Community Cohesion Guidance - Essex Primary Headteachers ...

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Guidance on the duty to promote community cohesion This guidance is non-statutory and is offered as formative guidance to support all schools in promoting community cohesion, as well as to the foundations of foundation schools 4 . The guidance: Explains what is meant by community cohesion; and Describes how a school can contribute to community cohesion, outlining the work that many schools already do to promote community cohesion as a basis for all schools to consider what they already do and what more might be needed. 4 Under a duty to promote community cohesion under section 23A(6) of the Education Act 2002. 2
Guidance on the duty to promote community cohesion 2. What is community cohesion By community cohesion, we mean working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all; and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community 5 . Common vision The recently published report of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion takes this agenda forward in the context of rapid change in some local communities. It suggests the importance of “shared futures”, and breaks the original definition of cohesion down into more detail 6 – outlining a cohesive community as one where: “There is a clearly defined and widely shared sense of the contribution of different individuals and different communities to a future vision for a neighbourhood, city, region or country.” This recognises the contribution made by individuals within any community and the fact that people will naturally hold different ambitions, aspirations, beliefs and life experiences. But importantly, it places a strong emphasis on how they will also share important characteristics and experiences with those from their own and different communities. Sense of belonging In addition, the Commission provides a helpful definition of ‘sense of belonging’ as: There is a strong sense of an individual’s rights and responsibilities when living in a particular place – people know what everyone expects of them, and what they can expect in turn. There is a strong sense of trust in institutions locally to act fairly in arbitrating between different interests and for their role and justifications to be subject to public scrutiny. 5 Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, speaking in Parliament on 2 November 2006. Based on the Government and the Local Government Association’s definition first published in Guidance on Community Cohesion, LGA, 2002 and resulting from the Cantle Report in 2001. 6 Our Shared Future, the final report of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion, June 2007 3
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