DEVELOPING A CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE ETHOS

Lindsey Clark - Head Teacher

Kamal Hanif - Deputy Head Teacher

Park View School

School context

Inner city - Washwood Heath/Alum Rock

Mixed secondary - 600 students

Very high FSM - above 65%

3rd highest with regards to deprivation factor

High mobility (last years year 11-only 63% started with us and stayed with us.

School performance 2004

Highest ever SAT’s results - English 66%

Maths 54%

Science 47%

5 or more A*-C 39%

5 or more A* - G 80%

1 or more A* - G 98%

Background

Pakistani - Mirpuri (73%)

- Pathaan (10%)

- Punjabi & Urdu speakers (5%)

Bangladeshi (8%)

Other (4%)

Teaching Staff Ethnic Analysis

1 1 11

5

4

7

20

Afro-carribean

African

Arab

European

Indian

Kashmiri

Pakistani

White British

Staff Faith Analysis

20

2

14

1 2

Christian

hindu

Muslim

No religion

Sikh

H

Clerical Staff

62

1

1

White

Kashmiri

Somali

Indian

Clerical staff

3

6

1

Muslim

Christian

Hindu

Teaching Assistants

1

3

6

4White

Indian

Pakistani

Kashmiri

Teaching Assistants

10

2

2

Muslim

Christian

Hindu

Governor representation

1 Indian (Sikh)

4 White (3 Christian, 1 Muslim)(inc HT)

1 African (Muslim)

10 Pakistani/Kashmiri

Issues

“I share my bedroom with 2 sisters. I do my homework wherever I can find room”

HG,Mirpuri

“When I’m trying to revise I get disturbed by noise in the house and there’s always a lot of noise outside the window in the street- kids and mothers shouting; My mom makes a lot of noise even when she is speaking normally”

LG,Mirpuri

Issues

“We have 5 or 6 different visitors every day. It’s always noisy- people talking all the time and I’m always making tea”

HG,Mirpuri

“When we get visitors I have to look after the young ones, take them to the garden to play or upstairs to watch TV”

LG,Mirpuri

Issues

Language skills

“The average reading age of Pakistani pupils aged 11 is 7 years and 10 months”

(PVS reading assessment)

Issues

Immigrating Community

“It’s because parents think that the girls in England are too westernised and they want a good old-fashioned Pakistani daughter in law who will do as she is told”

HB,Mirpuri

Issues

Links with Pakistan“When my dad is sitting with his friends, one of them will

read out a section from the “Daily Jang” saying what’s happened recently in Kashmir and then they’ll spend the whole evening arguing about it and how they would sort the situation out”

HB,Mirpuri

“Our parents spend all their time talking and debating about Nawaz Sharif & Benazir Bhutto”

HG,Mirpuri

Issues

The Mosque

“I went to mosque for just one day and the Molvi beat me for

no reason. My mom then had a big argument with him and I never went back”

HG,Bangladeshi

“Mosque teachers don’t know anything-we get hit for no reason so we might as well mess around and get hit”

LG,Mirpuri

Issues

Parental InvolvementParent comments

“when my child comes to your school, you take over full responsibility”

“It is the schools job to teach my child”

“look can you come round and get my (child) to school as I can’t get them out of bed”

“if you get hit, then hit them back harder”

Issues

Insecurity with this country“My dad is a postman. He works 12 hours a day. He has

built a big house in Pakistan, he sends lots of money there. He says you have to be ready for when England kicks you out”

HB, Pathaan

“My dad works all day on taxis. He has started to build a house in Pakistan getting ready for when these British kick us out”

HG,Mirpuri

Issues

Teachers lack of Pakistani culture awareness

“ What’s wrong with girls wearing skirts and a T shirt in PE”

“Arranged marriages are forced marriages”

Issues

Separation of Home & School

Living between two cultures

“ my son will only speak in English at home, I do not speak in English” (Urdu speaking mum)

“My daughter is always round her friends house, I do not agree with her smoking and talking to boys.”

THE WAY FORWARD

What can parents do?

- Parents need to create a vision for the future of

their children in this country.

- Check homework diaries on a regular basis.

-Provide a table and chair in a quiet place in the house where their child can do his/her homework.

- Allow children to speak English more at home.

- Create a vision in their child's head; something that he/she can aim for.

THE WAY FORWARD

What has the school done?- Development of Cultural inclusion within all areas of the school.

- Muslim culture awareness programmes on teacher days. Cultural Inclusivity Training days.

- Provision of Arabic, Urdu & Islamic studies within school curriculum.

- Provision of daily acts of Collective Islamic Worship (Assemblies, Prayers, Jummah…)

Restructuring school day

THE WAY FORWARD

What has the school done?- empathetic development of certain specific curriculum areas, e.g. Music, PE, Citizenship.

Improvements to school buildings/facilities

e.g. working facilities - halal food

THE WAY FORWARDWhat has the school done? Cont..

- Homework clubs

- Make the school more welcoming for the

community (displays, entrance area..)

- Greater presence of teachers from a Pakistani

background outside school gates.

- Work closer with local mosque committees and

community groups. - Try new methods of working closer with parents.

- Home school links through teaching assistants/ learning mentors and MEAP project

THE WAY FORWARD (cont.)

Regular displays of religious and cultural festivals

Music in reception from different cultural backgrounds

Eid and Ramadhan celebration events and meals.

Audit of cultural inclusivity

Developing stronger an ethos of listening and the technique of advocacy

Guidance to staff

Staff guidance on:-

The aims of a culturally inclusive curriculum

Planning and evaluating the curriculum

Understanding the outcomes of a culturally inclusive curriculum

Outcomes Pupils understand that excellence is not

restricted to the achievement of people from dominant cultures, but that people from all cultures and religions, today and past, achieve excellence.

Pupils know that most people have a range of affiliations, loyalties and sense of belonging.

Pupils understand that with every event there are a variety of perceptions, interpretations and perspectives.

Pupils have a strong sense of identity, feeling that they belong in Britain and that Britain belongs to them.

Pupils see diversity and differences as interesting and exciting.

Pupils understand that there are shared values across cultures, religions and that all people share common aspirations, needs and concerns.

Pupil’s viewpoints are explored and developed.

Pupils develop their critical thinking and analysis skills in order for them to make informed choices.

Pupils are skilled in challenging prejudices and stereotypes, racism, xenophobia, Islamaphobia, injustice and unfairness.

Pupils understand and respect others.

Pupils self-esteem is enhanced.

Pupils understanding that the dominant culture in society is not ‘norm’ against which all other cultures are judged.

BEING CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGES.

BEING BRAVE ENOUGH NOT TO MAKE THE EASY DECISION!