Secondary Education: Racial Discrimination

(asked on 10th November 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle racism in secondary schools.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 19th November 2015

All forms of bullying and discrimination are unacceptable and all schools are required to have in place a behaviour policy with measures to tackle bullying, which includes racist bullying. They are held to account by Ofsted and inspectors will look at records and analysis of bullying, discriminatory and prejudicial behaviour, either directly or indirectly. This includes racist, disability and homophobic bullying, use of derogatory language and racist incidents.

In addition, all schools are required to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faith and beliefs. Our guidance published in November 2014 says that British values include accepting that others of different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour.


All publicly funded schools are required to promote community cohesion and teach a broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum provides many opportunities to foster tolerance and understanding. As part of the history curriculum, pupils can learn about different cultures, and about how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. The citizenship programme of study sets out a requirement for pupils to be taught about ‘the diverse national, regional, religious, and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding’. PSHE can teach young people about the rights and responsibilities of living in a diverse community and how to respect others.

Reticulating Splines