in Leeds Launched - Stop Hate UK · 2018-01-11 · Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza what it was like at their school, and how their lives were affected by the conflict. It was transmitted

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The national launch of the Stephen

Lawrence Education Standard on

22 January 2010 was a resounding

success.

Four hundred and fifty enthusiastic

delegates packed Saviles Hall at

the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The

programme was inspirational and

wowed everybody present.

The large hall was transformed with

forty-four exhibitions and displays

from schools in Leeds and partners,

including six colourful and beautifully

designed Leeds West Indian Carnival

costumes. Delegates came from local

authorities and from partners such as

Ofsted, TDA, teaching and classroom

trade unions, Aspect, Leeds Safer

Doreen Lawrence and Rehana Minhas

Special Launch Issue

March 2010

News magazine of the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard in Leeds

LaunchedRehana Minhas, Director Equality and Entitlement, writes:

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School Partnerships and faith and

community representatives.

Throughout the day contributions

from headteachers, school staff

and children and young people

demonstrated the positive impact

of the Standard on their learning

and their passion and commitment

to provide committed leadership

for race equality and community

cohesion.

This issue of Harmony captures some

of the many precious moments of the

launch, which marked a significant point

in the development and history of the

Leeds Stephen Lawrence Education

Standard.

The children and young people in

addition to the formal programme

were able to engage with delegates in

conversations as brilliant ambassadors

of the Standard.

The time is right for those of us

in Leeds to share our experience,

expertise, passion and commitment

to develop and embed leadership

nationally for race equality and

community cohesion.

Training courses are being offered to

authorities to engage in the Standard.

Please contact us as soon as possible if

you have not received the appropriate

documentation for these.

It’s not just a piece of paper to

put on the wall or a trophy to put in

the cabinet.”

He said that other regions had schemes

with some similarities, but “I don’t

think I’ve seen such a powerful and

systematic way of addressing issues

of race equality and community

cohesion…

Talk to the children themselves if you

really want to know what is going

on. You can see from them how the

Standard makes a difference…”

He made a special mention of Morley,

a town which is part of Leeds: “The

Morley Family of Schools has been at

the forefront of this work. Our local

schools recognised early on that their

campaign to stamp out racism would be

stronger if they worked together.

Seventeen schools across Morley came

together, along with local community

figures and business representatives,

to create a truly ground-breaking

approach to tackling racist bullying and

negative attitudes in our schools, our

streets and our towns…

There’s no common template, though.

I must not be didactic – we need

innovation in the leadership. You don’t

have do things in a particular way. As

Secretary of State I can’t say this is

the best way – but I can promote best

practice!

Local areas should decide how to do it,

but they should take inspiration from

Leeds…

I hope those of you around the

country who needed to be persuaded

will take back these ideas. They will

help you to make a difference to your

communities.

I hope it’s the start of something big,

nationwide, in years to come.”

Talk to the Children“It’s good to be here on a day of celebration,” said Ed Balls.

“The Stephen Lawrence Education Standard is having a big impact.

“It has been ten years since the

Macpherson Inquiry Report into my

son Stephen Lawrence’s death and

it was at that time that Leeds City

Council, and the Education Department,

in partnership with local Race and

Community groups, started the Stephen

Lawrence Education Award.

…Having my son’s name linked to this

marvellous achievement makes me

feel that we have come a long way

from where we were and that we are

definitely going in the right direction.

…However, this success sometimes

highlights other issues, in need of

attention. Discrimination can present

itself in many ways and it goes without

saying that we should all challenge

racism and deal with inequality.

As much as public authorities have a

responsibility of challenging unfairness

and inequality, we as individuals,

many of whom represent these public

authorities, need to take personal

responsibility for tackling discrimination

of all kinds. This is especially important

in light of the increasing support for the

extreme right.

…The Stephen Lawrence Centre has

opened its doors to many young people.

It covers a range of professional and

vocational skills that will help shape

our environment. The Trust’s work

has already had a great impact on

numerous young lives, thanks to the

architectural bursaries the Trust has

been awarding since 2000.

At the Centre we believe in

opportunities for all and I hope these

bursaries will lead to a new and exciting

generation of architects who are

committed to making an impact on the

way our communities look.

The Stephen Lawrence Centre has

become a magnet for young people who

are focused and want to shape their

own futures by setting themselves clear

goals, gaining new skills.

But there is still a great deal of work

to do: a research paper last year from

Manchester University stated that

ethnic minorities make up less than one

percent of headteachers in primary and

secondary schools.

Forty-four percent of teachers stated

that they suffered discrimination

because of their ethnicity and seventy

percent said it was harder for teachers

from ethnic minorities to become

headteachers.

As we know, these concerns are not

restricted to education alone but also

our wider society. However, can we

use the achievements of organisations

like the Stephen Lawrence Education

Standard in Leeds and the work of the

Stephen Lawrence Trust in London and

other educational bodies throughout

the country to alleviate these real

concerns?

…I wish you the best of luck in your

continued good work and I hope that

you go from strength to strength.

I wish you the best of luck“I am delighted to be addressing this conference today,”

said Doreen Lawrence.

Doreen Lawrence

The Secretary of State with Rehana Minhas


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UK attend PeaceJam conferences at

Bradford University, where they have

the opportunity to showcase their

projects and work together with a

Nobel Peace Laureate. This year

Prime Minister and Noble Peace

Laureate Jose Ramos Horta will be

hosting the event.

Prince Henry’s students have

represented the school in International

PeaceJam conferences in Denver and

LA. However working with PeaceJam

isn’t just about attending international

conferences - it is about educating

young people, and engaging with local

issues, global issues and the world

around them.

As part of our whole school approach

Prince Henry’s is working with an

organisation called PeaceJam which

provides opportunities for young

people to work together with Nobel

Peace Laureates, including Desmond

Tutu and the Dalai Lama, to promote

positive change.

This is done via service projects which

actively engage young people in their

communities. Students at school

create a project based on the Global

Call to Action - a ten point agenda

that addresses issues such as ending

racism and hate, promoting human

rights and protecting the environment.

This year, the issue we decided to

focus on in school was the rights

on women and children in Burma.

The reason we chose to focus on

the conflict in Burma is because it

is a sensitive topic that many tend

to avoid; and as with any regime it

is always the innocent who suffer

exponentially - especially children. As

part of our mission to raise awareness

of the conflict in Burma, Sixth formers

and Year 11 students hosted assemblies

as well as charity bake sales.

Every March students from across the Shahnoor Amin

In October 2009, Sixth Form students

spent the day taking part in live

webcam interviews with young people

from Gaza as part of the BBC’s Hunger

to Learn week, in which schools from

around the world linked up with schools

across the UK to explore some of the

obstacles which children and their

families overcome to get an education.

Ten students from Prince Henry’s

were involved in the interviews, which

were broadcast live on the BBC News

Channel. Two of them - Kieron and

Lenja - spoke about the experience.

KIERON: We asked the students from

Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza what it was

like at their school, and how their lives

were affected by the conflict.

It was transmitted live and later

broadcast on the World Service and

Radio Four.

LENJA: We had only a short while to speak.

They were very enthusiastic about what

they could do for the future. One of

them told me he intended to help find a

solution for the situation there.

KIERON: For every child that had died

in the recent conflict, they had put a

photograph on an empty chair.

It was also mentioned that they had to

get under the table if a siren sounded.

This was a sombre reminder of what

was still going on.

LENJA: We discussed the situation in

the Middle East afterwards with the

Government and Politics A Level group.

We looked at both sides and their views

and were left to make our own minds up.

KIERON: I think we realised how much

we take for granted here.

Assistant Headteacher, Christopher

Lillington added, “This was a superb

opportunity for our students to

personalise a global issue which they

see in the news.

By speaking with real young people

for whom the conflict is part of their

daily experience, they have been able

to develop greater empathy and think

about the impact on young lives”.

He is assistant headteacher at Prince

Henry’s Grammar School, which is a

comprehensive in the town of Otley,

to the north of Leeds, which has just

celebrated its tenth anniversary as a

Specialist Language College. He was

on the stage with headteacher Janet

Sheriff and two Year 13 students –

Shahnoor Amin and Lucy Watmough.

“And we have welcomed over nine

hundred international visitors from

thirty-two countries. International

school partnerships are key.

Learning about young people in other

countries is one thing, but learning from

those young people takes education to

another level. The impact is that much

greater when students can personalise

an issue.

When students are exchanging work

with a real person in a real school

abroad, they have a purpose for taking

a pride in what they produce. Getting

a mark for your work from your

teacher is great, but the satisfaction

you get from knowing that your work is

being read by a young person in South

Africa, Denmark or Bangladesh

is something special.

At Prince Henry’s being a Specialist

Language College is about much more

than learning foreign languages. It is

about putting internationalism at the

heart of everything we do.

The global dimension at Prince Henry’s

is about equipping our students with

an understanding of their rights, and

above all, their responsibilities, as

citizens of the global community.

Students explore key concepts such

as diversity, social justice, conflict

resolution and sustainable development

through special Global Citizenship Days

and specific projects, as well as through

the regular curriculum. Many subjects

are involved in ongoing collaborative

projects with schools in other countries,

where students work alongside young

people from around the world.”

Global Citizenship“We have fourteen partner schools in twelve countries,” Chris Lillington

told the delegates.

Our link with GazaStudents made contact with the help of the BBC.

Chris Lillington

Beit Lahia is a town situated north

of Jabalia, near the 1949 Armistice

Line with Israel. It suffered

catastrophic destruction in 2009.

Kieron and Lenja

We work with PeaceJam


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I want to wish everyone involved with the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard the best of success as the Standard is launched nationwide.

It is important that we do everything possible to support racial equality and improved community cohesion in Britain to ensure our young people can look forward to a brighter, safer and more hopeful future. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu

Thanks for your messagesMany delegates sent comments to Rehana Minhas:

I’m writing to congratulate you on the

national launch… It was a wonderful

showcase of the tremendous impact

this award has had on the education

of children and young people in Leeds.

The excellent portfolios and displays

of work gave very strong evidence of

how well schools had met the criteria

and responded to the duty and moral

obligation to promote race equality and

minority ethnic achievement in schools.

You planned an amazing programme.

It was wonderful to hear from Doreen

Lawrence OBE, the Rt Hon Ed Balls,

the mayor, and also from the many

headteachers who are developing

strategies to raise achievement and

improve community cohesion in their

schools. I was greatly impressed

by the personal contributions from

children and young people who are

being inspired to achieve more and

whose lives are being demonstrably

transformed…

Maura Docherty, Primary Advisor & School Improvement Partner, London Borough of Camden

What a great event on Friday - I really

enjoyed hearing and seeing what was

going on, you have done a fantastic

job there. I particularly liked the way

that the Standard is already tried and

tested. It’s quite challenging, yet with

good practical examples from schools -

so much better than the ‘wet paint’ type

of things that are usually launched…

Anne Carter, Strategic Lead - Children’s Workforce Development, Oxfordshire County Council

I write to you on behalf of the management committee and staff of the Leeds Bi-Centenary Transformation Project (LBCTP) to congratulate you and your team at Education Leeds for a wonderful and memorable national conference…The event was a credit to the various communities, schools, yourself and key individuals including Chris Edwards, who have given their time and support to this major Leeds (community) initiative…

Dr Carl Hylton, LBCTP Project Director

‘Learning and celebrating together to live side by side’ – the children released their magic, they were inspirational and showed the adults how to respect diversity. Let them rule the world!

Ruby Hussain, Headteacher, Beardwood Humanities College, Blackburn

I am most impressed. Governing bodies

should be where the children and young

people are – and reflect the diversity.

Christine Seddon, Chair of Governors, Beardwood Communities College

There is a lot going on in our area

already, but it would be very useful to

have the Standard to deal with things

which are sometimes hard to measure.

Carole Grady, SEMA Service, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

The key thing to being really successful

in promoting race equality and

community cohesion is that it has to

be embedded in everything we do in

school and the community.

Robin Campbell, Headteacher, Pleckgate High School Maths and Computing College, Blackburn with Darwen

The Minister Ed Balls was himself

surprised at the large attendance,

saying that he was not expecting so

many people, with dozens of children

sitting on the floor because all seats

were taken. The organisers must be

congratulated on a quality event when

a packed house turned out on a very

rainy Leeds day.

Well done Rehana Minhas and team!

Arif Ali, Hansib Publications

What a pleasure it was to attend the

inspirational national launch of the

Stephen Lawrence Education Standard.

I felt I must write and tell you what

a moving, uplifting and informative

experience it was for both myself,

and my colleague Steve, from The

Holocaust Centre.

The event blew us away in so many

ways. Firstly its size, there seemed

to be hundreds of people there from

all over the country. What amazing

interest it generated and it was clear

from the atmosphere that no-one

attending was disappointed!

Who could fail to have been moved by

the singing, dancing, acting, poems,

stories, testimonies and artwork of

so many young people? Clearly

involvement in this Standard has

moved these young people to high

attainment levels in all kinds of ways,

from improved grades, increased

aspiration, greater self-belief and

growing determination. This part

of the launch was not like being at a

conference where you sit, perhaps

mentally stimulated, but otherwise

unmoved. I really felt excited by what I

saw and heard.

I was also very impressed by the

way everyone, children, teachers,

heads, clusters of schools, education

specialists and policy makers seemed to

have pulled together to make it work.

I felt the CEO of Leeds Education, Chris

Edwards, put it well when he talked

about this Standard being about seeing

the potential in young people and

making magic happen. In my view your

event was magical and we need a lot

more of your kind of magic in schools

across the UK.

Helen Whitney, CEO, Aegis Communities

Some of the Blackburn delegation: Ruby Hussain, Christine Seddon, Robin Campbell and Carole Grady

Applause for the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Judith Elliot

Get in touch An aircraft hangar-sized conference hall transformed by displays, carnival

costumes, screens and flowers, filled with hundreds of children and adults, many of whom spoke of their

commitment, or presented evidence, or acted, or danced, or sang…it is difficult to capture completely the

remarkable spirit, and the warmth, of such a significant event within the confines of this publication.

If you have any specific comments or criticisms, or if you want to be sent copies of future Harmony magazines

(it is published at the beginning of each term), please get in touch with me by email at [email protected]

Richard Wilcocks, Editor of Harmony


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An example is the one known as The

Lion Sleeps Tonight. Its original title

was Mbube (Lion), composed by South

African singer-musician Solomon Linda

for his group The Evening Birds in the

early 1940s, during the Apartheid era.

Linda sold the rights to a record

company for ten shillings (about a pound)

shortly after the recording was made,

and long before the Disney Corporation

made use of it to make millions.

Today, Ladysmith Black Mambazo tours

the world, and Leeds has a special

relationship with the city of Durban:

a number of Leeds schools have

partnered with township schools there.

The Wigton Moor Primary School choir

captivated delegates with its singing.

Two Year 5 pupils from it, Charlotte

and Zara, gave their views on the

proceedings:

CHARLOTTE: I really enjoyed singing

my favourite song in front of so many

people: it was Amen Sirakedumiza,

which we sang in Swahili, then in English.

Our singing teacher taught us that song

because she has lived in Africa. We also

sang Zenwa De Dende, a welcoming

song in Zulu.

I liked the conference, especially when

Ferdinand Kocí drew my portrait.

ZARA: The best thing on the stage

was the performance from Hillcrest

because it was full of interesting facts

about Africa.

I liked the dancing in Eva’s story as

well, and I was really excited that

Mrs Lawrence came, because

I have always wanted to see her

in real life.

My name is Olaudah Equiano. I was born

in 1745, in the village of Essaka, in the

ancient land of Benin, West Africa…

I last visited Yorkshire in 1791, selling

copies of my highly successful

narrative…

I also thank the Leeds Bicentenary

Transformation Project and the Leeds

Diasporian Stories Research Group

for promoting African narratives

of achievement and aspirations in

Britain…”

Leeds actor Joe Williams, well-known in

Leeds schools, appeared in role as the

character from a couple of

centuries ago, a slave who

took part in the Seven

Years War with France

in the Royal Navy

while still a

slave, learned

how to read

and write,

engaged

in trading activities and purchased his

freedom.

In his time he was a powerful voice

for Abolition, so he was ideal for

introducing teacher Saluka Saul and the

pupils of Hillcrest Primary School.

In their dramatic reconstruction of a

lesson on Africa, they dealt firmly with

popular misconceptions, and cheerfully

promoted the true picture.

Saluka Saul is, with Dr Carl Hylton and

Michelle Wittleton, one of the creators

of the African Achievements, Liberation

and Aspirations teaching pack, which

was developed in ten Stephen

Lawrence Education Standard

schools in Leeds.

Joe Williams as Olaudah Equiano

African narratives“Warmest greetings, worthy friends. It is indeed a great honour to be

invited to say a few words at this most prestigious event.

A Zulu WelcomeMany Zulu songs are popular with school choirs.

Immensely popular

Ferdinand Kocí at work

Charlotte and Zara

Artist Ferdinand Kocí found himself immensely popular

during the conference.

Ferdinand is from Albania, the first Roma to attend the

Tirana Art School. He has also studied in France.

He has exhibited widely across Europe and speaks fluent

Romani and Albanian as well as good English and French

and some Italian and Polish.Hillcrest Primary School pupils learn about Africa

Zenwa De Dende – from Wigton Moor Choir


10 11

Called to OrderMy grandad taught me to play the Dhol,”

said Year 5 pupil Liam.

Vitality and Goodwill“What grabs me about this event with all these people is the sense of

vitality and goodwill,” said Fr John Wilson when he spoke to Harmony.

“It was a small version of the drum, of

course. I’ve been playing since I was

four years old. I sing as well as play,

sometimes at Indian weddings.

I was given the job of making the

audience at the conference listen to the

speakers.

It was amazing! I was able to control all

those people who were talking and shut

them up."


“Something fantastic has come out

of a tragedy.”

Based at Hinsley Hall in Leeds,

Fr John’s official title is Episcopal

Vicar for Evangelisation in the

Diocese of Leeds.

Earlier, he had appeared on stage to

give his strong support to the Standard,

referring to the teaching of the Catholic

church: “The dignity of the human

person has no exceptions.”

One of the most accomplished and

extraordinary performances was a

dance by pupils from Rawdon St Peter’s

Primary School in Rawdon, Leeds. This

told the story of Auschwitz survivor

Eva Schloss, who visited the school.

The dance draws on James Still’s

internationally-performed play And

Then They Came For Me, which is based

on the testimony of two Holocaust

survivors: Eva Schloss and Ed

Silverberg. After liberation, Eva Schloss

became a posthumous stepsister of

Anne Frank.Eva is taken to Auschwitz

Fr John Wilson with Mitchel, Siobhan and Anyieth, all in Year 10 at Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School in Leeds.

The Launch began with traditional Irish

music: arriving delegates were played

in by Chris O’Malley and Des Hurley,

who are respectively the Director and

the Chief Executive of the Irish Arts

Foundation in Leeds.

Chris has taught both in Birmingham

and the West of Ireland, and is much

in demand as an accompanist both on

piano and guitar. He has performed

with various acts all over the world.

Des comes from a well-known

Leeds musical family and is a highly

respected fiddler. He has lectured

at both Limerick and Newcastle

Universities, and serves on the current

Irish Government Emigrant Services

Advisory Committee.

Based on testimony

A powerful performance on the theme

of Respecting Diversity was delivered

by an ensemble of eight students from

Years 8 to 12 of Woodkirk Specialist

Science School.

Using role plays they had devised

themselves, they made references

to the American Dream, and

highlighted issues of discrimination,

equal opportunities, awareness of

other faiths and the promotion of

responsible citizenship.

The climax was a dance sequence

interpreting Michael Jackson’s classic

song Black and White.

Proud to sign upPark Lane Campus of Leeds City

College was represented by Equality

and Diversity Manager John Ryan,

Student Support Officer Shaun Gittens

and Abi Atkinson, Director of Student

and Learning Services. Park Lane

became the first Further Education

college to receive a Stephen Lawrence

Award last year, after submitting a

detailed portfolio of evidence.

A special event was arranged to

celebrate the achievement, which was

attended by a large group of staff and

students.

Abi Atkinson commented, “We’re proud

to sign up to the Standard, and we’re

now working towards the next level.”

Powerful delivery

Liam

John Ryan, Shaun Gittens and Abi Atkinson from Park Lane Campus of Leeds City College

Chris O’Malley and Des Hurley

Woodkirk students used role plays

Musical start


12

Wonder and delightIt was the theme song from The Sound of Music - in Chinese.

Education Leeds10th Floor East, Merrion House,110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8DJ0113 395 [email protected] www.educationleeds.co.uk/sles/

Harm

ony

Edit

or

Ric

hard

Wil

cock

s

To develop effective leadership, and a

whole school approach, which embeds

race equality into the life of the school.

To make sure that the duties of the

Race Relations (Amendment) Act

2000, and the duty to promote

community cohesion, are fulfilled.

To examine policies and their outcome,

and to guard against causing disadvantage

for any section of our communities.

To acknowledge and celebrate existing

good practice in promoting race equality

and ethnic minority in schools.

To empower children and young

people to become responsible citizens

of the world.

To improve the outcomes for young

people and adults in our school.

Stephen Lawrence Education Standard AIMS

Soprano Lucy Watmough is getting

used to long and enthusiastic stretches

of applause, and to the look of mingled

wonder and delight on the faces of her

audiences. The one at the National

Launch was no exception.

“The Hills Are Alive is the most famous

British song in China, which is why I

chose it,” said the Year 13 student from

Prince Henry’s Grammar School in

Otley. “My Chinese teacher, Jia Ren,

told me so.

I started Chinese at school years

ago, taking a ten week taster course,

then going to after-school sessions. It

broadened my horizons.

I was eventually awarded the ABC

Practical Languages Certificate in

Mandarin Chinese, and learned a

number of songs in the language.

My pronunciation is good, I have

been told, for example by the Chinese

teachers who were present when I sang

at the Leeds Community Mandarin

Chinese School. I must thank Jia Ren

for that!

After A Levels – I am taking English

Literature, Spanish and Music – I

intend taking up a career as a classical

singer. I recorded my first CD in 2005,

and in 2007 I achieved first place at

Yorkshire’s Got International Talent.

In 2008 I was invited to be guest

soprano at venues around Yorkshire:

at the Grassington International Music

Festival I performed with the star

Natasha Marsh.

In the summer of that year I was

invited to the Czech Republic to sing

the aria Song to the Moon by Dvorak,

and when I returned I sang it again at

the Last Night of the Proms concert in

Centenary Square, Bradford – in Czech.

Last year I created a compilation CD

of all my recorded work, and in 2010

I will be revisiting the studio with new

material, including O Mio Babbino Caro,

Meine Lippen Sie Küssen So Heiss, The

Jewel Song – and two more songs in

Mandarin Chinese.”

See Lucy’s website:

www.lucywatmough.co.uk

Lucy Watmough

Documents

in Leeds Launched - Stop Hate UK · 2018-01-11 · Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza what it was like at their school, and how their lives were affected by the conflict. It was transmitted