I. Vision

CSIE seeks to transform education so that everyone can feel welcome, visible and respected in their local school. (NB Throughout this Strategy Paper ‘school’ is taken to mean any provider of Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Further or Higher Education and “child” refers to any young person up to the age of 18.) We see inclusive education as an optimum learning environment, an effective way to eliminate prejudice and an important step towards an inclusive society, where minority groups are no longer marginalised or excluded. CSIE activities focus on the change that needs to take place, so that everyone’s right to equality and non-discrimination can be upheld. Our work is underpinned by the following principles:

  • Equality and respect: We believe that everyone is of equal value, by virtue of being human. Age, (dis)ability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, or socioeconomic background have no part in determining personal worth. We believe that diversity should be celebrated and utilised as a rich learning resource.
  • One school for all:We recognise the uncompromised right of every child to a good education in their local community, as enshrined in national and international legislation. We understand schools’ selection procedures, for example on grounds of faith, perceived ability or socioeconomic status, to operate against the principle of equal opportunity. We also understand the existence of separate special schools as a remnant of a previous era, when disabled people were excluded from mainstream society.

II. The current picture

Deeply-rooted prejudice is still apparent in today’s society. Hate crime in England and Wales is at an all-time high, according to figures released in March 2019 footnote 1 from the House of Commons Library research service. It appears that the Brexit vote of June 2016 has led many people to believe they no longer need to conceal prejudice, aversion or hate towards others. The government’s hate crime action plan 2016-2020 footnote 2 , updated in October 2018, highlights the important role of education in combating hate crime and clearly states that the government’s work on preventing hate crime will include supporting the education sector in educating and protecting young people from hate.

Parents, education practitioners and other professionals often seem unaware of the assumptions they are making about others. Ofsted’s report “No place for bullying” (June 2012) confirmed that disabled and lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender (LGBT) pupils bear the brunt of bullying in schools, but staff often dismiss this as “banter”. Stonewall’s latest School Report (2017) found that 45% of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender pupils have been bullied in school and that more than four in five trans young people have self-harmed, as have three in five lesbian, gay and bi young people who aren’t trans. The Teachers’ Report (2014) states that 36% of secondary school teachers and 29% of primary school teachers have heard homophobic language or negative remarks about lesbian, gay or bisexual people from other school staff. The Children’s Society estimates footnote 3 that around 40,000 refugees arrive in the UK each year, almost half of whom are children.

More people – children as well as adults – do not feel welcome, visible or respected in some schools; for example, people from minority ethnic or cultural backgrounds, those who may challenge conventional ideas of gender or those who have physical, sensory or mental impairments and/or learning difficulties.

There are currently footnote 4 271,200 school pupils in England who have an Education, Health and Care Plan. 43.8% of these children attend maintained “special†schools, 1.3% non-maintained “special” schools and 0.8% Pupil Referral Units. Recent CSIE research footnote 5 has confirmed a national rise in special school placements and a tenfold difference in the rates of segregation into special schools of children with Education, Health and Care Plans.

This widespread segregatory practice seems to be based on historically established expectations, i.e. on a general assumption that ‘special school is where these children go to’. This is widely considered unproblematic, even though it can hinder children’s life chances and is at odds with society’s stated commitment to disability equality, and with national policy and legislation. In other parts of the world education has transformed and all children are educated in mainstream schools.

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from harassment and discrimination, but education often lets them down. National and international legislation and guidance stipulate every child’s right to a good education without discrimination. In practice many schools, local authorities and academy chains discriminate against people from minority groups and are rarely being challenged.

III. Theory of change

CSIE’s Theory of Change, based on the personal and professional knowledge of staff and trustees, explains why CSIE addresses equality through the lens of disability. It presents our view that routine practices and behaviour patterns which seem commonplace and unproblematic to some, act as barriers to the presence, participation or achievement of disabled people. It also states our view that the power to develop more inclusive schools for disabled children and young people rests with: central government; local authorities; multi academy trusts; schools and other educational settings; individual educators; and, to some extent, parents.

In determining where CSIE can have the strongest impact, it identifies awareness-raising as the most important lever to guard against institutional prejudice, and practical support for local authorities, schools and other educational settings to build capacity to include the full diversity of children and young people. Practical support takes the form of training, information, resources, reviews of policies and/or curriculum, support to carry out whole school equality audits, and acting as a critical friend in the process of inclusive school development. The full document is available on request.

IV. Barriers to change

The main barriers standing between the current picture and our vision are:

  • In the UK, the government’s commitment to equality appears disjointed:
  • The Equality Act 2010 is not supported by an effective accountability mechanism to monitor schools’ compliance.
  • The Children and Families Act (2014) has re-introduced clauses which act as barriers to children’s right to a mainstream education; similar clauses had been repealed in 2002 in the name of disability equality.
  • The Department for Education insists that a “mainstream” or “special” school is a matter of parental choice, yet has no plans to develop schools’ capacity to educate disabled children, making it impossible for some parents to implement their “choice” of mainstream. This leaves some parents without a choice.
  • Faith schools, Academies and Free Schools are among schools allowed to perpetuate social inequalities and undermine the comprehensive education system.
  • The most recent examination of the UK, with regard to its implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, was in 2016. In its concluding observations footnote 6 , the Committee expressed concern that “many children with disabilities are still placed in special schools or special units in mainstream schools” and recommended that the UK should “set up comprehensive measures to further develop inclusive education”. The Committee also expressed concern that “bullying, including cyberbullying, remains a serious and widespread problem, particularly against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children, children with disabilities and children belonging to minority groups, including Roma, gypsy and traveller children”.
  • The most recent examination of the UK with regard to its implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was in 2017. In its concluding observations footnote 7 , the Committee highlighted education as an area of major concern. The Committee was concerned at the increased number of disabled children being sent to separate “special” schools, and the UK’s reluctance to develop more inclusive education for disabled children; it called for a strategy to end the segregation and institutionalisation of children and young people from their families and communities. It also expressed concern at the UK government’s failure to address high levels of bullying, hate speech and hate crime against disabled children and young people.
  • Individual schools are under intense and competing pressures.
  • School staff do not always share the same values or perceive a need for change.
  • Competing policies put schools under pressure to focus on raising academic achievement. This means that other areas of young people’s development, including their identity and sense of belonging, get less attention from school staff and individual pupils can remain invisible.
  • There has been lip-service to the inclusion of disabled children for too long, without real commitment to change. School staff are sometimes unaware of government backed initiatives and/or may feel demoralised and under pressure to implement policies which appear unnecessary.
  • Terminology is ambiguous: inclusion means different things to different people; the discourse of ‘special educational need’ supports within-child deficit assumptions and overlooks the role of the educational environment.
  • Advice and support is not always available to school staff who have a legal obligation to promote equality and reduce discrimination in schools.
  • Initial Teacher Education does not adequately prepare teachers for work in inclusive schools.
  • Recent budget cuts and funding changes have meant that there is now less support for schools and fewer opportunities for continued professional development.
  • Information, resources and awareness-raising opportunities are not readily made available to schools, or considered a priority.
  • Established models of educational provision often result in some young people’s learning becoming the responsibility of support practitioners who may lack the necessary knowledge and/or experience.

V. The levels at which organisations can intervene

There are four levels at which intervention can be made:

  • The level of individual children.
  • The level of family and community.
  • The level of services: schools and other educational settings.
  • The level of society: national policy and legislation, public awareness.

VI. CSIE’s current strengths and capacity

The Centre is well-known in the education world and CSIE resources are highly regarded. Existing capacity suggests that CSIE activities should concentrate at the level of services and the level of society. This complements the work of other organisations, many of which work at the level of the individual (such as MENCAP, Scope, RNIB, RNID, NAS, DSA, SARI, EACH, Gendered Intelligence, Beat Bullying UK and others) while others focus on the family and community level (such as Barnardo’s, ACE, IPSEA, Network 81 and others).

CSIE has strong links with other organisations that focus on the level of services and/or society (such as World of Inclusion, Alliance for Inclusive Education, Parents for Inclusion, Schools Out UK and LGBT History Month) with whom we plan to maintain our connections.

VII. CSIE’s priorities from September 2020 until August 2024

Key priority one

(at the level of services: schools and other educational settings)

Support schools to promote equality and reduce all forms of prejudice-based bullying and discrimination.

Objectives:

  • Produce material to help raise awareness and build school capacity:
  • make information available on the CSIE website and online social media;
  • work with key stakeholders to develop new resources;
  • work with key stakeholders to revise existing CSIE resources;
  • undertake research which furthers the understanding of issues relevant to protected characteristics covered in the Equality Act 2010.
  • Deliver talks, training and consultancy:
  • organise CSIE conferences and other events;
  • deliver presentations at non-CSIE conferences or other events;
  • work with key stakeholders to develop more inclusive practices in their own setting;
  • offer training and consultancy for schools in the process of promoting equality and reducing all forms of prejudice-based bullying and discrimination;
  • offer training and consultancy during strategic reviews of education at local or national levels;
  • deliver training for trainers;
  • contribute to initial teacher education and continuing professional development of teachers and learning supporters.

Key priority two

(at the level of society: national policy and legislation, public awareness)

Contribute to the development and implementation of law in relation to education law policies focusing on promoting equality holistically.

Objectives:

  • Contribute to national policy by lobbying government and responding to national consultations and inquiries
  • respond to government consultations or other inquiries;
  • make oral and/or written representations towards shaping national policy.
  • Working to raise public awareness through collaboration, research, public activity and resources
  • produce and disseminate material that challenges prejudice and discrimination;
  • undertake research on current practice.
  • work in collaboration with other organisations promoting equality in education nationally and internationally.

Key priority three

Maintain and develop internal and external operations to help achieve CSIE’s objectives.

Objectives:

  • Establish financial sustainability.
  • Raise the profile of the organisation..
  • Develop and review protocols, policies and procedures with regard to all aspects of CSIE’s work.

VIII. Implementation

Each key objective listed above is supported by an Implementation Plan which outlines how the objective will be achieved, as well as by a series of performance indicators which help Trustees monitor progress. These are available on request from admin@csie.org.uk. This Strategy is reviewed annually in September. Implementation is the responsibility of the CSIE director, who submits a quarterly report to Trustees. Progress and achievements are described in CSIE’s annual report, usually available in June each year.

Footnotes

Footnote 1: https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8537

Footnote 2: www.gov.uk/government/publications/hate-crime-action-plan-2016
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/

Footnote 3: www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/young-refugees-migrants

Footnote 4: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2019

Footnote 5: https://www.csie.org.uk/trends/report2019.pdf

Footnote 6: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G16/149/88/PDF/G1614988.pdf?OpenElement

Footnote 7: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRPD%2fC%2fGBR%2fCO%2f1&Lang=en