Schools will have a new “model history curriculum” by 2024 to equip teachers with the skills to lead lessons that cover “migration and cultural change”, the government announced today.
The plan is part of the government’s response to last year’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report.
The response, published today. says the Department for Education “will work with history curriculum experts, historians and school leaders to develop a model history curriculum by 2024 that will stand as an exemplar for a knowledge-rich, coherent approach to the teaching of history”.
The government’s response also says that it is “concerned” that some pupils face discrimination because of their hair and that some school policies may “indirectly discriminate against black pupils”. It says it will publish new guidance on this.
School uniform rules ‘could constitute discrimination’
In its response to the CRED report, also referred to as the Sewell report, which was published last March, the government adds: “Any [school] uniform requirement which is not appropriate, reasonable or necessary and which puts black children at a particular disadvantage could constitute indirect discrimination.”
It notes the legal case of pupil Ruby Williams versus Urswick School, which led to school leadership teams looking for guidance on this issue.
“We also understand the very real, practical difficulty that compliance with some uniform policies may pose to black children and their parents. Traditional expectations of uniform and dress policies may not always be appropriate for those with afro hair,” says the government.
The DfE will create new policy on hairstyles and uniform to “showcase best practice” and “avoid unfair treatment” of ethnic minority pupils.
In its response, the government also says it will look at other aspects of policy that are impacting on schools:
Exclusion guidance
The DfE is already consulting on new school behaviour guidance, including on suspensions and permanent exclusions. However, it says there is “more we need to do to”.
It says it will look to make exclusions data about ethnic minorities “more accurate” to ensure better reporting and transparency on the issue. It says its data analysis shows that black African pupils are less likely to be excluded from school than white British pupils and black Caribbean pupils.
The report says: “This does not mean racist attitudes or racist incidents do not exist anywhere in schools, but it does suggest that other factors play a more significant role in determining different exclusion rates.”
Sharing multi-academy trust strategies
The DfE says it will look at strategies used by multi-academy trusts, identifying those most successful at “bridging achievement gaps”, and it will publish its findings this year.
Attainment
The DfE has committed to carrying out an analysis of pupil attainment this year to identify any implications for different ethnic groups.
Governance
The DfE will also be encouraging school governors to be “more reflective” of their communities. It is advising schools to publish diversity data.
