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Leeds Beckett partners with Liverpool City Council to expand anti-racist professional network
This is part of the anti-racist professional network launched by CRED last year, which offers a range of training and development opportunities, as well as access to community meetings, to help schools develop their knowledge and understanding of race and racism in education. Over 210 schools are working towards the Anti-Racist School Award offered by CRED. These are in 75 Local Authorities across the UK and there are four Multi-Academy Trusts committed to the award. Since its launch, 67 senior leaders from schools in Leeds have signed up to the Anti-Racist Professional Network.
Initially launched in partnership with Leeds City Council, the network now includes a brand-new collaboration with Liverpool City Council, expanding the reach of the centre’s important work in education.
Rachel C. Boyle, Dean of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University, said: “To tackle racism through education is the most important way to start to dismantle the problem and is incredibly important in schools across Leeds and now Liverpool. I am proud that our experts in the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality at Leeds Beckett University are leading on this impactful work.
As someone who was born, grew up and worked as a teacher in Liverpool, I am delighted to see the level of commitment currently demonstrated by the council to anti-racist education. I’ve never seen a commitment to anti-racism in Liverpool that is as powerful as this movement and we at the Carnegie School of Education and CRED are honoured to work with the city on this journey.”
Professor Vini Lander, Director of CRED, said: “I am delighted that colleagues at CRED will be working with schools, senior leaders and teachers in Liverpool to support their journey to becoming anti-racist schools where all students, including those from the Black and global majority can feel safe and thrive educationally and personally. We are looking forward to working with colleagues in Liverpool.”
Cllr Tomas Logan, Liverpool’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills added: “What we want is to create an education system where every school in this city can honestly say that every child feels at home, feels a belonging in that school and can flourish and thrive.”
The anti-racist professional network for schools is working to make a difference by supporting schools in developing anti-racist practices to decolonise the curriculum, and to develop colleagues’ knowledge and understanding of race and racism in education to establish racial equity within schools. CRED has undertaken consultancy, professional development, and research for over 110 organisations: including MATs, independent schools, local authority schools and further education colleges and the AQA Exam board.
For any queries or information on how schools can join the network, please email cred@leedsbeckett.ac.uk, and for more information about CRED please visit our website.