where systems and structures unequally advantage or disadvantage people and communities based on their perceived ”race.” In using these terms, we consider all kinds of prejudice based on race or ethnicity to be included and therefore encompassed in this whole school approach.

Why use a whole school approach?

Racism can affect all parts of a school community, including pupils, school staff, parents, carers, families, and the wider community. A response to racism and racist behaviour therefore requires a whole school approach, with cohesive, collective and collaborative engagement across the school community. This approach recognises the important contribution to be made by every member of a school community.

A whole school approach to racism and racist incidents aims to:

• positively influence school culture by fostering a shared, consistent approach to addressing racism and racist incidents
• develop a shared understanding of what racism is and how everyone in a school community has a role to play in challenging racism
• consider how all areas of school life can contribute to and support the school’s anti-racist approach
• challenge traditional structures that can perpetuate racism and uphold disadvantage to some communities over others

Developing a whole school response to racism and racist incidents involves general actions to create a whole school antiracist environment, which includes everyone, and targeted responses to incidents of racism.

Universal actions

• Staff professional learning and development
• School culture and ethos
• Curriculum, learning and teaching
• Policies and systems

Targeted responses

• Responding to a person experiencing a racist incident
• Responding to a person who has displayed racist behaviour
• Responding to the wider school community

Schools often work with a wide range of partners to support children and young people. It is recommended that schools engage with partners to keep them informed about the school’s anti-racism work and involve them where there may be opportunity to do so.

Legal Status

While schools have relevant legal duties (Annex A), this guidance is non-statutory and is designed to assist public, grant-aided and independent schools. The guidance is not prescriptive, and each school should assess their specific circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Public, grant-aided and independent schools are responsible for ensuring that their policies, practices, and information take full account of relevant legislation and policy. It is for education authorities, the managers of grant-aided schools and the proprietors of independent schools to take their own legal advice on such matters.