It is important to recognise that school students and staff “might be nervous about returning to the classroom” after riots broke out across the country during the summer holidays, the education secretary has said.
Bridget Phillipson said students, “especially those from minority communities and of the Muslim faith”, will have been affected by “shocking and criminal acts of racism and Islamophobia” that took place following the fatal stabbings of three girls at a holiday club in Southport in July.
Ms Phillipson’s words come after governance leaders said that schools would need “crucial” guidance on responding to tensions after the country experienced days of disorder and violent riots.
Tes also revealed that the Chartered College of Teaching had called for the government to urgently convene a working group in the wake of the violence.
Writing to schools today, Ms Phillipson said that the Department for Education wants to continue to work with staff to make settings “positive, safe and welcoming places” as classrooms reopen.
“The department stands ready to support this, with resources and opportunities to share best practice,” she added.
Ms Phillipson said: “The riots that broke out in the aftermath of that attack shook us all...It’s important to recognise that many students and staff might be nervous about returning to the classroom.”
On Friday, the DfE published a blog on “Speaking to children and young people about violent disorder and the Southport attack”, signposting school staff towards existing guidance.
The blog also reiterated that the curriculum and assessment review will develop plans to help protect children from “the disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories awash on social media”.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, previously called for the curriculum review to respond to “urgent social issues and investigate how to build an anti-racist curriculum that boosts engagement, self-esteem and a sense of belonging for every child”.
Ms Phillipson said today that the violence that erupted over the summer was “a deeply powerful reminder of the importance of education - to help people tell the truth from lies, encounter and understand those from different backgrounds, and grow strong and inclusive values”.
And she said: “We are working tirelessly across government to ensure all children are safe inside and outside of education settings.”
Ms Phillipson also addressed what she called “inherited challenges” for the new government, such as “high workloads, climbing vacancy rates...severe financial constraints, and growing problems with securing the right support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)”.
The education secretary said that schools have been facing those challenges for years and “doing brilliantly for children in the most difficult circumstances”.
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