Black Lives Matter & Race Equality in Education Forum

Merton aims to:

• Close the gaps for pupils across different ethnicities in Merton;
• Ensure we listen to our young people, families and their communities about lived experiences;
• Learn more about how the education system within Merton can address racism and the Black Lives Matter agenda;
• Address the under-representation of Black culture and history within the curriculum;
• Increase the proportion of Black and Minority Ethnic groups represented within the teaching and leadership population in Merton schools;
• Address the trauma experienced by our pupils as a result of overt and covert racism.

We need to acknowledge and address issues which affect children and young people’s sense of self-worth, aspiration and life chances, factors such as:

• Low representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups among leaders, teachers and governors.
• Lack of understanding of cultural diversity and representation in the currriculum.
• The impact of being in a minority in a white majority school.
• Limited or negative representations of BAME groups in school and the curriculum.
• Unconscious bias.

This forum allows for:

• Reflecting on and sharing curriculum development and initiatives.
• Opportunities for the involvement of children and young people on curriculum development and teaching approaches.
• Pupil participation and pupil voice in school and council democratic processes and strategic leadership.

All Merton school staff and governors are welcome to attend this session.