HM Inspectorate of Education takes a broad view of inclusion and diversity, and relates them to the wider issues of equity in education. Count Us In1 helped to reach towards a pragmatic definition of inclusion and focused on success for all. Our more recent report, Missing Out2, summarised the barriers facing learners and continued to examine an operational definition of inclusion. It also looked at approaches aimed at reducing barriers and ensuring success for all, in particular looking at what works. Our ‘state of the nation’ report, Improving Scottish Education3, stressed the need for us to achieve success for all. As part of HMIE’s follow-through work to Improving Scottish Education, we have developed How good is our school? The Journey to Excellence, to take forward this same theme of success for all. HMIE is also monitoring the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act.
To reach a better understanding of the barriers faced by particular groups of young people, and to tune teachers and managers into the various issues, we have developed an approach that focuses on why specific groups of young people miss out. This approach also helps us to develop a better understanding of equity, that is, success in learning that is independent of one’s background and context. We know that those learners who are not in education, employment or training after they leave school are not the same group as the lowest performing 20% of young people. Neither of these groups is a homogeneous group, so our focus on particular groups and issues or particular risks for young people helps us to gain a better understanding of these constituencies. For all these reasons, HMIE is pleased to introduce this new series of short publications and booklets on specific aspects of equality, inclusion and diversity.
In The Journey to Excellence, excellent schools are described as those in which the school community as a whole is involved in developing, sharing and living a common vision. Such schools have strong leadership at all levels, in particular, leadership for learning. They work with other agencies, the community and parents to enable young people to be successful in their learning.
Excellent schools expect all staff to reflect on the quality of education they provide, and to respond positively to challenge from within and beyond the school. Such schools value their staff and pupils, providing them with the support they need, while also empowering them to make decisions about, and take responsibility for, improving learning. Excellent schools treat children and young people with respect and entrust them with active roles in decision-making. They care for young people, and for the staff who support and teach them, and do all they can to assure their health and well being. Fundamental to all this is a school culture which values and promotes the highest levels of ambition and achievement.4
In an excellent school, sectarianism is not tolerated and diversity is valued.
There are no shortcuts to excellence, unfortunately, but it can be achieved by all. The Journey to Excellence describes some of the routes which have proved successful for others.
Promoting understanding and combating sectarianism highlights key features of successful practice in promoting diversity, equality and inclusion and tackling sectarianism in Scottish education. This practice is linked to four of the ten dimensions of excellence from The Journey to Excellence and also to the quality indicators which schools can use to establish their starting points.
The examples included were gathered during visits to education authorities and schools in Scotland, and also from reports of inspections across a range of sectors. The schools and authorities featured in this booklet are among those which have carried out some promising work on combating sectarianism and encouraging mutual understanding among diverse groups. The impact of these initiatives has, in most cases, not yet been formally evaluated by the establishments involved. Using relevant indicators such as QI 2.1 Learners’ experiences, schools can begin to evaluate the success of their anti-sectarian activities. They might look at aspects such as reductions in the use of sectarian language or sectarian bullying, or the extent of ongoing positive relationships or friendships between pupils from denominational and non-denominational schools, particularly those which endure beyond particular projects and activities. Useful sources of evidence could include ‘before and after’ surveys of pupils’ views, direct observation of their behaviour and attitudes and analysis of logs of bullying incidents and records of commendations for positive behaviour.