Community cohesion

Community Cohesion at Parklands High School

Purple = pupil voice, Orange = Year 7 PSCHE, Green = Year 8 PSCHE, Brown = Year 9 PSCHE, Black = Year 10 PSCHE, Dark blue = Year 11 PSCHE Turquoise = English, Pink = R.E., Light green = History, Violet = Geography, Gold = Specialist college events, Dark Red = General PSCHE/Citizenship & other, Miscellaneous = red Teaching, learning and curriculum SEF

Learning experiences Where/when this happens

AWARENESS OF SCHOOL VALUES Become familiar with the schools’ vision of a diverse, inclusive, tolerant and equitable society.

• Discussion in pupil voice meetings. Particularly looking at promoting a positive school society

• 627 project

• Leisure and media (school and media views on racism in sport)

• Racism in Sport unit

• Internet Bullying (CEOP activities). Island Tasks

• Work with Connexions. KUDOS computer software for career development. Job Applications and interview techniques.

• KS3 Reading “The Well”, “Buddy”, “Roll of Thunder”, “Face”. KS4 Reading “Of Mice & Men”, “Blood Brothers”

• Year 7: “Love your neighbour”, Year 8: Prejudice, Equal Opps., Year 9 results of prejudice: genocide. KS4 unit on equality

• Year 8: Art from other cultures inc. traditions & values

• Unit on Human Rights. Extensive charity work e.g. Age Concern, hampers, Hospices

• Website, mission statement, prospectus, policies, newsletter, Open Evening, Assemblies, PLTS

AWARENESS OF OWN IDENTITY Develop an interest and pride in, and deeper knowledge of, their family roots and their emerging cultural allegiances and, for some, their religious or spiritual identity.

• Family

• Year assemblies (e.g. school pride)

• Throughout KS3/KS4 this theme will be found. All major faiths represented encouraging cultural and spiritual awareness

• Development of identity at KS3 through an understanding of the identity of the UK

• Year 7: myself in symbols

• Unit in PSCHE. Discussion work across the curriculum especially English & RS based on tolerance, listening to a wide range of views e.g. “To kill a mockingbird” & research projects on different religions

• Specialist College events e.g. Zulu day

EXPRESSING OWN IDENTITY Find new ways to express their emerging and changing identities in positive and creative ways that encourage interaction with others

• Interaction within year group pupil voice meetings. Have listened to thoughts and opinions of peers

• 627 project

• Sex and relationships (effect of puberty on interactions with opposite sex)

• Crime unit. Sex and Relationships unit

• Connexions. Work Experience. Careers advice section of PSCHE

• KS3/KS4 discussion group work, drama encouraged

• Discussion of family histories

• Year 9: expressionist portraits & pop art self portrait with issues based background

• PLTS

• AFL throughout the school encourages group work & peer assessment. School play, Enterprise work, Artsmark evidence. L2L depends on resilience, response, relationships, reasoning. Life Channel

APPRECIATING OTHERS’ LIVES Develop empathy and insight into the lives of people from different backgrounds – through literature, other media and personal contacts

• 627 project

• Leisure and media (show racism the red card)

• KS3 & KS4 reading as above

• Year 7: Gandhi; can choose one caring person/organisation to research, Year 8: Martin Luther King, Year 9: Anne Frank, KS4 throughout

• Understanding the medieval mind/Tudors very different from today, slavery and emancipation, Nazism, treatment of the Jews, Reformation, outlooks on life throughout history change, empathise with others viewpoints/people have different views

• Arts day: Arabian Nights/Bollywood

• Specialist college events

• RS studies. Citizenship units in PSCHE. Life Channel work. Sports matches. Charity work.

• Outside visitors into school, visits, cultural experiences e.g. Asian arts day, assemblies

RESPECT FOR DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS Be encouraged to recognise and respect how people see things from different viewpoints

• During pupil voice meetings, pupils are encouraged to take on board the thoughts and feelings of others

• British Community

• Crime, environment, health units

• Healthy Eating. Drugs. Gun & Knife Crime

• KS3/KS4 discussion – issues such as drinking, uniform, capital punishment

• This is inherent in KS3/KS4. All work encourages an appreciation of different viewpoints

• History – as above

• African mask prints, discuss & consider other traditions


• Role plays. Drama. Many PSCHE/Citizenship units

• PLTS, assemblies

CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES Opportunities to discuss sensitive and controversial issues with staff who have the confidence to guide the debate and develop appropriate thinking skills.

• Pupil voice/executive voice looking at whole school issues, with thought processes guided by GW and pastoral staff

• Racism, sex, crime units

• KS3/KS4 Race, poverty, drinking, drugs, capital punishment

• Year 7: Role of the family & community, Year 8: Prejudice, war, human rights, Year 9: genocide, environment, animal rights, death, KS4: inherent throughout

• Issues related to abortion, evolution, climate change, stem cell research

• PLTS, assemblies

CULTURAL APPRECIATION Have opportunities to enjoy cultural and creative experiences that reflect and celebrate UK’s increasing diversity


• Involvement in International day of languages e.g. “Arabian Nights”. Theatre visits

• GCSE art project is often issues based. Pupils given choice to include people/places/markets

• KS3: various faiths studied, Year 7: Diwali, Year 8: ethnicity, Sikhism, community, Year 9 Islam, environment

• Understand images and paintings


• Studies in Art. School play. Educational visits home & abroad. Comparative religion studies. Communities topic in PSCHE. Discrimination topic in RE/Leisure/Media

• International Award standard, programme of cultural experiences linked to specialist status, assemblies

RECOGNISING COMMONALITIES Learn about cultural and religious diversity with an underpinning theme exploring commonalities and respecting differences

• All faiths considered including Christianity and Islam

• History as above

• GCSE art project: people & places. Year 8 art project: Art from other cultures


• Human rights topic

• International visits, programme of cultural experiences, assemblies

UK CULTURE Find out about the diverse roots and sources of modern UK culture including the ways that English language has borrowed from other languages


• KS3 unit on Eng. Lang. in Year 7. Poems from other cultures

• Years 8/9: reasons behind migration, KS4: the growth of the UK as a multicultural society

• Making of the UK, the development of the UK, Act of Union + forming of Union

• GCSE art project people/places/markets

• Year 7: comparing UK and Japan. Global communities

MIGRATION HISTORIES • Years 8/9: migration due to war/economic difficulties, KS4: growth of the UK as a

(more appropriate upper KS2 and older) Learn how migrations throughout history have helped to shape our society

multicultural society

• Migration: Normans, Crusades, Reformation, The mayflower, Thanksgiving, slavery + the black peoples of America

• GCSE: population unit

FUNDAMENTAL EQUALITY PRINCIPLES Learn the significance of basic principles of equal opportunities, justice and human rights as they apply to their own daily lives and to wider community and global issues. They become increasingly aware (when this is consistent with their other areas of knowledge) of the significance of these principles to citizenship and democracy

• Pupil voice considers promoting opportunity for all pupils. Democracy promoted within form groups when electing form rep.

• Crime/choices

• Racism in sport, crime

• Island task (Human rights emphasis)

• KS3 “The Well”. KS4 “Mockingbird”, capital punishment, “Roll of Thunder” (Racism)

• Year 7: work in the community to help those in need of care, Year 8: human rights, children’s rights, UN, prejudice, Year 9: holocaust, Yad Vashem, KS4 inherent throughout the syllabus. At GCSE “social responsibility” unit-welfare state, politics in the UK, how government works

• Human rights, Understanding of the workings of the UK + US governments, slavery, basic principles of human rights, WW2, Nazism, understanding of difference between Dictatorship + democracy, Cromwell, Civil War, Charles 1st

• Human rights in PSCHE

• School policies, assemblies

ADVOCACY SKILLS Gain the skills and confidence to enable them to apply human rights to situations they encounter, to recognise and challenge abuses, discrimination and injustice and to advocate and claim their own human rights whilst fulfilling their associated responsibilities.

• Island Task has a human rights focus where they have to govern an island and decide laws etc for islanders to live by

• KS4 discussion work – capital punishment + themes from books such as “Mockingbird”, “Heroes”, “Blood Brothers”

• Pupils are encouraged to do this throughout KS3/KS4. Often asked to put themselves in situations where human rights are not considered e.g. Year 8: wealth & poverty, war, Year 9: genocide

• Factory work debate, extensive work on slavery/human rights

• Drama presentations. SRO unit in PSCHE/Leisure & Media

• Assemblies

REGULAR WORK WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE Learn through close and structured collaboration in many different working groups, requiring them to encounter different styles of thinking and to develop flexible interactive skills. Some of these

• Year group meetings. Whole school pupil voice meetings. Liaising with adults (teaching and non teaching staff), information collection by form rep.

• Healthy Eating. First aid. Pupil voice not PSCHE but relevant.

• Connexions Group activities regarding career choices. Sports council which takes place during PSCHE as well as Pupil Voice

• Arts days: Bollywood/Arabian Nights


groups include differing ages, genders and backgrounds.

• Mixed ability tutor group work for PSCHE. School play. Sports events. Local democracy week

• Police, health workers, other agencies, visits from primary schools

TEAM AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS Develop collaborative team skills and associated communication skills through planned activities that progress year on year through the curriculum.

• Promote team ethic in year group meetings. Develop communication skills

• Parliament mock election

• Many times when group work used

• KS3/KS4 – group and team arrangements used throughout

• Often take part in group/discussion work at KS3/4. Years 7 & 8 have the opportunity for drama work

• Group work

• L2L work puts a premium on group work as does AFL

• Programme of extra curricular activities

PEER LEARNING, LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY Develop the skills and confidence to recognise when their peers need help or support, to take on roles of mentor, coach or mediator for others and understand the skills required to assume peer leadership in a variety of settings (e.g. sports, reading support, student councils, community service)

• Promote leadership through pupils taking on responsibility of tasks. Pupils take on role of mediator when communicating ideas/thoughts of peers

• Year 7 form monitors

• Developed in group work at both key stages

• Collaborative working, marking, including pairs and groups, exam practice at KS4

• Peer mediation service. Prefect system. Paired reading. Pupil voice/Prefect Council. Sports events (captains etc)

• Prefect system, peer mentoring, paired reading, Christmas hampers, hospital visits, shoebox appeal

DEMOCRATIC DECISION MAKING Gain experience and understanding of democratic decision-making and recognise its significance in British society.

• Leisure & media – planning application ends with a vote

• Pupil voice Voting

• KS3/KS4 basic level – democratic decisions made in groups

• KS3 voting on “Why should Elizabeth 1st Marry?”

• Parliament unit in PSCHE

A SHARE IN POWER Gain understanding that, in a working democracy, people have a share in power that can influence the decisions which affect them and the people around them.

• Promote democracy when making year group/whole school decisions. Participation in local democracy week. Community work for young peoples facilities

• Leisure & Media – Planning application

• Island Task

• KS4: how laws are made, how government works, voting system in the UK

• Hitler, Stalin, Mussollini, Churchill, Roosevelt – Democracy and Dictatorship

SOCIAL CHANGE IS POSSIBLE Realise that change and improvement

• Promote ideas/thoughts which can bring about change/improvement through pupil voice/shared vision

can come about through human collective efforts guided by a shared vision of well-considered goals.

• Crime

• Island task

• Year 7: community care & concern, Year 8: civil rights, movement, anti war groups, Year 9: Bonhoeffer-holocaust

• Victorian social conditions

• KS3/4: sustainable development in farming and resource management

• Significant charity fundraising

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The school has identified the areas of professional development needed by their workforce to improve the teaching and learning for the promotion of community cohesion and has plans in place to provide it.

• Emotional intelligence INSET. Reducing stress INSET. Supporting positive behaviour management INSET. Developing personalised learning e.g. Paul Ginnis INSET

STUDENT VOICE Students develop the skills to contribute to the evaluation and improvement of teaching, learning and the curriculum. Their contributions are welcomed and acted upon.

• In progress. Looking at pupils becoming actively involved in teaching and learning consultation

• Pupil voice

• School council, Sports Council and Pupil Voice. (Not every pupil)

• PAQ

Equity and excellence audit

Aspect of school to consider. Where/when this happens

MONITORING AND EVALUATING ATTAINMENT The school has effective procedures in place to monitor patterns of attainment as young people progress through their education. Results are analysed by various relevant characteristics (e.g. ethnicity, gender, social class etc.) that may reveal indirect discrimination. Strategies are in place to tackle

• Connexions Questionnaires. Individual career interviews

• Clear tracking and intervention strategies in place

• PAQ. Year 11 EXIT survey.

achievement gaps.

MONITORING AND EVALUATING OPPORTUNITIES, SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS The school has effective procedures in place to monitor responses to, participation and access in wider educational and social experiences. For example students satisfaction with aspects of school, participation in school trips, sports, out of hours activities, community placements, positions of responsibility, creative performances. Patterns that do not reflect the wider population of the school are investigated.

• Arts mark audit reveals the participation of pupils in extra-curricular & choice of activities

• PAQ

• Year 11 EXIT survey. Pupil Voice. Educational visits

INCLUSION INDICATORS The school has effective procedures to monitor inclusion indicators such as attendance, behaviour, admissions and transfers, harassment incidents (including racist, religious and homophobic), disciplinary sanctions including exclusions. Patterns that do not reflect the wider population of the school are investigated.

• See SEF

WELCOMING INDUCTION The school has effective procedures to welcome and integrate new arrivals. All school staff understand their responsibilities in this process. Direct evaluation of the experience is sought from young people and parents.

• Progress leader and assistant have implemented clear procedures

• Open Evening questionnaire

RESPONSIBILITIES UNDERSTOOD Governors and school leaders ensure that all staff understand their duties to implement equalities legislation as it

• See various policies e.g. equal opps., anti racism, anti bullying, disability equality etc

applies throughout school activities.

DIVERSE ROLE MODELS Efforts are made to ensure that all learners encounter role models representing a wide range of the population including those who do not conform to stereotypes of age, gender, ethnicity, occupation and those from backgrounds different from their own. Contacts with groups who are not represented in the immediate community are especially sought.

• Year 9 portrait & identity. Choice of subject is given to pupils but portraits are displayed and discussed. All art projects include study of diversity of artists from a wide range of cultures, Arts days demonstrations


• Teachers, support staff, outside visitors and agencies are represented

REPRESENTATIVE STAFF AND GOVERNORS Efforts are made to ensure that the governing body and staffing are broadly representative of the different groups in the local community.

• Governing body & staffing represent different groups in the community

BEHAVIOUR FOR POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS All members of the school know that behaviour which undermines positive relationships (including threats of violence, abuse, discriminatory behaviour and bullying) is dealt with firmly and effectively by the school

• 627 project

• Clearly stated in school polices – record of action taken

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES The admissions authority complies with the admissions code and ensures that admissions policies do not unfairly disadvantage any group.

• Admissions code complies with LA procedures

EQUALITIES LEGISLATION All staff know their legal duties under equalities legislation and are aware of

• Policy statements available in staff handbook

the systems within the school to deal with incidents of discrimination. Incidents are properly recorded and monitored.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The school has identified the areas of professional development needed for the workforce to improve the equity and excellence dimension of its work in cohesion and has plans in place to provide it.

• INSET on positive behaviour, emotional intelligence, stress management and child protection are examples of this. Evidence from IIP assessment

STUDENT VOICE Students develop the skills to contribute to the evaluation and improvement of equal opportunities within the school. Their contributions are welcomed and acted upon.

• Pupil voice meetings take place half termly with minutes disseminated to pastoral staff and SLG

Community engagement, extended services audit

Aspect of school to consider. Where/when does this happen?

EXTENDING SERVICES Where extended services are being planned, a range of local representatives are involved in the consultation process and collaboration is established with other schools. An effective planning process is underway (such as the Training and Development Agency’s framework).

• Firing clay/ceramics work for primary schools

• Consultation in progress

• IAM project. Curriculum oppurtunities at KS4

A WELCOMING SCHOOL All members of the community feel welcomed, safe in the school and valued and respected by the people there.

• PAQ, parent attitude questionnaire, responses to Open Evening questionnaire

• Visitor responses

SCHOOL ETHOS IS COMMUNICATED The school uses a number of different methods to communicate its vision of inclusion and equality to its members and its local community. It demonstrates publicly, through its official publications and through its activities, that, within its remit, it sets out to cater for the full range of groups in its community.

• Project underway for display of pupils’ art work in Chorley hospital. Work from Arabian Nights, Arts day to be transferred in Jan.

• Prospectus, website, assemblies, newsletter, consultation evenings, subsidised activities programme, formal and informal communication with parents

ALL FEEL THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE All members of the school community know that their views can help to shape the development of the school and that there are ways in which they can share these views with others and make them known. Special efforts are made to include hard to reach groups (e.g. looked after children, learners new to English language and new members of the local community).

• All pupils are encouraged to communicate views/thoughts with pupil voice rep. Discussion takes place in meetings, with action plans constructed

• Website, email, pupil planner, requests for feedback/comments in school newsletter and on letters home

LANGUAGE Where there are different languages spoken in the school’s communities, skills in heritage languages are given appropriate recognition and respect alongside the school’s systematic support for the acquisition of English. The school is aware of which languages are spoken locally and how many parents have difficulty with English.

• Interpreters provided on request e.g. farsi speaker, parents engaged to assist with pupils with EAL

FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT The school is involved in strategic planning to enhance the community facilities for the locality, including active promotion to make them available to all sectors of the community.

• See Extended schools audit

• Recent Youth Impact in obtaining funding for sports facilities for Astley Village

PROMOTING INTERACTION The school creates opportunities for different groups (for example mixed age, genders or backgrounds) to share facilities and work together; for example mentoring projects, reading schemes, young people offering ICT support, community placement schemes, young volunteers leading out of hours activities

• Family learning, work experience, work placements, students working as volunteers e.g. St John Ambulance, Sports Leaders, Youth hostelling, peer mentoring, paired reading

• Youth volunteers project for Lancs CC

CONSULTATION Inclusion of key Stakeholders Parents, LA, local Police, Voluntary sector, Faith groups, Elders etc. in arriving at priorities for development and advising on engagement with external organisations or speakers.

• Pupils nominated from different forms on pupil voice groups. Working together towards specific goals

• Parents as mentors scheme

• Views solicited via website, pupils planner, letters home, questionnaires etc

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The school has identified the areas of

professional development needed by the workforce to improve community engagement for the promotion of community cohesion and has plans in place to provide it.

STUDENT VOICE Students develop the skills to contribute to the evaluation and improvement of the school’s community dimension. Their contributions are welcomed and acted upon.`

• Pupil voice meetings take place half termly. Pupil encouraged to discuss wider community issues such as charity donations and voluntary work

Documents

Community cohesion