Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
LBU-led anti-racism network officially launched in Liverpool
It is being led by the Centre for Race Education and Decoloniality (CRED), based within the Carnegie School of Education at LBU, in conjunction with Liverpool City Council.
The university has been chosen because of its track record in providing bespoke training to meet the needs of schools in the city.
It forms part of the Council’s commitment to promote and enhance racial equality and diversity within the city’s education system, and follows the appointment last year of Paul Olubayo, the council’s first education race equalities officer.
Through the scheme, professionals from all schools and colleges within Liverpool will be able to attend professional learning programmes aimed at transforming the institutional culture and structures for schools in the city.
At the launch event, which took place at Liverpool College in Mossley Hill, Rachel C. Boyle, Dean of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University & Professor Vini Lander, Director of CRED, delivered a presentation on the programme to an audience of education leaders and stakeholders.
Planned content for the programme includes sessions to examine how to challenge racism in all its forms, how to develop anti-racist policy, to improve racial literacy, and to develop colleagues’ knowledge and understanding of race and racism in education to establish racial equity within schools.
Rachel C. Boyle, Dean of the Carnegie School of Education said: “This is a ground-breaking moment in Liverpool's educational history. Liverpool is a city built on the principles of diversity and community and as someone who was born, grew up and worked as a teacher here, I am delighted to see the level of commitment currently demonstrated by the council to anti-racist education.
“By addressing racism through education, we will transform the educational experiences and outcomes for our Black and Global majority children and young people and significantly enhance the practise of our teachers. We at Leeds Beckett University are incredibly honoured to work with the city on this journey.”
The aims of the new training programme are:
- To work collaboratively with schools to develop their knowledge of race and racism
- To develop a professional network for senior leaders, to showcase and share good practice with other schools
- To coordinate activity with the council, and tailor support to address racial issues arising locally
- To plan and implement an equality and diversity policy and plan for schools which is race cognisant and helps build a diverse workforce which engenders a sense of belonging and safety for all staff of colour
- To support the professional development of school staff with respect to race and racism
Training will be made available to all schools in Liverpool from September 2023.