Getting Started
‘As a starting point, schools build Community Cohesion by
promoting equality of opportunity and inclusion for different
groups of pupils within a school. But alongside this focus on
inequalities and a strong respect for diversity, they also have a
role in promoting shared values and encouraging their pupils to
actively engage with others to understand what they all hold in
common.’
Schools Minister Jim Knight commenting on the introduction of
the duty on schools to promote Community Cohesion, 2007
Who am I? Who are we? Where do we
live?
It is crucial that we provide space and time
for children to learn about diversity. We want them to be
comfortable with the notion of multiple or complex identities and
begin to understand how to create a cohesive society that can
function well and be all the better for the richness of its
diversity. Diversity is about understanding and valuing difference,
but cohesion is about how we all get on together. Both of these are
equally important in our work in the Linking Network.
You can register at any time on the Registration page to get help with the following
steps.
Step 1 – What will the scope of your
link be?
Decide how many students you would like to
involve and what sort of links you would like to set up.
Opportunities for students to explore
diversity can be set up in many different ways, and it is important
to realise at the beginning that it is not essential to have
extremes of difference or geographical location for excellent
learning outcomes to take place.
Step 2 – What will be the focus of
your link?
Some schools know that they want to focus on
issues such as Human Rights, Sustainability, or specific subjects,
but others are happy to explore this when they have a partner
already set up.
Step 3 – Your support
Ensure that you will have Senior Management
support in terms of the time and funding which you will need.
Please go to the CPD page to find out more.