Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme Stakeholder Network Group: terms of reference

Context

The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and their partners have developed over a number of years, frameworks and programmes which are predicated on ensuring that equality and diversity are at the heart of policies that underpin education in Scotland. Considering all of the protected characteristics, as well as socio-economic ones has resulted in an approach which aspires to be intersectional. The Scottish Government is of the view that due to the historical and structural nature of racism, the prevalence and seriousness of it, and the impact that it has, a separate approach to anti-racism is justified. 

These considerations, in the wake of the public discourse around the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, led to the creation of the Anti-Racism in Education Programme (AREP). The Black Lives Matter movement highlighted that racism* in Scottish education continues to exist and can manifest itself in a number of ways. This includes (but is not limited to): 

• the negative impact on Black people, People of Colour and racialised young people as a result of the way in which Black history, and world history and heritage is taught and not taught   
• anti-racism, separate to Black history, not being explicitly set out in the curriculum
• a lack of appropriate training, support, and leadership, coupled with a lack of confidence amongst some teachers resulting in a fear of “getting it wrong” creating an environment which does not deliver responsive and relevant teaching. This is further exacerbated by structural racism (for clarity, structural racism refers to political, economic, social and cultural systems of society, as well as large scale systems and processes and how they combine and manifest in inequality between racial groups; institutional racism exists within institutional settings and is typically political or social. Through policies and practices, whether done consciously or unconsciously, the outcomes disadvantage one racial group) and lack of understanding of what constitutes racist behaviour
• the lack of a positive and supportive education and learning environment for Black people, People of Colour and racialised pupils, parents and staff. A culture needs to be established in education and learning settings which is characterised by an understanding of race equality issues, in teaching and learning across the curriculum and led by racially literate teachers; 
• a lack of diversity in the teaching profession and broader education workforce which creates a vicious circle of young people not considering or pursuing teaching as a career. Pupils “cannot be what they cannot see”. Lack of diversity exacerbates issues caused by institutional racism such as lack of progression by Black people and People of Colour and racialised teachers and educators and learning staff
• racialisation – where groups and or individuals are categorised, marginalised or regarded according to race
• a lack of effective approaches to addressing the underlying causes of racism and racist incidents amongst pupils, teachers and other education staff including patchy responses to addressing both racism and racist incidents in education settings, and reluctance in some cases to recognise and address the fact that racism is involved

Many of these issues are long standing and intertwined. Addressing them is a priority. The Scottish Government’s race equality framework and action plan (2016-2030) contain actions which aim to address some of the systemic barriers to race equality and anti-racism which still exist in education and learning. The work of the AREP sits within that strategic context.   

The context for creating the group and the reasons why it continues to be required are set out in Anti-Racism in Education Programme: factsheet.

Principles 

The board will ensure that it delivers in the context of the following principles and the specific set of anti-racist principles set out at Annex B by: 

• inspiring and driving change and improvement throughout the education system
• placing emphasis on the experience of Black people, People of Colour and racialised children, young people and staff, ensuring that their voices are central to the development of new measures and actions, with change being rooted in the lived experience of Black people, People of Colour and racialised pupils and staff specifically. This will be achieved as a result of specific engagement with children and young people, through targeted discussions on individual issues where specific input is sought. As well as pro-active engagement, records of discussion captured during these sessions already undertaken with children and young people as part of this process will continue to be drawn on and will inform future decisions and actions.  This includes:  
  • points Black people, People of Colour and racialised young people made to the Deputy First Minister and the Minister for Equalities when they met them in 2021 
  • the information Show Racism the Red Card collated when they managed the AREP Children and Young People’s group 
  • the anti-racist curriculum principles developed by the Curriculum Reform sub group  
  • the set of recommendations which emanated from Intercultural Youth Scotland’s Youth Ambassadors’ project, during which young people critiqued the AREP’s planned outputs
• making use of existing networks, structures and groups which are already known to the programme board, which can contribute to, and support the delivery of the AREP’s ambitions. This will include parental engagement groups, in order that the views of a broad range of Black People, People of Colour and racialised parents inform the programme board’s outcomes
• drawing on high quality evidence and data, including but not limited to quantitative and qualitative data, being clear about what we mean by evidence and data, both Scottish and international, including direct lived experience, which sets out where good practice in embedding race equality in Scottish education and learning already exists
• seeking solutions from an anti-racist perspective, as a result of open, honest and mutually supportive dialogue 
• taking an intersectional approach in all of its work, using that approach to inform ambitions from the outset, ensuring that intersections with race and other protected characteristics are properly considered. By using an analytical lens of how ableism, sexism, and heteronormativity function1 , the group will consistently ask if it is reinforcing limited ideas of protected groups. Members will ensure that they develop an understanding of how educational processes, systems and oppression intersect. In considering a variety of voices, and contexts to understand how intersecting characteristics are stifled, it will identify barriers
• liaising with partners who advocate for disability, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation and other characteristics, to inform the group’s considerations
• committing to increasing individual knowledge of trauma informed approaches, while acknowledging that members’ will have different levels of knowledge in this area 

To ensure these principles are properly embedded, the board will acknowledge and value the fact that each member will bring their own knowledge and understanding of education, learning and anti-racism, together with experiences in improving provision of education. 
The board will also acknowledge and value that some members have lived experience of racism and some do not, resulting in discussions having differential impacts.   

The board will benefit from networks which support some of the members and their organisations. 

In the case of differences of opinion, the board will ensure these are explored, addressed and do not get in the way of rapid work to set out solutions. This is explored in more detail in the ‘Membership and responsibilities’ section below.   

Governance  

The primary roles of the board are to report to Scottish ministers, and to set the strategic direction of the AREP, including its narrative and overarching ambition: the creation of anti-racist education and learning environments across Scotland. It will deliver the following functions:  

Leadership 

The board will set the direction and build the vision for the AREP, leading the members of the sub groups, as well as wider stakeholders involved in the AREP, through the process of developing and delivering agreed action, in partnership with wider stakeholders, which will achieve anti-racist education and learning environments.  

The programme board will demonstrate a commitment to a more diverse and representative leadership. This is, in part, underpinned by appointing a Black or Person of Colour or racialised member from each of the AREP sub groups to sit on the board, in order to provide robust input across the breadth of the sub groups’ activities.  

Coherence

The board will provide oversight of the programme itself, ensuring that a coherent and responsive approach is taken in terms of emerging themes and priorities for action, making sure that there is no unintended overlap or duplication of ambitions, and that synergies are identified and maximised in order that the programme works as one.   

Lived experience and anti-racist expertise

The board includes an increased number of members who have lived experience, as well as expertise in developing anti-racist practice. Embedding lived experience at the top of the AREP structure will ensure that the development of the programme as a whole is informed by authentic voices and unique insights, resulting in effective, race cognisant, sustainable outputs and outcomes. This will set the tone for the creation of anti-racist practice more widely than just in education and learning establishments.  

Professional expertise

The board will bring professional expertise to bear, providing a number of lenses through which new aims and ambitions can be viewed. Primarily this will involve, but is not limited to: considering how and whether specific actions proposed or developed by themed sub groups can realistically be implemented to agreed timescales by the education system; taking into account practical issues such as current resources, pressures and the potential need to change existing structures to achieve certain outcomes and how they reconcile with strategic Scottish Government commitments on race equality.  

Quality assurance

Linked to the professional expertise function, the board will also provide scrutiny in order to reassure ministers, upon making new recommendations to them which will result in short, medium and long term change. As themed sub groups make progress with delivering their actions, particularly where they are dependent on financial support, this type of scrutiny from the board will result in any ministerial advice being as rounded as possible, identifying ambitious but realistic and deliverable outcomes. It will also ensure that proposals have been developed as robustly as possible.

This will happen in an iterative fashion, with the board working closely with themed sub groups, asking questions and working through comments from programme board members, providing further information or advice that reflects all stakeholders’ views. There is also a role as part of the quality assurance function in reassuring those who will be most impacted by the programme’s outcomes.  

Transparency

The board will embed transparency in its practice and encourage it across the wider programme in a number of ways. This includes, but is not limited to: including representatives on the board from each of the themed sub groups; maintaining an ongoing dialogue with the previous AREP stakeholder network group; creating a feedback loop as part of the group’s continuous improvement process, in order to create accountability in terms of action taken in response to members’ suggestions; proactively publishing the papers and minutes from each of its meetings as well as decisions taken on funding on the AREP webpage.    

Scrutiny (particularly in relation to value for public money)  

The board will provide financial scrutiny in terms of ensuring that any proposals emerging from themed sub-groups provide good value for public money in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual and ministers’ expectations. Scrutiny should be undertaken hand in hand with coherence, particularly when it comes to making potentially difficult decisions in terms of spend, in order that there is no unintended overlap or duplication of ambitions and that economies of scale are achieved.   

Membership and responsibilities 

Membership of the board is at the invitation of the Scottish Government. The group consists of representation from a range of organisations, a fundamental requirement in achieving robust, well rounded policy ambitions. This inevitably means that there will occasionally be differences in views.  

Members should bring their expertise to the board and contribute in a constructive and respectful way, recognising the different – but equally valuable – views held amongst the group. Given the sensitivities of the subject matter, at all times members should be mindful that the group is a safe space for discussion i.e respectful discussion, appreciating differences in lived experiences and valuing the perspectives and expertise of all members. Where there are differences of opinion in discussion, the group should work to resolve these, in order that the ambitions of the programme are not delayed or negatively impacted upon. In the event that members believe that the approach to resolution has not been successful, or has been otherwise detrimental, they should, in the first instance, approach the Chair of the group, Khadija Mohammed. If members do not feel comfortable approaching the Chair, if they prefer, they can contact Judith Ballantine, Programme Manager or Orlando Heijmer-Mason, Deputy Director, Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital.  

Where differences of opinion arise between the programme board and the sub-groups on the best way to proceed with a course of action, in the first instance, the Chair of the programme board should discuss with the Chair of the relevant sub-group in order to reach a resolution. Where this is unsuccessful, the relevant officials in Learning Directorate/Reform Directorate would also work with the Chairs to endeavour to reach a resolution. Ultimately, ministers are responsible for the success of the programme and where a decision requires to be taken which involves ministerial input, balanced advice will always be put to them in order to enable them to reach a decision.  

Members will also:     

• demonstrate commitment to make a positive, practical, meaningful and lasting contribution while working with each other to drive action to facilitate an outcome which addresses racism in all aspects of education 
• communicate with and provide feedback from their organisations and ensure regular communication with the board and other relevant stakeholders   
• attend meetings wherever possible. However, the substitution of a deputy is acceptable on the understanding that the deputy will provide a report on the meeting to the substantive member and the group they represent. Members submitting apologies for meetings and who are unable to send a deputy, should notify the Secretariat Judith.Ballantine@gov.scot or Catherine.Law@gov.scot 

Full membership of the Stakeholder Network Group can be found at annex A.   

Leadership and links with other relevant activity 

Meetings will be conducted by the Chair. The Equality in Education Team in Learning Directorate will provide secretariat support to the board and will facilitate links with the wide range of other organisations, activities and Programme for Government commitments which are relevant to this Programme.  

Communications 

Board members will ensure their organisations work with SG communications colleagues to allow consistency and coordination of messaging around its work and to support successful engagement with the wider sector as well as the public. Any references to the board, or its work, on social media should be in line with this terms of reference. 

Frequency and location of meetings 

It is proposed that the board will meet once per month. Given that many people continue to work remotely, meetings will be held for the foreseeable future using MS Teams. The Equality in Education Team will advise of dates and times in advance.  

Papers and minutes 

Papers and minutes of meetings will be issued one week prior to meetings and will be published on the Scottish Government’s website after the meeting has taken place and minutes have been agreed. Unless otherwise specified, members will be able to submit written comments on any papers, where they have been requested to, up to one week after the meeting takes place.   

Annex A – membership 

Chair: Khadija Mohammed, UWS 

AREP sub group chairs: 

• Education Leadership and Professional Learning: Rolling chair 
• Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce: Co-chairs Nuzhat Uthmani and Hakim Din
• Curriculum Reform: Melina Valdelievre

Racism and Racist Incidents: Laura Meikle

COSLA: Matthew Sweeney 

ADES: Carrie Lindsay

SQA: Monica Medina 

GTCS: Pauline Stephen 

SCDE: Louise Barrett 

EIS BAME Network: Nikhat Yusaf 

IYS: Garvin Sealy

CRER: Carol Young 

Learning Directorate and Secretariat: Judith Ballantine 
Equality Unit: 
Education Scotland: Laura-Ann Currie 
Secretariat: Catherine Law 

Annex B - Anti-racist principles 

Drawing inspiration from Scotland’s Breaking the Mould Principles for an Anti-Racist Curriculum, board members will:  

• foster an antiracist culture where racism can be discussed openly, honestly, and with humility, and with a willingness to take risks and make mistakes while remaining accountable for their actions 
• feel safe and confident to progress the ambitions of the AREP from their personal and professional perspectives drawing on lived experience and anti-racist expertise
• think critically and challenge discrimination and prejudice through an understanding and awareness of the behaviours, practices and processes that create injustice in the world
• will understand the difference between individual and systemic racism, their impacts, and how they intersect or connect with other types of injustice
• will be supported to reflect on positionality, privilege and power, and to unlearn bias, prejudice and divisiveness
• understand that everyone has a right to be safeguarded from racism and discrimination, and will be empowered to challenge any infringement of this right 
• be empowered to value and promote empathy, solidarity and shared humanity that is often disrupted by systemic racism
•  understand and actively challenge all manifestations of racism in everyday behaviours, resources, attitudes, practices and processes
• reflect upon their assumptions and biases, their racial and social identities and those of others, and consider the impact these have on how they contribute to the AREP 

These anti-racist principles underpin the terms of reference as well as the AREP as a whole. These principles set out the core aspects of how the programme board will work using an anti-racist approach, consistent with the Scottish Government’s overarching approach to anti-racism, as well as anti-racist workstreams in other policy areas. The principles are aligned with the following conventions, commitments, strategies and legislation: 

• UN Convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC) 
• Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) 
• Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) 
• Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) 
• The Equality Act 2010 
• UNESCO report  

Members of the programme board should read and understand these documents and ensure that they reflect the principles in their approach.   

Anti-racism in this context means knowing and accepting that existing systems can be unjust and constructed to empower some identities over others. It also means actively choosing to dismantle, overcome and redesign existing systems instead of accepting it as a natural reality that cannot be changed.   

An anti-racist approach will sit at the heart of the remit and vision of the programme board. This means that: 

• we recognise that there is no such thing as a race neutral policy, and that every policy or decision we make has the potential to create racial equality or inequality
• the redesign will empower and liberate those who have been historically disadvantaged by education systems
• the work of the programme board includes a focus on changing systems, structures, policies and practices and attitudes
• the programme board seeks to centre the voices of Black people, people of Colour and racialised minorities  
• the programme board seeks to be transparent about the processes involved with Black people, People of Colour and racialised minorities 

The programme board will focus its energy and aims in this area with a distinct anti-racism approach instead of using more generic terminology ‘‘equality and diversity’, “inclusion” or “decolonising the curriculum” to convey the breadth and structural intent that underpins the programme board’s proactive approach.

It will also take an intersectional approach, acknowledging that colourism, neuro divergence, disability, sexual orientation intersect with race, magnifying and multiplying inequality and discrimination.