Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity in Schools

Inclusion and Diversity in Schools Inclusion and Diversity Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity in Education Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity ‘Inclusion and Diversity in Education (INDIE) is a British Council led project aimed at promoting social cohesion and raising educational standards in culturally inclusive schools. It is run in collaboration with local and regional education authorities from nine EU Member States: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, in Schools Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. www.britishcouncil.org/INDIE Inclusion and Diversity in Education Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity in Schools First Published in 2010 by Acknowledgements British Council Martínez Campos 31 The authors would like to warmly thank the young leaders, INDIE co- 28010 Madrid ordinators, headteachers and education officials who developed and implemented the projects and to the co-ordinators and British Council country managers who assisted in collating the examples of best Author: practice on which the guidelines are based. Many examples were sent in. Unfortunately space does not allow us to represent all of the excellent Nargis Rashid (Birmingham City Council) work that has taken place across all of the project countries. The authors take full responsibility for any factual or other errors in reporting the Leon Tikly (University of Bristol) examples. Copy Editor: Mark Levy Note on terminology The terminology relating to inclusion and diversity is complex and @ British Council contested and there are differences in interpretation and meaning both within and between countries. For the sake of simplicity the following terminology has been used: The terms “children from a migrant background”, “children of migrants” and “migrant pupils” is used to refer to the children of all persons living in an EU country where they were not born, irrespective of whether they are third country nationals, citizens of another EU Member State or subsequently became nationals of the host Member State. This is consistent with the terminology used in the recent EU Green Paper1. ‘Racism’ is used to refer to discrimination including harassment, violence and unequal treatment targeted at an individual or a group on account of the colour of their skin ‘Xenophobia’ is used to refer to discrimination including harassment, violence and unequal treatment targeted at an individual or a group on account of their cultural, linguistic or religious identity. ‘Inclusion’ is used to refer to processes of recognising the rights and needs of minority groups within mainstream schools, in this case with special reference to cultural, linguistic and religious minorities. Design: www.baetica.com Disclaimer D.L.: M-48614-2010 The British Council is not responsible for the contents of any external Print: LERKO PRINT, S.A. website referred to in this publication. 1 Commission for the European Communities (2008) Green Paper on Migration & mobility: challenges and opportunities for EU education systems (EC: Brussels) Contents Acknowledgements 2 Note on terminology used in the report 2 1. Introduction 4 1.1 Objectives 4 1.2 Background to INDIE 4 1.3 European youth charter on inclusion and diversity 6 1.4 The European context of inclusion and diversity 7 2. Introducing the model of the culturally inclusive school 9 2.1 Ensuring and enabling environment for schools 10 A legal framework for equal opportunities 10 National policy 11 Regional/ local support and challenge 16 Parental and Community engagement and support 17 2.2 The school context 18 Developing leadership for inclusion and diversity 18 High expectations and achievement for all 20 Responds positively to diversity 22 Encouraging innovation and change 25 Learner voice 26 Ethos of respect 28 Culturally inclusive curriculum 30 Engaging parents, carers and families 33 Staff learning for inclusion and diversity 34 3. Using the model to develop a culturally inclusive school 36 4. Celebrating success: the INDIE legacy 38 5. Conclusion: looking to the future 40 Appendix One: INDIE partner schools 42 Appendix Two: INDIE partner organisations 44 Inclusion and Diversity in Education 1. Introduction Objectives same and that the same can be said about schools and indeed about individual learners. These guidelines aim to provide policy makers Thus the specifics of what works in relation to and head teachers with a practical framework each aspect of the model might differ from one and examples of best practice to assist them country or school or classroom to the next. To in meeting the challenges of inclusion and make the task of interpreting the model easier, diversity in education. Specifically the guidelines we have provided an overview of the broader make suggestions as to how schools can: policy contexts in the countries covered by the guidelines and have provided a range Raise achievement of all learners of examples wherever possible drawn from Respect and celebrate diversity schools in these countries. Rather than offering a simple check list or blue print the guidelines Promote learner voice are intended as a starting point for discussion Incorporate best practice into their and debate. processes of improvement and self evaluation so as to make these practices sustainable in the longer term. Background to INDIE Whilst we suggest that the guidelines are based The guidelines arise from the Inclusion and Di- on international evidence (see below) and versity in Education (INDIE) project2. The INDIE are thus applicable at a general level across project is sponsored and managed by the British a range of country contexts, it is important Council and involves eleven countries across to bear in mind that no two countries are the Western Europe divided into three clusters. INDIE country clusters Cluster One Cluster Two Cluster Three Spain Belgium Netherlands Portugal Italy Germany Scotland England Wales Greece Malta 2 http://www.britishcouncil.org/indie.htm 4 Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity in Schools The project commenced in March 2007 and promote diversity; and the role of mentoring in finished in 2010. Each country has between supporting the inclusion of minority learners. 2-5 project schools. In each school 10-20 The guidelines also draw on other sources of young leaders have been identified and one evidence linked to the INDIE project and these coordinator with commitment and support from are referenced in the text. They include: the school leadership and from the relevant Evidence from the project baseline study education authority (national, regional or local). including the policy context, examples The aims of the project are: of existing practice in schools and the To develop best practice and shared perceptions of young leaders and INDIE co- guidelines for policy makers and head ordinators3 teachers on building and developing Best practice proforma completed by culturally inclusive schools; project schools To develop and express student voice Field notes and presentations from INDIE through a charter which will be implemented project meetings involving policy makers, through projects and activities. practitioners and young leaders4. The leading role of young people provides The INDIE project has had to overcome some a unique perspective on policy and practice key challenges along the road to becoming in the area of inclusion and diversity. Drawing more inclusive and diverse. These along with on the charter (see below) schools designed the strategies that schools have used to over- and implemented projects in the area of come these challenges are discussed at the inclusion and diversity in collaboration with end of the document. partner schools from other countries in their cluster and it is these that provide much of the evidence and examples on which the guidelines are based. They cover issues of learner voice in school councils; awareness of diversity amongst teachers and learners; initiatives to 3 Tikly, L. (2009) Inclusion and Diversity in Education: Project Baseline Report (London: British Council). 4 In particular meetings involving headteachers, INDIE co-ordinators and young leaders in Berlin, November 2009 and at a dissemination event for the INDIE project organised at the European Parliament in May 2010. 5 Inclusion and Diversity in Education The European Youth Charter on Inclusion and Diversity 6 Guidelines for Inclusion and Diversity in Schools The European context of inclusion In the eleven countries participating in the INDIE and diversity project, there has been an increase both in the numbers of children born outside of the country It is important to make some brief comments (first generation migrants) and in the numbers about the bigger picture with regards to inclu- of children whose parents were born outside sion and diversity in Europe as this provides of the country (second generation migrants). the context in which the guidelines need to be In England, for example, net migration in 2007 understood. There has been a rise in the num- showed an increase of 36% on the 2002 figure bers of migrants, including asylum seekers and whist in Germany there has been a steady year economic migrants into Europe from regions on year increase in net migration over the last outside of Europe as well as increasing levels ten years. In Italy the number of migrants has of migration between the countries of Europe, more than doubled since 2000 and increased an aspect of the broadening of the European by a factor of 25 since the 1970s whilst in the Union. The recent European

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