At Newark Primary School the demographic of the school community has changed. An increasing number of families from Syria, Afghanistan, and Nigeria have joined the school community.

Senior leaders noticed an increase in prejudice-based bullying in the school and wider community. This included name-calling, excluding others, and targeting individuals based on their perceived identity.  

What the school did

Senior leaders identified the need to build racial literacy across the school and community. This became a priority in the school improvement plan. 

All staff have received racial literacy training. This has increased their confidence in addressing prejudice-based bullying. They are also more confident discussing race, and including more diverse topics in the curriculum.

The school has refreshed the literature it uses to reflect its diverse population. All classes now feature texts by authors from different ethnicities. Staff are developing the use of Nuzhat Uthmani’s anti-racist critical thinking model. They want resources to reflect the backgrounds and perspectives of all learners.   

The impact and what changed for children and young people 

As a result of the school’s approaches, children can identify racist behaviour and are confident in reporting this. They feel empowered to lead antiracist change within their school community and beyond.

Children are learning about cultures different to their own. They have opportunities to share this learning with children from other settings. 

Staff are confident speaking about matters of race. They now take opportunities for racial learning when they arise. They also support one another well when difficult situations involving race arise. Staff also feel more confident in reporting incidents related to racism and are better equipped to support learners.   

Staff recognise the trauma that many new learners have experienced. In response, they have undertaken high-quality professional learning on trauma-informed practice. This has raised awareness among all staff about the wide impact of trauma. It has also highlighted the impact of violence and conflict between ethnic groups.

Staff report improved confidence in supporting children. They recognise the importance of building supportive and trusting relationships. They also have a better understanding of the relationship between child development and the impact of trauma.

Staff have adapted their learning environments to ensure there are safe spaces around the school. This allows children to access support when they need it. The children welcome these spaces and report they help with their emotions.