Curriculum development in KS3 race equality case study

The journey so far

• Grassroots start – a staff member asked to set up a working party for race
• Member of SLT also attended to provide link and improve impact of working party
• Lead member of SLT engaged in own training and worked on developing her own racial literacy first
• Engaged Diverse Educators to work on EDI policy with lead staff member; school allocated 4 days for her to work with consultant on EDI policy and leadership plan
• Then rolled out whole staff training focusing on Protected Characteristics and bias in education
• Staff were set specific reading and follow up activities to build on training

What we did/The Impact/The changes

• Current focus is on developing an anti-racist curriculum
• Deputy head with responsibility for curriculum attended centrally organised ELP training on race equality in the curriculum; as a result keen to develop and embed approaches across the whole curriculum
• Used the same approach to staff training as used for literacy
• Identified 20 staff from across the school; in different roles, with different levels of experience and different ethnicities to receive initial 1 day training – aim to win their ‘hearts and minds’ so they could advocate for it with colleagues
• Additional 1 day training held for the core group to further develop and embed their knowledge and understanding; followed by whole school training; summer term whole school focus on curriculum evolution and anti-racism will be a key strand
• Each department will select an area of focus, initially in KS3. The core group will be part of this work in departments and will be able to support and drive it due to their additional training

Positives

• Initial training has enabled some staff to exercise their voice; stronger engagement
• Newer heads of department have immediately embedded EDI within their areas
• EDI governor identified at the start; governors engaged and holding school accountable

Challenges

• Competing priorities; staff are keen but maintaining momentum is important
• Important to communicate that EDI is ongoing; not a short term project; it needs to be embedded

Next steps

• Every subject to identify an area of focus; look at it unit by unit
• Engage student voice; find out what impact the changes have had for students; inform next steps

Advice to other schools

• For secondary schools, use a departmental approach; see strength in the different approaches of individual departments ‘lean into the difference’
• Ensure sufficient time is made available in school for staff to focus on this; impact of giving staff proper time is immense, otherwise it becomes onerous

One word / phrase to sum up

Sustainable – ensure that the work does not rely on just one person in the school

Contact: Steph Welsford for further information: SWelsford@villiers.ealing.sch.uk

We welcome thoughts, comments and feedback: Education Race Equality EducationRaceEquality@ealing.gov.uk