Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing safeguarding and training programmes in schools to (a) protect Black and minority ethnic students and (b) assist them to deal with racism.

The government condemns and strives to tackle all forms of racial discrimination, prejudice and harassment. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools have a duty to take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including between people of different ethnic backgrounds. The department has published advice to support schools to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act 2010, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools?msclkid=9ce22dddcc5d11ec9a0a2d6e2fd0a666.

Challenging intolerant, racist or discriminatory views, where these are shared at school, should be seen as part of schools’ wider anti-bullying and safeguarding duties. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. The policy should set out the behaviour expected of pupils, the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, and recognition for good behaviour. This should be communicated to all pupils, school staff and parents.

The department’s statutory safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, which applies to all schools, makes it clear that all staff should receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. It also makes clear that all staff should receive safeguarding and child protection updates as required, and at least annually, to continue to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. The department does not mandate specific programmes as we believe that schools and colleges are best placed to decide on the training needs of their staff, taking into account local issues. The guidance can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1101454/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2022.pdf.

The department publishes information, guidance and support for teachers and school leaders on how to challenge radical views, including racist and discriminatory beliefs, on the Educate Against Hate website. One of these resources is the Respectful School Communities toolkit, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools in developing a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline. This can help to combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including hate-based bullying, and is available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.

The department is also providing over £2 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools in tackling bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate related bullying.