SHIREBROOKACADEMY

COMMUNITY COHESION

LAST REVIEWED: / December 2014
REVIEWED BY: / Julie Bloor
NEXT REVIEW DATE: / December 2015

COMMUNITY COHESION POLICY

What is community cohesion?

By community cohesion, we mean working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in academies and in the wider community.

Community from an Academy’s perspective

For Shirebrook Academy, the term ‘community’ has a number of dimensions including:

  • the academy community – the children and young people we serve, their parents, carers and families, the academy’s staff and governing body, and community users of the academy’s facilities and services;
  • the community within which the Shirebrook Academy is located – the academy in its geographical community and the people who live or work in that area. This applies not just to the immediate neighbourhood but also to the area within which theacademy is located;
  • the UK community – all academies are by definition part of this community;
  • the global community – formed by EU and international links.

In addition, Shirebrook Academy is part of a number of networks formed by other academies that are part of the specialist schools network and byschools that work collaboratively in clusters or in other models of partnership in our local area.

What are the community cohesion standards

The standards are framed by four strategic aims and their related objectives

iClose the attainment and achievement gap

  • assessment arrangements enable all students to attain at the highest level possible and do not put any group of students at a substantial disadvantage;
  • all staff have an equal opportunity for promotion to all levels within the academy;
  • the academy contributes to capacity building within the community.

iiDevelop common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity.

  • curriculum content contributes to an appreciation of cultural diversity, and challenges prejudice, bias and stereotype;
  • the mainstream curriculum provides students with opportunities to learn about and become involved in the life of their communities.
  • behaviour and discipline policies and procedures reflect the commitment to developing mutual respect and acceptance of diversity.
  • all staff and governors have the knowledge and understanding the provide opportunities to develop common values of citizenship based on dialogue, mutual respect and acceptance of diversity.

iiiContribute to building some good community relations and challenges all types of discrimination and inequality.

  • the academy works with the most appropriate providers to train its staff and governors on their responsibilities under relevant legislation;
  • all staff and governors have the knowledge and understanding to promote good community relations and challenge discrimination;
  • the academy takes positive steps to promote good community relations;
  • partnership arrangements are conducted in line with the academy’s equality policies.

ivRemove the barriers to access, participation, progression, attainment and achievement.

  • the criteria and terms of offering a place at academy, or placement at a college or work-based learning reflect the local ‘catchment area’ or produce a broad intake that is representative of the community and that complies with legislation on equal opportunities and school admissions;
  • the academy excludes the minimum number of students with no significant differences in exclusion rates between different social or ethnic groups;
  • all students have access to the full-curriculum and no one group is over-represented in vocational routes;
  • the staff profile represents the diversity of British society.
  • the governing body reflects the communities it serves;
  • all students, parents / carers and community members have equal access to education and training provision in the local area

The Academy and its community:

Shirebrook Academy is an 11-16 community Academy. It draws most of its students from Shirebrook and the surrounding villages.

The academy population comes from an area of high deprivation (ranked number one in the list and has the highest school context indicator, LA benchmarking 2013).

Attainment of students on entry to the academy is well below the national average. Learners have low levels of literacy and numeracy. In 2014 there are thirty students whose mother tongue is not English. The majority of students are white and the largest ethnic minority groupsarePolish, Indian and white/black Caribbean.

The academy is located in the Shirebrook North West Ward where the proportion of adults with higher education is well below the national average as is the proportion of students living in high social class households.

There is poor health in the local community and high mortality rates.

The mission statement

Shirebrook Academy will:

  • be a centre of excellence for scientific and mathematical education by maximising the opportunities of the new technologies to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning;
  • be sensitive to the needs of each individual, giving emotional, social, academic support and targeted guidance to all;
  • encourage young people to appreciate human achievement, the importance of each individual and the value of living in a society which draws from many different cultures;
  • raise standards of attainment of all students and provide young people with the skills needed to progress into employment, on to further education or further training according to their individual abilities, aptitudes and ambitions;
  • increase take-up of post-16 and higher education;
  • develop and share good practice, both locally and nationally;
  • be an active partner in a learning society with the local family of schools and the community it serves;
  • promote vocational and enterprise learning;
  • foster an ethos that promotes and celebrates those areas of practical learning which are fundamental to economic and social life, along with a commitment to independent and lifelong learning for all members of the community;
  • create an important and useful facility for both the community and for industry.

Key principles

Principle 1: All learners are of equal value

We see all learners and potential learners as of equal value;

  • whether or not they are disabled;
  • whatever their ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, national origin or national status;
  • whichever their gender.

Principle 2: We recognise and respect diversity

Treating people equally does not necessarily involve treating them all the same. Our policies, procedures and activities must not discriminate, but are differentiated, as appropriate, to take account of difference of life experience, outlook and background, and in the kinds of barrier and disadvantage which people may face, in relation to:

  • disability, so that reasonable adjustments are made;
  • ethnicity, so that different cultural backgrounds and experiences of prejudice are recognised;
  • gender, so that the different needs and experiences of girls and boys, women and men are recognised;
  • age, so that learners from different ages are taken into account.

Principle 3: We foster positive attitudes and relationships, and a shared sense of cohesion and belonging

We intend that our policies, procedures and activities should promote:

  • positive attitudes towards disabled people, good relations between disabled and non-disabled people, and an absence of harassment of disabled people;
  • positive interaction, good relations and dialogue between groups and communities different from each other in terms of ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, national origin or national status, and an absence of prejudice-related bullying and incidents;
  • mutual respect and good relations between boys and girls, women and men, and an absence of sexual harassment.

Principle 4: Staff recruitment, retention and development

Policies and procedures will benefit all employees and potential employees, for example in recruitment and promotion, and in continuing professional development:

  • whether or not they are disabled;
  • whatever their ethnicity, culture, religious affiliation, national origin or national status;
  • whichever their gender.

Principle 5: We aim to reduce and remove inequalities and barriers that already exist

In addition to avoiding or minimising possible negative impacts, we take opportunities to maximise positive impacts by reducing and removing in equalities and barriers that may already exist between:

  • disabled and non disabled people;
  • people of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds;
  • girls and boys, women and men.

Principle 6: We consult widely

People affected by our policies or activities will be consulted and involved in the design of new policies, and in the review of existing ones. We involve:

  • disabled people as well as non-disabled;
  • people from a range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds;
  • both women and men, and girls and boys.

Principle 7: Society as a whole should benefit

We intend that our policies and activities should benefit society as a whole, both locally and nationally, by fostering greater social cohesion, and greater participation in public life of:

  • disabled people as well as non-disabled;
  • people of a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds;
  • both women and men, girls and boys.

Audit of the layers of community that the Academy engages with:

  • the academy community (students, staff, families, governors and partner primary schools);
  • the community within which the academy is located;
  • the UK community (including specialist school networks);
  • the global community

Key strands of community cohesion

  • teaching and learning and the curriculum – helping children and young people to learn to understand others, to value diversity whilst also promoting shared values, to promote awareness of human rights and to apply and defend them, and to develop the skills of participation and responsible action – for example through the new ‘Identity and Diversity : living together in the UK’ strand within citizenship education;
  • equity and excellence – to ensure equal opportunities for all to succeed at the highest level possible, striving to remove barriers to access and participation in learning and wider activities and working to eliminate variations in outcomes for different groups;
  • engagement and extended services – to provide reasonable means for children, young people, their friends and families to interact with people from different backgrounds and build positive relations, including: links with schools and communities, the provision of extended services; and opportunities for students, families and the wider community to take part in activities and receive services which build positive interaction and achievement for all groups.

Roles and responsibilities

  • Tracy Horton - Personal development co-ordinator responsibility for citizenship and international schools award;
  • Andy Gilbert–Vice Principal, Community;
  • Sandra Peake – Community Liaison Officer;
  • Liz Cartledge – Assistant Principal, Multi agency links.

Monitoring and evaluation

  • senior and middle leaders evaluate provision and impact of community cohesion through their self evaluation including international schools award (see appendix one);
  • stakeholder questionnaires;

Priorities for development

  • further develop the evaluation of the three strands of community cohesion to more effectively determine impact within the academy and beyond;

Appendix one

How effectively do you promote community cohesion?

You may wish to explain how you have used your knowledge of the communities you serve to develop the appropriate strategies, and how you know whether these are having an impact. In assessing this, you may consider the following points.

  • how effectively do you serve the needs and promote the cohesiveness of the academies community, for example by promoting good relationships between different learners from different backgrounds?
  • how do you ensure that hard to reach groups engage effectively in the academies community?
  • how do you contribute to community cohesion within the community in which the academy is located?
  • how effective is your contribution to the cohesiveness of the UK community, for example by promoting common identity and values, and the appreciation and valuing of diversity, the awareness of human rights, and the skills for participating in society?
  • how do you effectively contribute to the cohesiveness of the wider community, through developing learners understanding of other communities both in Europe and globally?
  • how effectively do you deliver the themes of community cohesion, through the quality of your provision; promotion of equality and excellence; and through the engagement of students with the academy ethos and community?

English

  • Year 11 – study Poems from Other cultures as part of their GCSE course. These poems cover racism, persecution, victims of violence, place, identity, cultures and conflict.
  • Paper One covers a range of non-fiction texts and allows students to access topical and up to date material that is currently in the Media.
  • The department have well-established links with Shirebrook Library – in recent years we have had students working on various projects in the Library and then doing presentations to parents and peers with the support of the Librarian.
  • Fun and interactive Open Evenings
  • Support at the Summer Fun day and the Winter Wonderland – in various capacities
  • Primary Literacy Events
  • Primary Transition

Mathematics

The Key Stage 3 Mathematics curriculum enables learners to discuss, explore and analysis areas of Mathematics in different cultures. Looking at the History of Mathematics allows learners to address important developments such as woman scholars, religion –v- academia. Students also trace how the subject has emerged from different cultures.
Shirebrook Academy mathematics department also strives to ensure outcomes for all groups of pupils are equal.
The Mathematics department ensures that the Community Cohesion aims are reflected in the Mathematics teaching and learning. The curriculum promotes cross curriculum work and provides teaching and learning that supports Community Cohesion.

Science

  • Open evenings allows students, parents/carers to gain insight into the provision for students at Shirebrook Academy and discuss with staff any issues they might have.
  • Teachers are encouraged to allow more able students to work with less able students in promoting and supporting effective work ethics.
  • Residential to Belgium for all students from all backgrounds – attempting to provide students with an appreciation of different cultures and communities.
  • Residential to Lockerbrook for students from all backgrounds within the community – provides the opportunity to live with and interact with students who have differing opinions (religion, dietary differences, nationality)
  • Equality and inclusion are paramount at Shirebrook Academy and within the science department. We have a specifically designed laboratory that allows delivery of the science curriculum to disabled students. This includes height changeable desks and it is shared with our partner school, Stubbin Wood, on a Monday.
  • Students are taught and are encouraged to find out about the work done by scientists around the world. The plan is to display this in and around the department to demonstrate the importance of different cultures and scientists of differing nationality – looking towards a global collaborative community.
  • Students investigate ethical issues such as animal testing and are encouraged to appreciate that different people may have different views to them and they should be tolerant of these views.
  • For their coursework, students in Y10 have to formulate a well-balanced, reasoned argument for the causes of global warming.
  • Delivery of Astronomical observation evenings that promote the ideas of European and Asian scientists and their importance in the development of current scientific theories and knowledge.

Computing and Business

  • Open evening to allow potential parents and careers an insight to our department and the curriculum we deliver
  • Primary Transition programme co-ordinated by the school to offer early taster sessions into our curriculum.
  • Primary support and programme offered out to all primaries at the beginning of the year, including being available for discussion of the new curriculum or the several primary events to showcase the robot e.g. Farmillo Primary on 15/01/15
  • Computing and Business week in conjunction with many partners outside of the school including Sheffield Hallam University and Nottingham Trent University.
  • The department have many links with businesses and have coordinated several projects with these. For example taking students to Natwest on a Business and ICT careers trip or local businesses coming in to talk to students for GCSE Business Studies.
  • E-Safety is a key part of our curriculum that we deliver every year to all KS3 and option KS4 students.
  • KS3 are taught how the internet works, how information travels the world and how it can be translated into different languages. They are taught how to search and find information relevant to the topic they are searching by looking at the country and organisation of origin for the information.
  • KS4 students are taught about ICT related legislation to ensure they are responsible citizens and users technology. E.g. health and safety legislation; data protection act; copyright; computer misuse etc.
  • Students in KS3 are asked to be part of the BT digital champions’ project which requires them to help members of their community using technology.
  • The department will be hosting ‘Jam Packed’ an event open to primaries and secondaries in the area as well as the local community. This will also involve members of the computer science community across the world as we ask for volunteers to support the event and take part.
  • As a department we have offered to host Computing At School (CAS) events for the Computer Science teaching community to take advantage of.

Design and Technology

The design and technology department ensures community cohesion as follows:
  • The technology groups in both KS3 and KS4 are of mixed ability and sex. We encourage both girls and boys to participate in all the different disciplines that are on offer(e.g. Food, electronics, textiles and resistant material)
  • Food technology investigates different food products from other cultures around the world and find out why a particular country population has a certain type of food. Students then go on to make and sample different types of food.
  • Textiles examines different materials and techniques used around the world.
  • Health and social visit the local care home and get students to interact with the elderly.
  • Health and social also look at children’s development and child care.
  • Within each technology specialism both male and female staff teach the different disciplines (e.g. Food, electronics, textiles and resistant material) to avoid stereotyping job roles.
  • In resistant materials/electronics students exam different materials produced from around the world. Discussions on sustainability and the impact of using resources have on the environment are also discussed including the effect it has on the population.
The department also takes part in the following school activities:
  • Community fun days in the summer and winter
  • Transition days with the primary schools
  • Open evenings and parents evenings.

Humanities