Dealing with and reporting racist incidents in school - Lincolnshire ...

Dealing with and 

reporting racist incidents 

in school 

Guidance for 

schools in Lincolnshire 

2006

Dealing with and reporting racist incidents in school




Guidance for 


2006




Guidance for 


2006 

Published by: 

Lincolnshire County Council 

Newland 

Lincoln LN1 1YQ 

Lincolnshire County Council 2006 

Further copies may be obtained from: 

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Support (EMAS ) Service 

Children’s Services 

The EMAS Centre 

The Primary School 

Sturton by Stow 

Lincoln 

LN1 2BY 

Tel: 01427 787190 

This guidance was written by Essex County Council EMAS Advisors and adapted by Jill Chandar-Nair 

(Lincolnshire EMAS) and Lyn O’Neill (School Liaison Officer) for use in Lincolnshire schools. 

Lincolnshire County Council would like to express their gratitude to Essex County Council and those 

services and schools who were consulted in the production of the original guidance.

Introduction 

Lincolnshire as a local authority (LA) opposes all racism and is totally committed to 

equal opportunities and treating people equally regardless of race, ethnicity and 

culture. The LA considers that all manifestations of racism are wholly unacceptable and 

will act positively to eradicate racism where it occurs. The LA will aim to identify the 

effects of racism and take effective and systematic action to address racial, ethnic and 

cultural inequalities.’ 

There is a firm commitment within Lincolnshire to address racism of all kinds. 

The County Council confirms this commitment in its core values by respecting and 

including everyone with equality of opportunity and celebration of diversity. 

Compared with many authorities, Lincolnshire has relatively few residents from 

minority ethnic groups; but we know that racist incidents occur both in our schools and 

in the wider community. Research has highlighted the fear and intimidation felt by 

those who encounter racist attitudes and behaviour, and studies have made clear that 

such harassment is part of a wider climate of racism and discrimination against certain 

groups in society. As Lincolnshire continues to welcome a growing number of people 

from different cultural backgrounds, the County Council endeavours to provide a safe, 

secure environment for them to live in. 

The inquiry led by Sir William Macpherson into events following the murder of the 

Black teenager Stephen Lawrence found that what it termed ‘institutional racism’ 

affected the Metropolitan Police Service and Police Services elsewhere. The Stephen 

Lawrence Inquiry Report 1 

defines institutional racism as: ‘The collective failure of an 

organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of 

their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes 

and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, 

thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people’. 

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report sounded a wake-up call to all public institutions 

and organisations, alerting them to the possibility that they were institutionally racist: 

‘Our conclusions as to Police Services should not lead to complacency in other 

institutions and organisations. Collective failure is evident in many of them. 

It is incumbent upon every institution to examine their policies and the outcome of 

their policies and practices to guard against disadvantaging any section of our 

communities’. Furthermore, education was seen as having a crucial role in combating 

racism within society: ‘If racism is to be eradicated there must be specific and coordinated 

action both within the agencies themselves and by society at large, 

particularly through the education system, from pre-primary school upwards and 

onwards’. 

As a result of recommendations made in The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report, new 

legislation was introduced in the form of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, 

accompanied by Home Office guidance 2 

on responding appropriately to racist incidents. 

Both the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Home Office code of practice 

apply to schools. Key extracts from these are provided in section 1 of this document. 

1 The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: report of an inquiry by Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, The Stationery Office, 1999 

2 The Code of Practice on Reporting and Recording Racist Incidents in Response to Recommendation 15 of The Stephen Lawrence 

Inquiry Report, Home Office, 2000 


The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines racism as: ‘Conduct or words which 

advantage or disadvantage people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. 

In its more subtle form it is as damaging as in its more overt form’. The House of Lords 

has defined the term ‘ethnic group’ as people who have a: 

• long shared history; 

• cultural tradition of their own; 

• common geographical origin or descent from a small number of common 

ancestors; 

• common language; 

• common religion. 

The definition of racism contained in The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report makes it 

clear that every single person can be a victim of racism. This applies equally to 

members of certain groups (for example, Black people, White people, Irish people, 

German people, Asian people, Travellers, Muslims, Jews or people of mixed heritage). 

It is recognised that some groups (such as Travellers and refugees or asylum seekers) 

may be more likely to experience racism than other groups across a number of different 

societies. 

It is important to note at the outset that this guidance is not concerned solely with 

pupils but with all members of the school community. Teachers, non-teaching members 

of staff, governors, parents and carers may all suffer the effects of, or regrettably be the 

cause of, racist behaviour. Having said that, teachers need to be especially aware of the 

implications of such incidents for the pupils they teach, and the effects on their social 

development and academic achievement. Many racist incidents do not simply represent 

an attack on an individual but on their family and cultural heritage as well. 

It is therefore essential that schools take seriously the experiences of their pupils and 

deal with racism firmly and consistently. 

For this to be achieved, headteachers, teachers, governors and others in the school must 

have a clear and sympathetic understanding of the issues. This guidance is intended to 

enable members of the school community to come to a shared understanding of the 

issues involved in racist incidents and of their responsibilities in relation to such 

incidents. It is also a highly practical document in that it provides schools with clear 

procedures for dealing with, reporting and recording racist incidents. 

This document supports the information provided in the School Administration 

Handbook 3 

. It is based on Dealing with and reporting racist incidents in schools from 

Essex County Council who during the production of the document took full account of 

legislation and the Home Office code of practice as well as consulting with a wide range 

of relevant agencies and seeking legal advice throughout the process. 

As part of the adaptation of the original document, consultation took place with 

agencies including the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service, the Traveller Education 

Service, the Racial Equality Council, the County Council Diversity Steering Group, 

the Police and Community Supporters. 

3 (School Administration Handbook) Lincolnshire County Council Education & Cultural Services Directorate, 2005 


We know that children from a very early age are profoundly influenced by their 

families, by the communities in which they live and by the media. Educational practice 

based on equality and justice is good educational practice and involves developing 

relationships built on trust, respect and an understanding and appreciation of diversity. 

It involves challenging expressions of racism clearly and consistently. It also involves 

addressing those expressions of racism and prejudice that pupils encounter in the 

media, the wider community and possibly within their own families. This will entail 

schools helping pupils and other members of the school community to unlearn the 

prejudices and discriminatory attitudes they absorb from the world around them. 

Combating deeply ingrained attitudes is not easy, and great sensitivity will be required. 

Those of us engaged in this task can find inspiration in the following words of Nelson 

Mandela, a man who retained his belief in the essential goodness of human nature 

despite the prejudice that he and his people had to endure for so long: ‘No one is born 

hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his 

religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to 

love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite’ 4 . 

4 From Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech as President of South Africa, 1994 


Dealing with and reporting racist incidents in school 

Contents 

Responding to racist incidents in school: key points 

Responding to racist incidents in school: flow chart 

Part I To be taken into account when responding to racist incidents 

1 Why schools must take all racist incidents seriously: key documents 

2 Definition of a racist incident 

3 The need to respond differently to different types of incident 

4 Principles, protocols and procedures 

Part II What to do when a racist incident occurs 

5 Responding to racist incidents: the process 

6 Investigating racist incidents 

7 Taking appropriate actions with pupils (victims and perpetrators) 

8 The role of outside agencies 

Part III Developing an anti-racist climate and curriculum 

9 Addressing racism through the ethos and culture of the school 

10 Addressing racism through the curriculum 

Appendices 

1 Form RI 1 

2 Form RI 2 (annual return to LA) 

3 Ethnicity categories and codes used within Lincolnshire LA 

4 Checklist for school race equality co-ordinator and named governor for race 

equality 

5 Glossary of terms 

6 Further reading and resources 

7 Contacts and support agencies 

8 Sample letter

Responding to racist incidents in school: key points 

• Schools, in common with the rest of the public sector, are 

expected to adopt the following definition of a racist incident: 

‘Any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or 

any other person’. 

• The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Home 

Office code of practice require schools to treat all racist 

incidents seriously and to take certain specific actions when 

racist incidents occur. 

• Every school must incorporate policy and procedures 

regarding racist incidents into its Race Equality Policy. All 

schools are required by law to have a Race Equality Policy, 

which is subject to inspection by OFSTED. 

• Schools should keep written records of all racist incidents, 

including the date, the name of perpetrators and victims, 

the nature of the incident and actions taken in response. 

Form RI 1 is provided for this purpose and is available 

electronically. 

• Schools themselves are to handle low-level, day-to-day 

incidents. It is recommended that the school seek support 

for incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature. 

• Incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature are to be 

reported through the School Liaison Officer to the LA 

and the Police, if the are of a serious and/or persistent nature. 

• Incidents that may constitute a criminal offence must always 

be reported to the Police. 

• A named member of the school senior management team 

should be given responsibility for racist incidents. 

• Parents and governors are to be informed of the number and 

nature of racist incidents, and the action taken to deal with 

them. 

• Governing bodies are to inform Lincolnshire LA of the 

number of incidents in their school. This will be done through 

the completion and return of an electronic version of Form 

RI 2 at the end of the academic year. 

• Schools can contact EMAS Service or the School Liaison 

Officer for advice and support. 


See 2.1 

See 1.2 & 1.3 

See 1.41 & 4.13 

See 1.3.4, 5.1, 5.2 

& Appendix 1 

See 3.2 

See 3.3, 5.3 

See 3.3 & 5.3 

See 5.1.1 

See 5.4 

See 5.4 & 

Appendix 2 

Appendix 7 

1

2 

Responding to racist incidents (see section 5) 

Possible racist incident occurs. 

Form RI 1 completed and returned to headteacher/named member of SMT. 

Does the alleged incident constitute a child protection issue? 

YES 

School Administration 

Handbook procedures to 

be followed. 

YES 

Appropriate actions taken. 

Those involved seen/contacted. 

Form RI 1 used to report incidents to the School Liaison Officer, who may inform 

the Police. School may also contact Police directly, especially where incident 

constitutes a possible crime. 

Number and nature of substantiated racist incidents, and actions taken to 

deal with them, reported to parents and governors. 

Number of racist incidents (including unsubstantiated incidents) reported 

annually to LA through Form RI 2. 

All Forms and supporting documentation kept secure. 

NO 

Alleged incident investigated. 

Those involved informed of outcome. 

Allegation substantiated? 

NO 



Part l 

To be taken into account 

when responding to racist 

incidents 

Part l

1 Why schools must take all racist incidents seriously: key 

documents 

1.1 Lincolnshire C.C. Race Equality Scheme including the County’s 

commitment to tackling racism and promoting multicultural 

awareness 

1.1.1 The LA “Stamp Out Racism in Schools’ leaflet supports schools and their 

communities to act positively to eradicate racism where it occurs. 

1.2 Legislation 

1.2.1 The Race Relations Act 1976 prohibits schools from discriminating on grounds 

of colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origin. 

1.2.2 The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 requires schools to take active steps 

to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity 

and to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups. 

1.3 Extracts from the Home Office code of practice 5 

1.3.1 All agencies involved in dealing with racist incidents should ensure that their 

staff receive good quality training (4.10). 

1.3.2 Schools’ behaviour policies should cover racial harassment and make clear how 

staff and pupils should deal with it (4.11). 

1.3.2 Schools should themselves handle low-level, daily occurrences (4.11). 

1.3.4 Each school should record all racist incidents, including the date, the names of 

perpetrators and victims, the nature of the incident and action taken in 

response (4.11). 

1.3.5 Parents and governors should be informed of the number and nature of such 

incidents and the action taken to deal with them (4.11). 

1.3.6 Governing bodies should inform LAs annually of the pattern and frequency of 

any incidents (4.11). 

1.3.7 Schools should pass on information about serious and/or persistent incidents or 

perpetrators to the Police as this may provide useful intelligence (4.12). 

1.3.8 Schools should always advise the Police of any criminal activity; this includes 

racist incidents that are categorised as crimes (4.12). 

1.3.9 Although minor incidents may not result in court proceedings, it is still 

important to log these incidents (4.13). 


Part I 

5 The Code of Practice on Reporting and Recording Racist Incidents in Response to Recommendation 15 of The Stephen Lawrence 

Inquiry Report, Home Office, 2000. This code does not have statutory force as such, but it represents best practice and there is 

an expectation that schools will comply with its recommendations. Schools will find themselves in a vulnerable position if 

allegations of racism are made against them and they are found to be failing to implement guidance contained in the code. 

1

Part I 

1.4 Guidance from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) 6 

1.4.1 The school Race Equality Policy should address the following questions: 

• How do you publicly promote good personal and community relations, and 

what steps do you take to prevent racial discrimination? 

• How do you record, investigate and report racist incidents and racial 

harassment to your local LA? 

• What training do you give staff to make sure they know how to deal firmly, 

consistently and effectively with racist incidents, racial harassment and 

bullying? 

• How do you make sure that pupils, parents, guardians and staff know the 

procedures for dealing with racist incidents and racial harassment? 

• How do you work with the LA and others to tackle racism and racial 

harassment in your school and in the local area? 

1.4.2 Update 38, issued by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) in Spring 

2002, states that ‘inspectors must take account of the CRE’s code of practice and 

evaluate the quality and impact of the school’s policy and practice in promoting 

race equality’. 

1.5 OFSTED framework 7 

1.5.1 The statutory OFSTED framework for inspecting schools requires inspectors to 

assess the extent to which: 

• pupils are free from bullying, racism and other forms of harassment (3.2); 

• the school promotes good relationships, including racial harmony (3.2); 

• the school deals effectively with incidents such as bullying, racism and 

other forms of harassment (3.2); 

• the governing body fulfils its statutory duties, including promoting 

inclusive policies in relation to special educational needs, race equality, 

disability and sex (8). 

1.6 Guidance document on Evaluating Educational Inclusion (OFSTED 

2002) 

1.6.1 The guidance suggests that the following are appropriate questions for 

OFSTED inspectors to ask of the school, and the school to ask of itself, in respect 

of racism and racist incidents: 

• What action is being taken by the school to prevent and address racism? 

(p6) 

• How effectively are pupils taught to understand the need for mutual 

respect in a diverse society? (p20) 

2 

6 The Duty to Promote Race Equality: a Guide for Schools, Commission for Racial Equality, 2002 

7 Inspecting Schools: the Framework for inspecting schools in England from September 2003, OFSTED, 2003 


• Does the school promote respect and understanding of diverse cultures, 

languages and ethnic groups including faith groups, Travellers, asylum 

seekers and refugees? (p20) 

• How effectively does the school develop pupils’ understanding of the 

effects of stereotyping, prejudice and racism? (p20) 

• How effectively does the school deal with conflicts between different ethnic 

groups in the community? (p25) 

• What steps do the head and senior management team, supported by the 

governors, take to prevent and address racism and to promote racial 

harmony? (p27) 

• To what extent do the head, senior managers and where appropriate 

governors ensure all staff challenge, correct and deal with racist behaviour 

and remarks, in all schools including those serving areas which are not 

ethnically diverse where such remarks may go unchallenged? (p27) 

• To what extent do the head, senior managers and where appropriate 

governors communicate orally and in writing their commitment to 

inclusive policies? (p27) 

• How effectively does the school deal with either neutral or hostile 

reactions by parents or others who believe it is not a priority, particularly 

in schools which are not diverse ethnically? (p20) 

• Do any pupils experience racial harassment? (p11) 

• What happens if bullying or harassment has been observed by staff or 

reported to them? (p22) 

• Do staff deal effectively and rapidly with any verbal comments in lessons 

or outside to do with pupils’ racial background? (p22) 

• Do staff appear to condone racism by turning a blind eye, or through 

dismissive remarks, “kids will be kids”? (p15) 

• What training and access do staff have to external organisations to help 

them understand and deal effectively with such incidents? (p22) 

• What support is provided for victims of harassment? (p22) 

• How effective are procedures for dealing with the offenders of such 

incidents? (p22) 

• Are trends in incidents and their causes analysed by the school? (p22) 

• Are racial incidents reported annually to the governing body, parents and 

the LA? What explanations are given if these requirements are not met? 

(p22) 

1.6.2 The guidance suggests that the following are appropriate questions for 

OFSTED inspectors to ask of the school, and the school to ask of itself, in respect 

of pupils from minority ethnic groups: 

• How well is the school informed about pupils’ languages, cultures, values 

and customs? (p21) 


Part I 

3

Part I 

4 

• Is the school alert to cultural differences in manner and demeanour in 

pupils expressing emotions? (p23) 

• Do teachers show respect to pupils by using culturally sensitive language, 

and are they alert to the cultural differences in non-verbal 

communication? (p15) 

• How do staff modify their approaches when chastising pupils from 

different ethnic groups? (p23) 

• Do learning resources show sensitivity to different groups and cultures 

and do not, through the use of inappropriate images and stereotypes, 

demotivate or offend pupils or more generally reinforce the prejudiced 

views that some pupils may hold? (p16) 

• How effective are the steps taken by the school to make sure its 

assessment methods are free from cultural or linguistic bias to ensure fair 

and equitable treatment of groups of pupils? (p23) 

• How effectively does the school induct new pupils and ensure the needs of 

particular pupils are being met, for example, by supporting refugee 

children and recognising the effect of their education being interrupted? 

(p21) 

• How effectively does the school help Traveller parents to maintain 

continuity in the education of their children? (p25) 

• How effectively does the school enable the observance of religious customs 

and practices such as Ramadan? (p25) 

• How effectively does the school find solutions to enable Asian girls to 

participate in sport? (p25) 

• What does the school do in monitoring the incidence of the use of 

sanctions? Is there over-representation of a particular group, for example 

Black Caribbean boys who are often over-represented in exclusions? (p22) 

1.7 Race Equality in Education - good practice in schools and 

local education authorities (OFSTED 2005) 

1.7.1 This report illustrates good practice in race equality, including the handling and 

reporting of race-related incidents, in a sample of schools and local education 

authorities. 

2 Definition of a racist incident 

2.1 The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines a racist incident as: ‘Any 

incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other 

person’. According to the Home Office code of practice, this definition of a racist 

incident should be used by all agencies, including schools. 

2.2 The purpose of this definition is not to prejudge the question of whether a 

perpetrator’s motive was racist or not. It is rather to ensure that investigations 

take full account of the possibility of a racist dimension to the incident. 


2.3 The overwhelming majority of public authorities, including Lincolnshire LEA 

and the Police, accept this definition and advise that all incidents which may be 

perceived as racist must be reported, recorded, investigated and followed up 

with appropriate actions. 

2.4 Racist behaviour can take many forms, for example: 

Physical assault 

This includes a range of violent actions, from criminal attacks involving hitting, 

kicking and possibly the use of weapons, to pushing someone or tripping them 

up. 

Physical intimidation 

This includes persistent ‘minor’ intimidation which may be cumulative in effect, 

such as jostling in a queue or using offensive gestures and mimicry. 

Verbal abuse 

This includes derogatory name-calling, insults and overtly racist ‘jokes’; threats 

and incitement of others to behave in a racist way; and ridicule of a person’s 

speech, background, religion and/or culture (including a person’s dress, smell, 

appearance and diet). 

Insensitive/inappropriate remarks/comments/jokes 

This includes thoughtless remarks and general comments; jokes which reinforce 

negative stereotypes; and insensitive or inappropriate use of terminology and 

language. 

Racist graffiti 

This includes offensive writing and/or drawings in places where they can be 

widely seen, such as on walls, on desks and in lavatories. 

Written comments/drawings (not graffiti) 

This includes offensive writing and/or drawings in places where they cannot be 

widely seen, such as on pieces of paper, in exercise books, emails or on mobile 

phones (text messaging). 

Abuse of/damage to personal property 

This includes hiding a pupil’s bag, spoiling or destroying a piece of work, 

deliberately breaking something, damaging clothing, etc. 

Non co-operation/disrespect/ostracism 

This includes failing to show respect to someone because of their race. Forms of 

disrespect may relate to cultural and religious differences regarding food, 

music, dress, etc. Such forms of disrespect are sometimes inadvertent, resulting 

from a lack of awareness or knowledge on the part of the perpetrator. 

Perpetrators could also be expressing received messages from the media, 

parents/carers and other groups in the wider community. Other examples 

include wearing racist badges or insignia and turning away from or ostracising 

a person. 


Part I 

5

Part I 

6 

Other incidents 

These may include bringing racist material such as leaflets, comics, magazines 

or computer software into school, or attempting to recruit others to racist 

organisations and groups. This may extend to the distribution of racist 

literature or posters within the school community. 

2.5 Perpetrators and victims of racist incidents can be any members of the school 

community. They may also be visitors to the school or people contracted to work 

at the school. 

2.6 It is important to recognise that racist incidents may not have a specific target 

or victim and may include telling racist jokes, chanting, writing graffiti, wearing 

racist insignia or making negative comments about a group based on biased or 

prejudicial attitudes. 

2.7 A ‘racist incident’ should be distinguished from a ‘racial incident’. A racial 

incident involves conflict between individuals or groups perceived to be ‘racially’ 

different but with no underlying racist motivation. 

3 The need to respond differently to different types of incident 

3.1 Paragraphs 4.11 to 4.14 of the Home Office code of practice deal specifically 

with racist incidents in schools. The Home Office code of practice distinguishes 

between two types of incident: those that are ‘low-level, daily occurrences’ and 

those of a ‘serious and/or persistent’ nature. Members of senior management 

teams with responsibility for racist incidents will need to use their professional 

judgement in determining into which of these two broad categories each 

incident falls. If a school is uncertain, advice can be sought from advisers with 

the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) (see Appendix 7). 

3.2 Paragraph 4.11 of the Home Office code of practice advises that low-level, dayto-day 

occurrences should be dealt with by the schools themselves. In dealing 

with such incidents, there should be no need for outside agencies to become 

involved. This is not to say that schools should not take these incidents 

extremely seriously. All racist incidents, however trivial or minor, should be 

reported and recorded using RI 1 and followed up with appropriate actions. 

Parents and governors should be informed about all incidents, and governing 

bodies should ensure that all incidents are recorded on Form RI 2 when they 

make their annual return to the LA (see Appendix 2). 

3.3 Paragraph 4.12 of the Home Office code of practice states that schools should 

pass on information about serious and/or persistent incidents or perpetrators to 

the Police as this may prove useful intelligence. It adds that schools should 

always advise the Police of racist incidents that are categorised as crimes. 

Schools must inform the School Liaison Officer who may also report the incident 

to the Police. 

3.4 In order to answer the question ‘When does a racist incident constitute a 

crime?’, it is helpful to refer to Home Office guidance8 on ‘racially aggravated’ 

offences related to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The following table, 

adapted from the guidance, shows how sentences are increased if the offence is 

racially aggravated. 

8 Crime and Disorder Act 1998: Racially Aggravated Offences, Home Office, 1998 


Existing offence Maximum penalty for Maximum penalty for 

basic offence racially aggravated 

offence 

Common assault 6 months imprisonment 2 years imprisonment 

and/or level 5 fine (£5,000) and/or an unlimited fine 

Assault occasioning 

actual bodily harm 

5 years imprisonment 7 years imprisonment 

Malicious wounding 5 years imprisonment 7 years imprisonment 

Causing fear of 5 years imprisonment 7 years imprisonment 

violence and/or an unlimited fine and/or an unlimited fine 

Threatening behaviour 6 months imprisonment 2 years imprisonment 

and/or level 5 fine (£5,000) and/or an unlimited fine 

Harassment/intentional 6 months imprisonment 2 years imprisonment 

harassment and/or level 5 fine (£5,000) and/or an unlimited fine 

Criminal damage 10 years imprisonment 14 years imprisonment 

Disorderly behaviour Level 3 fine (£1,000) Level 4 fine (£2,500) 


Part I 

The offences listed in the left-hand column provide a useful guide as to the type 

of incident that constitutes a crime, and which therefore needs to be reported to 

the Police. To this list should be added a further offence: that of inciting racial 

hatred. 

3.5 In Britain, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 10. However, for 

intelligence gathering purposes, Lincolnshire Police have made it clear that 

they feel it is appropriate for them to be informed about children under 10 who 

are perpetrators of serious racist incidents, incidents for which if they were 10 

years old or more they could be held criminally responsible. 

3.6 It is important to recognise that what might start as low-level, day-to-day 

occurrences may progress to something more serious if the incidents become 

persistent, either on the part of the perpetrator(s) or the victim(s). A series of 

seemingly insignificant incidents directed against a particular person or group 

is likely to constitute racial harassment; and, although each incident in itself 

may appear unimportant, the cumulative effect may have serious consequences 

for the victim or victims and should not be underestimated. 

3.7 Victims of racial harassment may begin to perceive that all negative incidents 

and events in their lives emanate from racial prejudice. They might well begin 

to over-react to low-level conflict situations, even when it is clear that these are 

not racially motivated. Parents/carers of pupils who have been victims of racial 

harassment become quite naturally very sensitive to their children’s accounts of 

negative experiences within the school situation. Members of staff within 

schools need to be aware of this and respond appropriately to all parents’/carers’ 

concerns, ensuring that they receive accurate, clear and current information 

about what actions are being taken when an incident occurs, however trivial it 

may seem. 

7

Part I 

4 Principles, protocols and procedures 

4.1 A whole-school approach articulated through a clear policy 

4.1.1 In respect of racist incidents, a whole-school approach to policy development 

and implementation is essential. The involvement of the headteacher, the staff 

(teaching and non-teaching), the governing body, pupils and parents/carers is 

necessary to ensure that all members of the school community have a shared 

understanding of what constitutes racist behaviour and a commitment to 

responding appropriately to all manifestations of racism through the school’s 

agreed procedures. 

4.1.2 Procedures for responding to racist incidents should be set clearly within the 

context of individual school policies regarding behaviour, bullying, harassment 

and child protection. It should, however, be recognised that racist behaviour has 

specific factors associated with it. These require special consideration and need 

to be explained separately. 

4.1.3 Procedures and strategies for dealing with, recording and reporting racist 

incidents should be clearly explained within the school Race Equality Policy (a 

statutory school policy required by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000). 

Key aspects of the Race Equality Policy (including the section covering racist 

incidents) will need to be disseminated to all members of the school community, 

including new members of staff. In accordance with legislation, schools must 

monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their policy and the policy should be 

reviewed at regular intervals. 

4.1.4 The checklist in Appendix 4 of this document can be used as a starting point for 

monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of school’s procedures regarding 

racist incidents. It is adapted from the section related to racism, racial 

discrimination and racial harassment contained in Learning for All 9 , which the 

Commission for Racial Equality distributed to all schools in 2001. 

4.2 General principles 

4.2.1 Racism is directed at people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. 

Everyone is therefore a potential victim of racism. 

4.2.2 Any member of the school community and any visitor to the school can be a 

victim, a perpetrator or a witness to a racist incident. 

4.2.3 If there is a possibility that an incident could be perceived as racist by the 

victim or any other person, it should be treated as a racist incident. 

4.2.3 All possible racist incidents, however minor, should be treated seriously and 

reported, recorded and followed up with appropriate actions as contained in this 

guidance. 

8 

9 Learning for All: Standards for Racial Equality in Schools, Commission for Racial Equality, 2000 


4.3 Reporting and recording 

4.3.1 Within the school, all racist incidents should be referred and recorded in 

writing, together with brief details of how each incident was investigated and 

what actions were taken if the incident was substantiated. Form RI 1 (see 

Appendix 1) is provided as a model referral form. By completing Form RI 1, 

any member of the school community can notify the headteacher or other 

appropriate member of the school senior management team that a racist 

incident may have occurred. 

4.3.2 Schools should use Form RI 1 (see Appendix 1) to pass on information about any 

incidents to the School Liaison Officer (see Appendix 7). 

4.3.3 Governors should be regularly informed of the number and nature of racist 

incidents and the actions taken to deal with them. 

4.3.4 Parents should be informed of the number and nature of racist incidents and 

the actions taken to deal with them. It is suggested that this should be done 

through the governors’ annual report to parents. 

4.3.5 Governing bodies should inform Lincolnshire LA annually of the pattern and 

frequency of any incidents. This can be done through the completion and return 

of an electronic version of Form RI 2 (see Appendix 2). 

4.4 Confidentiality 

4.4.1 Consistent with the Data Protection Act 1998, all completed forms and other 

records and written information relating to racist incidents should be treated as 

confidential and locked in a secure place. 

4.4.2 Where pupils are concerned, records relating to low-level, day-to-day 

occurrences should be retained until the relevant pupils leave the school. 

Current advice is that records relating to serious and/or persistent incidents 

should be kept in a secure place until all of the pupils involved reach the age of 

24. Information relating to serious and/or persistent incidents should remain on 

individual pupil files, transferring with them from school to school. 

4.4.3 Details of incidents involving teachers, governors or parents/carers should be 

kept until their active involvement with the school ends. 

4.4.4 A school can record names and other relevant personal details on the forms that 

it uses internally; but written reports to other agencies, such as the LEA, and 

the Police, should omit information that could identify individuals. 

The exception to this is that, according to the Home Office code of practice, 

schools should pass on information about perpetrators involved in serious 

and/or persistent incidents to the Police and other appropriate agencies. 

Schools can also pass on details about victims, provided they have obtained 

their consent (or, in the case of victims under the age of 15, the consent of their 

parents/carers). When passing on information about perpetrators or victims 

who are pupils, it is important that parents/carers are informed. Form RI 1 (see 

Appendix 1) has been designed to take account of these considerations. 


Part I 

9

Part I 

4.5 Child protection procedures 

4.5.1 When a school is made aware that a pupil has been a victim of a racist incident, 

the first consideration is whether this constitutes a child protection issue. If it is 

suspected that the child or young person is suffering or is likely to suffer 

‘significant harm’ as a result of the incident, then the matter must be referred 

immediately to the person within the school who is responsible for child 

protection. Procedures laid out in The School Administration Handbook must 

then be followed. ‘Harm’ is defined by The Children Act 1989 as ill-treatment, 

which includes physical, sexual and psychological abuse; the impairment of 

health, which includes physical and mental health; and/or the impairment of 

development, which includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social and 

behavioural development. In determining whether the degree of harm is 

‘significant’, the standard of health and/or development of the child or young 

person should be compared with the standard of health and/or development 

that could be reasonably expected of a similar child or young person. 

4.6 When a parent/carer has a concern or makes a complaint 

4.6.1 The School Administration Handbook provides guidance for schools on how to 

respond when parents/carers complain about aspects of the school, including 

making allegations of racism. It makes reference to guidance contained in this 

document. If parents/carers wish to make a formal complaint they should first 

contact the headteacher and then if still dissatisfied ask for a copy of the 

school’s complaints policy. 

4.7 When members of staff feel they are subject to harassment, bullying or 

victimisation 

4.7.1 This is becoming an important issue for our schools. Increasing numbers of 

teachers from abroad are obtaining posts in Lincolnshire schools, and some of 

them believe themselves to be victims of racism. Teachers should refer to their 

school bullying and harassment policy which will provide guidance for members 

of staff who feel they have been subject to harassment, bullying or victimisation 

(including that motivated by racism), and also for senior managers and 

governors on how to respond when such allegations are made. 

10 



Part ll 

What to do when a racist 

incident occurs 

Part ll

5 Responding to racist incidents: the process 

The flow chart provided near the start of this document gives an overview of 

recommended courses of action following a possible racist incident. A fuller explanation 

of the process, and how Forms RI 1 should be used, is given below. 

5.1 Form RI 1 (see Appendix 1): the school’s mechanism for referring 

incidents to the appropriate member of the school senior management 

team (SMT) and then to the School Liaison Officer. 

5.1.1 Whenever an incident that could be perceived as racist occurs (however trivial it 

may appear), it should be reported as soon as possible to the headteacher or 

member of the SMT with responsibility for racist incidents (hereafter referred 

to as the named member of SMT) and recorded in writing. This includes 

incidents that take place when pupils are travelling to and from school and to 

incidents that occur on school trips. 

5.1.2 It is recommended that the person reporting the incident, whether a child or an 

adult, uses a version of Form RI 1 on which to record brief details about the 

incident, those involved and any actions that may have been taken immediately 

following the incident. It may well not be possible to complete all sections. 

5.1.3 Some people (for example, young children or pupils and adults with poor 

literacy skills and those for whom English is not their first language) may need 

assistance with the completion of Form RI 1. 

5.1.4 It is suggested that a supply of RI 1 forms is kept in the school office and that all 

members of the school community are informed about their purpose and 

location and are encouraged to make use of them. 

5.1.5 When a copy of Form RI 1 is taken for completion, a member of the office staff 

should enter a reference number in the box on the form and log that the form 

has been taken. The reference number then becomes the reference number for 

that particular incident. It will be entered onto all forms and other 

documentation relating to that incident. 

5.1.6 Once completed, Form RI 1 will need to be submitted as soon as possible to the 

named member of SMT. 

5.2 Investigating the alleged incident 

5.2.1 As soon as the named member of SMT is informed about a possible racist 

incident, the immediate priority is to decide whether the incident could 

constitute a child protection issue (see 4.5 for clarification). If it is deemed to be 

a child protection issue, then the incident must not be investigated further by 

the school. Instead, the incident must be referred immediately to the person in 

the school who is responsible for child protection. Procedures identified in The 

School Administration Handbook must then be followed. The incident will need 

to be logged as a racist incident if substantiated. 

5.2.2 If the incident does not constitute a child protection issue, then an internal 

investigation can take place. The main purposes of the investigation will be to 

establish whether the incident happened as reported and to determine whether 

or not the incident was racially motivated. Guidance on investigating racist 


Part II 

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Part II 

incidents is provided in section 6 of this document. Details of the investigation 

into each incident, which may be brief, should be recorded on Form RI 1. 

5.2.3 If the details and nature of the incident are substantiated, the school will need 

to take appropriate actions in respect of both perpetrator(s) and victim(s). These 

will vary depending on the seriousness of the incident, the effect on the victim 

and whether the perpetrator and victim are pupils, members of staff, other 

members of the school community or members of the wider community. 

Guidance on taking appropriate actions in respect of those involved in racist 

incidents is provided in section 7 of this document. Brief details of actions taken 

in response to each substantiated incident should be recorded on Form RI 1. 

5.2.4 If pupils are involved, it will be important to keep parents/carers fully informed 

of actions taken in response to the incident. 

5.3 Reporting racist incidents to the LA and other agencies 

5.3.1 In section 3 of this document, the distinction between low-level, day-to-day 

occurrences and incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature was explained. 

Low-level, day-to-day occurrences should be dealt with by the school itself; but 

incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature should be referred to other 

agencies, including the Police, as appropriate. 

5.3.2 All racist incidents should be reported to the LA as and when they occur using 

Form RI 1. 

5.3.3 Names of perpetrators, victims and others involved in incidents, including 

witnesses, those doing the reporting and those involved in investigation and 

follow-up activities shall be removed from RI 1 before it is forwarded to the LA 

officer unless the permission of the individuals (or their parents/carers if the are 

under the age of 15) has been obtained. If the incident is of a serious and/or 

persistent nature and the Police or other agencies have been informed, names of 

known perpetrators may be provided. 

5.3.4 The LA needs to be informed of all racist incidents so that the pattern of racist 

incidents in schools can be compared with the pattern of incidents in the wider 

community. 

5.3.5 Section 3 of this document explained that, according to the Home Office code of 

practice, schools should pass on information about serious and/or persistent 

incidents or perpetrators to the Police. The Police will investigate each incident 

according to their procedures. 

5.3.6 Section 3 of this document also explained that, according to the Home Office 

code of practice, schools should always advise the Police of racist incidents that 

are categorised as crimes. It is likely that where a racist incident constitutes a 

possible crime, schools will want to report such incidents directly to the Police. If 

schools do this, they should also return a completed version of Form RI 1 to their 

School Liaison Officer. 

5.4 Reporting racist incidents to governors, parents and the LA 

5.4.1 According to the Home Office code of practice, governors and parents should be 

informed of the number and nature of all racist incidents and the action taken 

to deal with them. 

2 


5.4.2 It is recommended that headteachers provide regular updates on racist 

incidents as part of their report to governors at governing body meetings. 

5.4.3 It is recommended that information about the number and nature of all racist 

incidents that took place during the preceding year and the action taken to deal 

with them is included in the governors’ annual report to parents. 

5.4.4 According to the Home Office code of practice, governing bodies should inform 

LAs annually of the pattern and frequency of racist incidents. This will be done 

through the annual return of an electronic version of Form RI2 (see Appendix 

2). It is suggested that the school keeps a ‘running record’ of racist incidents. 

6 Investigating racist incidents 

6.1 The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report made clear that ‘there is a need to ensure 

that nobody obscures the approach to incidents involving racism because of a 

lack of appreciation or willingness to accept that racism is involved’. Therefore, 

where it is the perception of a victim or any other person that an incident is 

racist, it must be recorded as such and measures taken to confirm the details of 

the incident. It is important that all incidents are taken seriously and that all 

alleged racist incidents are investigated and followed up appropriately. 

6.2 In most cases, it will be the responsibility of the headteacher or named member 

of SMT to carry out the investigation. It is essential that all actions undertaken 

when carrying out an investigation are recorded. Records should be simple and 

concise and confidentiality should be maintained at all times. 

6.3 It will be important from the outset of an investigation to clarify the main 

details of the reported incident as different procedures for an investigation may 

be required for different types of incidents. If the complaint refers to a concern 

over the organisation of the school or the implementation of the curriculum, the 

area of complaint must be made clear. If it refers to a specific incident, victim(s) 

or perpetrator(s), then witnesses need to be questioned. If an incident is clearly 

a child protection issue then the school must follow procedures outlined and 

must not carry out its own investigation. If the incident involves a member of 

staff either as the perpetrator or as a victim, then reference should be made to 

the school’s bullying and harassment at work policy. The context, the age of the 

children involved and the seriousness of the incident will obviously influence 

the manner in which it is investigated. 

6.4 Questions for possible consideration when investigating an alleged racist 

incident: 

1. When and where did the incident take place? 

2. Who was involved? 

3. Who witnessed the incident? 

4. How did it start? 

5. What happened? 

6. Was it intentional or unintentional? 

7. To what extent did the incident affect the victim and/or others? 


Part II 

3

Part II 

8. In what way did the victim and/or others suffer? 

9. Is there any history or relevant background to this incident? 

10. Has the alleged victim or alleged perpetrator been involved in incidents of 

this kind before? 

11. Do any of those directly involved perceive the incident to be racist? 

12. Do the participants recognise that the incident might be perceived as racist? 

6.5 In order to find out the answers to the above questions, the person leading the 

investigation will need to conduct interviews and have discussions with alleged 

victims, alleged perpetrators and any witnesses of the incident. The interviews 

may be conducted on an informal basis depending on the nature of the incident 

and the age of the pupils. Some interviews will have to be conducted on a more 

formal basis when a more serious incident has taken place. In all cases, where 

possible, conversations should take place away from where the incident 

occurred. 

6.6 In most situations, the first person to be interviewed should be the alleged 

victim or victims. They should be listened to carefully and it will be important to 

establish if this is an isolated incident or whether they have been subjected to 

racist behaviour before but have not reported it. 

6.7 As regards alleged perpetrators, their version of events needs to explored 

carefully and sensitively. Questions about why they said or behaved in a certain 

way need to be asked to find out possible reasons for their actions. 

6.8 When speaking with witnesses, they should be encouraged to describe the event 

or incident in their own words and without too much prompting. It might also be 

necessary to talk to relevant staff to gather more background information. 

6.9 Throughout the process, all parties concerned should be kept informed of 

actions that the school is taking. The school will generally want to inform 

parents/carers of all pupils involved immediately an allegation has been made. 

On occasions, parents/carers of alleged victims will allude to other situations 

when their child has been a victim and this will need to be recorded. 

6.10 Where the parents/carers of an alleged perpetrator react in a negative way, the 

school may need to remind them of its policy on racism and the type of 

behaviour expected of all pupils. Depending on the nature of the incident and 

the age of those involved, the way in which parents/carers are informed about 

the incident will vary. Obviously, in serious cases, the parents/carers need to 

know that other parties, such as the Police, will be informed and may become 

involved. 

6.11 In order to reassure the person or people making the complaint that the 

incident has been dealt with appropriately, it will be important to discuss the 

results of the investigation and to identify actions that will be taken to prevent 

a recurrence of the incident. Many parents/carers become frustrated when they 

have contacted a school about their concerns but have received no information 

about the actions the school has taken or is proposing to take. They may feel 

that their concerns have not been taken seriously and may approach other 

groups and organisations for advice as to how to take the matter further. 

4 


6.12 The result of the investigation may be that a racist incident was not proved to 

have taken place. However, offence was still caused since the complaint was 

made. This should be made clear to all those involved in order to prevent a 

similar situation arising in the future. In the event that the person making the 

complaint is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, then he or she 

should be advised of the school’s formal complaints procedure. 

6.13 Where the investigation corroborates the allegation, perpetrators who are 

pupils should be dealt with firmly and appropriate actions taken (see section 7). 

These actions, which might include the imposition of sanctions, should be 

recorded on Form RI 1. Victims may need to receive pastoral support for a 

period of time, and schools should remain vigilant about situations in which 

victims might feel vulnerable. 

6.14 Investigations might highlight issues relating to the effectiveness of the school’s 

race equality policy. For example, the need for racism to be addressed more 

effectively through the curriculum; the need for a clearer explanation of the 

school’s stance on racism; the need for better communication with 

parents/carers; and the need for greater consistency when dealing with racist 

incidents. 


Part II 

5

Part II 

7 Taking appropriate actions with pupils (victims and 

perpetrators) 

Advice around wider issues of bullying and harassment can be found in the Schools 

Administration Handbook. There are particular legal requirements and other 

considerations that apply in the context of racist bullying and harassment, but schools 

should always endeavour to ensure that actions taken are consistent with the guidance.. 

7.1 In order to achieve a measure of consistency, some appropriate short-term and 

long-term actions that can be taken with pupil victims and pupil perpetrators of 

different types of racist incidents10 are suggested below. These actions are to be 

taken in addition to the procedures outlined in section 5, which include 

reporting and recording all incidents and, where the incident is of a serious or 

persistent nature, involving outside agencies. It is important to recognise that 

some racist incidents may not have a specific target or victim. In these cases it is 

still important to comply with the recommended procedures. 

7.1.1 Physical assault and physical intimidation 

Short term 

• Do not ignore any incident of physical assault or physical intimidation, or 

you will appear to be condoning the behaviour. 

• Persistent ‘minor’ intimidation, such as pushing or tripping up an 

individual, will have a cumulative effect and may – if ignored – develop 

into more violent forms of behaviour such as hitting, kicking and possibly 

the use of weapons. Such behaviour can constitute a criminal offence and 

may lead to a charge of criminal assault with intent to cause bodily harm. 

• Explain clearly to the perpetrator why the behaviour is unacceptable and 

encourage the perpetrator to appreciate the consequences of his/her 

actions and to apologise and make reparation for them. 

• Do not attribute blame to the pupil who has been racist in a personal 

manner or imply that the pupil as a person is wrong. Condemn the action, 

not the person. 

• Punish and support the perpetrator in accordance with the school’s 

behaviour policy. 

• Make sure that, where necessary, the victim receives appropriate medical 

attention and that this is recorded. 

• Make sure the victim is safe, feels safe and receives support. 

• Inform and seek the support of parents/carers of both victim and 

perpetrator. 

6 

10 See section 2 for explanation of types of racist incident listed 


Long term 

• Monitor both the behaviour and emotional state of both perpetrator and 

victim. 

• Make time to talk with the perpetrator and reinforce the comments you 

made earlier. 

• Work with the perpetrator’s parents/carers to ensure that they understand 

the school’s position on behaviour. Stress that the school will not accept 

abuse against any individual, pointing out how this can damage the 

individual. 

• Provide further opportunities for the victim to discuss his/her feelings if 

he/she demonstrates a need to do so and make sure the victim knows how 

to access further support and what to do if the incident recurs. 

• Keep parents/carers informed of developments. 

7.1.2 Verbal abuse, insensitive/inappropriate remarks/comments/jokes and written 

comments/drawings (not graffiti) 

Short term 

• Do not ignore any form of verbal racist abuse or you will appear to be 

condoning the behaviour and therefore agreeing with the 

comments/remarks. Failure to respond to low-key behaviour will not help 

the perpetrator to appreciate the possible offence or hurt that could be 

caused and is likely to result in an escalation into more serious verbal 

abuse. 

• State your position clearly by condemning the words/images as 

unacceptable. 

• Explain clearly to the perpetrator why the words/images were wrong and 

hurtful or offensive. Sometimes it will be obvious why what was said, 

written or depicted will cause offence, but it may need to be explained why 

certain jokes, expressions and images are inappropriate. 

• Encourage the perpetrator to appreciate the consequences of his/her 



manner or imply that the pupil as a person is wrong. Condemn what was 

said, not the person that said it. 

• Where appropriate, punish and support the perpetrator in accordance 

with the school’s behaviour policy. 

• Make sure the victim receives support and does not feel threatened. 


perpetrator. 


Part II 

7

Part II 

Long term 


victim. 


made earlier. 


the school’s position on anything that demeans a person’s race, ethnicity, 

culture or religion. Stress that the school will not accept abuse against any 

individual, pointing out how this can damage the individual. 





• Where number of incidents appear to be escalating, a letter to all parents 

outlining the school zero-tolerance approach and action taken, should be 

sent (see Appendix 8 for sample letter). 

• Through the curriculum, address the issue of racist language and 

stereotyping, giving pupils opportunities to study such issues through the 

use of Persona dolls, literature and film and by bringing in outside 

speakers, artists and others. 

7.1.3 Racist graffiti 

Short term 

• Report all racist graffiti to the named member of SMT and remove such 

graffiti immediately. 

• State your position clearly by condemning the graffiti as unacceptable. 

• Explain clearly to the perpetrator (if known) and other pupils why the 

graffiti was wrong and hurtful or offensive. Sometimes it will be obvious 

why what was written or depicted will cause offence, but it may need to be 

explained why certain jokes, expressions and images are inappropriate. 

• Encourage the perpetrator (if known) to appreciate the consequences of 

his/her actions and to apologise to any targeted individual and make 

reparation, possibly paying for any damage. 


manner or imply that the pupil as a person is wrong. Condemn what was 

done, not the person that did it. 

• If known, punish and support the perpetrator in accordance with the 

school’s behaviour policy. 

• Make sure any targeted victim receives support and does not feel 

threatened. 


perpetrator, if known. 

8 


Long term 

• Regular checks should be made and steps taken to discourage the 

reappearance of graffiti. 


victim. 


made earlier. 


the school’s position on anything that demeans a person’s race, ethnicity, 

culture or religion. Stress that the school will not accept abuse against any 

individual, pointing out how this can damage the individual. 





• Through the curriculum, explore the issue of racist graffiti and its effect on 

individuals and groups. 

7.1.4 Abuse of/damage to personal property 

Short term 

• Do not ignore any instances of abuse of or damage to personal property, or 

you will appear to be condoning the behaviour. 

• Persistent minor abuse, such as emptying a pencil case or kicking a bag, 

will have a cumulative effect and may – if ignored – lead to more serious 

damage being done to property. At worst, damage to property can 

constitute criminal damage. This is viewed as a very serious crime.It 

carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment if it is racially 

aggravated (see 3.4). 



actions and to apologise and make reparation for them, possibly paying for 

any damage. 






• Make sure that, where necessary, the victim receives appropriate medical 

attention and that this is recorded. 

• Make sure the victim receives support and does not feel threatened. 


perpetrator. 


Part II 

9

Part II 

Long term 


victim. 


made earlier. 


the school’s position on behaviour. Stress that the school will not accept illtreatment 

of anyone’s personal property, pointing out how this can damage 

the owner. 





7.1.5 Non co-operation/disrespect/ostracism 

Short term 









• Make sure that the victim receives support and does not feel threatened. 

• Ensure that the victim receives immediate support from suitable peers, for 

instance, through a ‘buddy’ system. 


perpetrator. 

Long term 


victim. 


made earlier. 


the school’s position on behaviour. Stress that the school will not accept the 

ill treatment of any individual, pointing out how this can damage the 

individual. 

10 

• Ensure that the victim receives continued support from suitable peers, for 

instance, through a ‘buddy’ system. 






• Through the curriculum, explore issues related to human rights. 

Emphasise the right of every pupil to be included in all school activities. 

• Remain alert to the possibility of a pupil being ostracised by peers. This 

can be hard to detect. 

8 The role of outside agencies 

There are a number of individual agencies, each having a particular role to play in 

supporting victims of racism. However, it is often helpful for an agency to work with 

others with different expertise to help resolve an incident or series of incidents. Each 

agency has a set of protocols that it follows in reporting, recording and dealing with 

racist incidents. 

8.1 Lincolnshire Police 

8.1.1 Hate crime in all its forms has an impact on victims, communities and others. 

Hate crime is defined as any crime which constitutes a criminal offence, 

perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by prejudice or 

hate. The definition is broad, inclusive and considers factors which encompass 

race, religion, sexuality, disability, gender, age and status, but not that of 

domestic violence which is covered by a different policy. 

8.1.2 Lincolnshire Police are committed to acting positively in recording and 

investigating any hate incident, whether or not it constitutes a crime. 

Lincolnshire Police will: 

• Place a high priority on dealing with Hate crime/Incidents and 

performance by staff will be closely monitored and appropriate entries 

made on personal performance records; 

• Adopt a pro-active approach in the investigation of every incident in 

accordance with the victim’s wishes; 

• Use a partnership approach with other local agencies to help try to resolve 

problems and explore initiatives to help repeat victims; 

• Involve Community Policing Teams in dealing with incidents and 

supporting victims. 

8.1.3 Each Police Division has a designated Hate Crime Champion who has overall 

responsibility for the monitoring of Hate Crime incidents. 

All Lincolnshire Police Officers and front line support staff, such as town 

enquiry officers and call takers, have been trained in the Lincolnshire Police 

Hate Crime Policy and issued with a manual of operating guidance to ensure 

that Hate Crimes and Incidents are properly identified and dealt with in the 

correct manner at all stages of the investigation. 


Part II 

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Part II 

8.1.4 Independent Advisory Groups 

Each Division in Lincolnshire has a panel of citizens drawn from the community 

known as the Independent Advisory Group (IAG). The membership is intended 

to be representative of the local community and specifically includes members 

of minority groups. 

The IAG are consulted with regard to 

• Advice on policy and strategy 

• Assistance with critical incidents 

• Participation in training, particularly raising awareness of issues for 

minority groups. 

• maintaining transparency of decision making, keeping processes open, 

honesty and fairness 

• Acting as community intermediary 

• Mediating between victims/witnesses and police 

• Visiting scenes of crime. 

8.1.5 Lincolnshire Criminal Justice Board 

The Lincolnshire Criminal Justice Board, which comprises members from all 

Criminal Justice service agencies, such as Police, Courts, Prison, Probation, 

CPS, Youth Offending Teams, etc. have a diversity sub group who regularly 

monitor the performance and activities of their member agencies in order to 

ensure prejudice or discrimination is eliminated and provide up to date training 

with regard to diversity matters. 

8.2 Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council 

8.2.1 At regional and national levels, Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council works in 

partnership with other Racial Equality Councils, other voluntary organisations 

and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). Lincolnshire Racial Equality 

Council seeks to eliminate racial discrimination in all forms, so that members of 

all communities in Lincolnshire can enjoy freedom from injustice. It aims to 

achieve justice for all individuals, whatever their race, colour, religion, disability 

or gender, in the provision of employment and the provision of public, local 

authority and private services, especially housing, education, health, social 

services and criminal justice. 

8.2.2 To achieve its primary purpose effectively, Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council 

utilises its human and financial resources to: 

• assist and support individuals and groups who have suffered 

discrimination; 

• campaign and develop strategies to influence public opinion, legislation 

and practices and procedures in favour of racial equality; 

• work closely with Black and minority ethnic communities to enable them 

to develop their own organisations and strengths. 

12 


8.3 Lincolnshire County Council 

8.3.1 The Corporate Objectives for Lincolnshire are: 

• enrich lifestyle 

• achieve excellence 

• improve access 

• promote diversity and 

• increase security. 

Equality and diversity is at the core of all these objectives and is recognised as 

crucial in order for the County Council to meet its vision of Lincolnshire 

LEADS: 11 healthy; prosperous; safe by 2009 

8.3.2 The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general duty on all public 

bodies, including county councils and schools, to promote race equality. This 

means that the Council is taking a more pro-active approach to race equality 

and is considering the needs of its customers and local communities. The three 

parts of the general duty are to: 

• eliminate unlawful racial discrimination; 

• promote equality of opportunity; 

• promote good relations between persons of different racial groups. 

8.4 District Councils 

8.4.1 Each local Council has a Code of Guidance that ensures that all racist incidents 

that are reported are properly recorded and monitored. If the victim so wishes, a 

Council officer will be asked to investigate the matter and to agree with the 

victim an appropriate course of action to take to resolve it. 

8.4.2 Every case is dealt with in strict confidence. Each service area/department will 

have a named officer who is responsible for the recording and monitoring of 


8.5 Ethnic Minority Achievement Support (EMAS) Service 

8.5.1 EMAS forms part of the Lincolnshire County Council’s Children’s Services. 

It supports minority ethnic pupils in Lincolnshire schools by: 

• promoting greater awareness of their needs; 

• working with schools to help minority ethnic pupils achieve across the 

whole-school curriculum; 

• helping teachers understand some of the difficulties which pupils for 

whom English is an additional language may experience; 

• providing training for school staff on race equality issues; 

• assisting schools in tackling racism and promoting intercultural 

awareness; 

11 Lincolnshire LEADS: healthy; prosperous; safe, 2006 


Part II 

13

Part II 

• offering advice and support to pupils and their families who are victims of 

racial harassment or bullying; 

• working with other agencies, including the Police. 

8.6 Traveller Education Service (TES) 

8.6.1 The TES is a countywide peripatetic team working with schools, families and 

other agencies to ensure full access to education for Traveller children. The TES 

offers: 

• advisory support to all school staff; 

• training on issues related to cultural awareness; 

• curriculum development materials; 

• support with planning and provision for distance learning; 

• support for pupils with fragmented education; 

• support for families in accessing education; 

• a joint agency approach. 

8.7 Victim Support 

8.7.1 Victim Support is a national organisation set up to offer emotional support and 

practical advice to victims of crime and other traumatic events, including racist 

incidents. The service offers: 

• locally based offices; 

• trained volunteer visitors who listen to the victim in a safe place without 

making judgements; 

• practical advice about the steps the victim may wish to take; 

• support, for example by accompanying the victim to court; 

• a free and confidential service. 

8.8 Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) 

8.8.1 The CAB service is for all sections of the community and is an agent for change. 

Its whole ethos is about helping people to exercise their rights and to obtain fair 

treatment under the law thereby improving their lives. The CAB can advise on 

all issues including referrals to the Police, solicitors and self-help groups. 

Trained CAB staff will also just listen if a person needs someone impartial to 

talk to before taking action. The CAB works with other agencies such as 

Housing Officers, the Police, and Victim Support to provide a linked programme 

of support. 

8.9 CALL Advocacy 

8.9.1 CALL is a voluntary agency providing independent advocacy for people in 

Lincolnshire. Working with older people, disabled people,migrant workers and 

other vulnerable people, CALL offers a “voice” to support people to get their 

views heard and their choices respected. 

14 



Part lll 

Developing an anti-racist 

climate and curriculum 

Part lll

9 Addressing racism through the ethos and culture of the 

school 

9.1 The main purpose of this document has been to provide guidance as to how 

schools may deal effectively and appropriately with racist incidents as and 

when they occur. But it is important to recognise that however well a school 

responds to particular incidents, the actions taken will have only a limited and 

temporary effect unless the school develops an ethos and culture that are 

antipathetic to racism. The most effective way of dealing with racism is to create 

and maintain a school climate in which racist attitudes and actions neither take 

root nor find means of expression. 

9.2 Establishing an appropriate ethos is fundamental in providing a foundation for 

a supportive approach to inclusion and equality issues in general, and tackling 

racism in particular. A school community that is genuinely inclusive, promotes 

equality of opportunity, values each member of the school community, sees 

diversity as enriching, promotes good relationships, has clear and consistent 

expectations in terms of behaviour, and treats each member of the school 

community with fairness and justice, is unlikely to be one in which racist 

attitudes flourish. 

9.3 The enemy of such an ethos is what The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report refers 

to as ‘institutional racism’. As we have already seen in the introduction to this 

document, the report defines institutional racism as: ‘The collective failure of an 

organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people 

because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in 

processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through 

unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which 

disadvantage minority ethnic people’. 

9.4 The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report continues: ‘Institutional racism persists 

because of the failure of the organisation openly and adequately to recognise 

and address its existence and causes by policy, example and leadership. Without 

recognition and action to eliminate such racism it can prevail as part of the 

ethos and culture of an organisation. It is a corrosive disease’. 

9.5 The important point to note about institutional racism is that it is generally 

unwitting, unintended. It permeates the fabric of an institution in subtle ways 

and becomes the accepted norm. People within the institution are generally 

unaware of the degree to which it is institutionally racist. Even if they are made 

aware, they tend to underestimate the effects of institutional racism and to be 

complacent about identifying and addressing it. 

9.6 There is a story about a headteacher who stated: “We never had any problems 

with racism until that Black child joined the school”. This comment makes it 

apparent that the school had always had a problem with racism. It just wasn’t 

aware of it. The arrival of the Black child highlighted the fact that the school 

had always been institutionally racist. 


Part III 

1

Part III 

9.7 The Race Relations Act 1976 makes a distinction between ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ 

forms of discrimination. Some schools have implemented indirect forms of 

discrimination. For instance, a school that bans all forms of jewellery will be 

discriminating against Sikhs, many of whom have a religious duty to wear a 

steel bangle on the wrist. Schools that apply indirect forms of discrimination 

may be termed institutionally racist. 

9.8 Institutional racism is highly insidious, and if schools are to avoid it they need 

to be vigilant, taking nothing for granted and subjecting themselves to constant 

self-examination. As part of the process of self-evaluation, in addition to using 

the checklist in Appendix 4 of this document, schools may also wish to use the 

checklist related to ethos which may be found on pages 39 and 40 of Learning 

for All12 . This auditing tool for standards for racial equality was distributed to 

all schools in 2001. The Moderated School Self Evaluation Review (MSSR) 13 may 

also be used. Schools should state in their Race Equality Policy how they intend 

to audit their race equality work. 

9.9 In order to develop a climate that is antipathetic to racism, schools may like to 

consider the extent to which the following are met: 

• The school’s aims, reflected in policies on inclusion, equal opportunities, 

race equality and behaviour, explicitly state the school’s commitment to 

inclusion, equal opportunities, valuing each member of the school 

community, valuing diversity and tackling racism whenever, wherever and 

however it occurs. 

• The home-school agreement clearly sets out the school’s intolerance of all 

forms of racist behaviour. 

• The culture and climate of the school express and support cultural, ethnic 

and religious diversity so that each individual pupil knows that everyone 

is valued equally. 

• Clear and consistent standards are established for the way in which all 

members of the school community are expected to behave towards each 

other. 

• Through the physical environment and visual materials (for example, 

displays, library materials and resources), all pupils see that a range of 

cultures, ethnic groups and religions are positively valued. 

• The school celebrates achievements, both of individuals and groups, so 

that all pupils and parents/carers feel they can participate in and 

contribute to the life of the school. 

• The school affirms and nurtures the identity of all members of its community 

and ensures that home language, culture and religion are valued. 

• The school ensures that all members of its community (teachers, nonteaching 

staff, governors, pupils, parents and other adults) understand 

that they have a responsibility to contribute to a climate in which racism 

of any kind is regarded as unacceptable. 

• All of the above is fully supported by the governing body which seeks to 

recruit members of minority ethnic groups when opportunities arise. 

2 

12 Learning for All: Standards for Racial Equality in Schools, Commission for Racial Equality, 2000 

13 Moderated School Self Evaluation Review (MSSR), School Improvement Service 


10 Addressing racism through the curriculum 

10.1 ‘No one is born a racist; you become one. What you learn can be good or bad. It 

depends on who’s doing the teaching, at school and at home’ 14 . The introduction 

to this document made reference to the fact that racist behaviour is a reflection 

of racist views, practices and prejudices in society. Research evidence shows that 

children as young as three have learned positive and negative feelings about 

racial groups and demonstrate an awareness of racial hierarchy in line with the 

perceptions of adults with whom they have close contact. 

10.2 The school curriculum has a central role to play in the process of enabling pupils 

to develop the ability to recognise and respond appropriately to inequality, 

injustice, racism, stereotypes, prejudice and bias. All subjects have a 

contribution to make; but as the following extracts illustrate, education against 

racism has particular prominence in the requirements and suggestions for 

citizenship and personal, social and health education (PSHE) within the 

national curriculum: 

At Key Stage 1, pupils should be taught: 

• to realise that people... have needs, and that they have responsibilities to 

meet them (2e); 

• to identify and respect the differences and similarities between people (4c); 

• to consider social and moral dilemmas that they come across in everyday 

life [for example, aggressive behaviour, questions of fairness, right and 

wrong, simple political issues...] (5g). 


• to realise the consequences of anti-social and aggressive behaviours, such 

as bullying and racism, on individuals and communities (2c); 

• to appreciate the range of national, regional, religious and ethnic 

identities in the United Kingdom (2i); 

• to think about the lives of people... with different values and customs (4b); 

• to realise the nature and consequences of racism, teasing, bullying and 

aggressive behaviours, and how to respond to them and ask for help (4d); 

• to recognise and challenge stereotypes (4e). 


• about the diversity of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in 

the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding 

(citizenship 1b); 

• about the world as a global community, and the political, economic, 

environmental and social implications of this... (citizenship 1i); 

• to use their imagination to consider other people’s experiences and be able 

to think about, express and explain views that are not their own 

(citizenship 3a); 

14 Racism Explained to My Daughter, Tahar Ben Jalloun, The New Press, 1999 


Part III 

3

Part III 

• to respect the differences between people... (PSHE 1b); 

• about the effects of all types of stereotyping, prejudice, bullying, racism 

and discrimination and how to challenge them assertively (PSHE 3a); 

• how to empathise with people different from themselves (PSHE 3b); 

• to consider social and moral dilemmas [for example, how the choices they 

make as consumers affect other people’s economic choices and 

environments] (PSHE 4g). 


• about the origins and implications of the diverse national, regional, 

religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for 

mutual respect and understanding (citizenship 1b); 

• about the wider issues and challenges of global interdependence and 

responsibility (citizenship 1j); 

• to use their imagination to consider other people’s experiences and be able 

to think about, express, explain and critically evaluate views that are not 

their own (citizenship 3a); 

• about the diversity of different ethnic groups and the power of prejudice 

(PSHE 3a); 

• to challenge offending behaviour, prejudice, bullying, racism and 

discrimination assertively and take the initiative in giving and receiving 

support (PSHE 3c). 

10.3 It is essential that work to address racism should take place through the taught 

curriculum as an integral part of a whole-school approach. This is particularly 

important in schools with low numbers of ethnic minority pupils and staff. 

Practical guidance on how this can be achieved is provided in the document 

Aiming high: Understanding the needs of Minority Ethnic Pupils in mainly 

white Schools15 . 

10.4 There are many strategies which teachers can adopt to deal with the issue of 

racism in their classrooms. These could include: 

• developing topics and using stories and materials which raise issues of 

racial similarities and differences; 

• providing positive images and role models in resources and displays which 

reflect the experiences and backgrounds of children in the school and in 

society at large; 

• developing global dimensions of the curriculum which value Black 

contributions to world culture and encourage pupils to critically address 

issues of world development; 

• involving people from diverse and varied backgrounds to assist in the 

delivery of the curriculum by inviting visitors to the school who can 

demonstrate and share their skills and knowledge; 

4 

15 Aiming high: Understanding the needs of Minority Ethnic Pupils in mainly white Schools, DfES, 2004 


• regularly examining resources critically to ensure that they do not present 

biased or stereotypical images and viewpoints; 

• encouraging pupils to discuss and develop strategies for dealing with 

conflict, racist incidents and racial harassment; 

• encouraging pupils to work co-operatively and collaboratively in their 

learning; 

• calling attention to other points of view and encouraging pupils to listen to 

each other’s opinions in a positive manner; 

• valuing each individual’s cultural and linguistic background/experience 

and having high expectations of all children. 


Part III 

5

Part III 

6 



Appendices 

Appendices

Appendix 1 

Form RI 1 

(Racist Incident Referral Form) 


Appendix 1 

1

CONFIDENTIAL 

RACIST INCIDENT REFERRAL FORM Form RI 1 

Used to notify headteacher/named member of SMT as soon as possible after incident has taken place. 

Each incident to be referred separately. Forms to be collected from/returned to school office, and forwarded 

to School Liaison Officer. All names should be removed unless permission to provide this information Ref. no. 

has been obtained from victim or their parents if they are under the age of 15. 

(Office to enter ref. no.) 

Details of alleged incident 

2 

Name(s) of alleged victim(s) Name(s) of alleged perpetrator(s) 

Alleged ✓ M/F Further information 

victim(s) 

Pupil 

Teaching staff 

Other staff 

Parent/carer 

Governor 

Visitor 

Other 

(e.g. year, group, ethnicity 

of pupil) 


perpetrator(s) 

Pupil 


Other staff 

Parent/carer 


of pupil) 

Governor 

Visitor 

Other 

Name(s) of possible witness(es) Name of person reporting incident 


witness(es) 

Pupil 


Other staff 

Parent/carer 

Governor 

Visitor 


of pupil) 

Other 

Person ✓ M/F (e.g. year, group, ethnicity 

reporting of pupil) 

incident 

Pupil 


Other staff 

Parent/carer 

Governor 

Visitor 

Other 

* Ethnicity should conform to one of the categories identified in Appendix 4 

• Did the person reporting the incident witness the incident? Yes No 

• Was racist behaviour directed at the person reporting the incident? Yes No 

• Did the person reporting the incident hear about it from someone else? Yes No 

If ‘Yes’ to the last question, who informed the person? How did the person get to hear about it? 

• Has the person reporting the incident notified anyone else? Yes No 

If ‘Yes’ to the last question, who else has it been referred to? 

Signed by person reporting incident Date 

Signed by person completing this section Date 


Date/time of incident 

Type of Incident 

Tick (✓) all boxes in table below that apply. 

See over (lower part of page) for explanation of categories. 



Verbal abuse 





Non-co-operation/disrespect/ostracism 

Other 

What happened? 

If there is insufficient space below, further sheets may be attached to this form. 

Types of incident 


Place where incident occurred 

Ref. no. 

Involvement of other agencies 

Tick (✓) all boxes in table below that apply. 

Police 

EMAS Service 

Racial Equality Council 

Victim Support 

Traveller Education Service 

Other 

Form RI 1 

Physical assault includes a range of violent actions, from criminal attacks involving hitting, kicking and possibly 

the use of weapons, to pushing someone or tripping them up. 

Physical intimidation includes persistent ‘minor’ intimidation which may be cumulative in effect, such as jostling 

in a queue or using offensive gestures and mimicry. 

Verbal abuse includes derogatory name-calling, insults and overtly racist ‘jokes’; threats and incitement of others to 

behave in a racist way; and ridicule of a person’s speech, background, religion and/or culture (including a person’s 

dress, smell, appearance and diet). 

Insensitive/inappropriate remarks/comments/jokes includes thoughtless remarks and general comments; 

jokes which reinforce negative stereotypes; and insensitive or inappropriate use of terminology and language. 

Racist graffiti includes offensive writing and/or drawings in places where they can be widely seen, such as on walls, 

on desks and in lavatories. 

Written comments/drawings (not graffiti) includes offensive writing and/or drawings in places where they 

cannot be widely seen, such as on pieces of paper, in exercise books, emails or on mobile phones (text messaging). 

Abuse of/damage to personal property includes hiding a pupil’s bag, spoiling or destroying a piece of work, 

deliberately breaking something, damaging clothing, etc. 

Non co-operation/disrespect/ostracism includes failing to show respect to someone because of their race. Forms of 

disrespect may relate to cultural and religious differences regarding food, music, dress, etc. Such forms of disrespect 

are sometimes inadvertent, resulting from a lack of awareness or knowledge on the part of the perpetrator. 

Perpetrators could also be expressing received messages from the media, parents/carers and other groups in the wider 

community. Other examples include wearing racist badges or insignia and turning away from or ostracising a person. 

Other incidents may include bringing racist material such as leaflets, comics, magazines or computer software into 

school, or attempting to recruit others to racist organisations and groups. This may extend to the distribution of 

racist literature or posters within the school community. 

Does the alleged incident reported on Form RI 1 constitute a child protection issue? Yes No 

If ‘Yes’, then the incident must not be investigated further by the school, in which case the rest of this form becomes 

irrelevant. Instead, the incident must be referred immediately to the person in the school who is responsible for 

child protection and procedures identified in The School Administrative Handbook. The incident will need to be 

logged as a racist incident if substantiated. 

3

1. Investigation of alleged incident 

1.1 How was the allegation investigated? 

If there is insufficient space in the grid below, further sheets may be attached to this form. 

4 

Date/time Action Outcome 

1.2 Names of those involved who have been informed of the outcome of the investigation (e.g. the alleged 

victim(s)/perpetrator(s); parents/carers; the person who reported the incident): 

1.3 As a result of the investigation, was the allegation substantiated? Yes No 

If the allegation was substantiated, section 2. overleaf should be completed 

2. Actions taken in response to substantiated incident 

2.1 Record of actions taken. 

If there is insufficient space in the grid below, further sheets may be attached to this form. 

Date/time Action Outcome 

2.2 Victim(s) spoken with Yes No 2.3 Perpetrator(s) spoken with Yes No 

2.4 Witness(es) spoken with Yes No 2.5 Parents/carers spoken with Yes No 

2.6 Others seen or contacted: 

Name of School: Named contact within the School: Date: 

Form RI 1 

Ref.no. 



Appendix 2 

Form RI 2 

(annual return to LA) 

Appendix 2 

1

2 

RI 2 ANNUAL RETURN FOR 2005/6 

School 

Total number of racist incidents (substantiated) 

Number of incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature (see section 3) 

Type of incident (see 2.4 for further explanation) No. of incidents 

Indicate numbers within each category 



Verbal abuse 





Non-co-operation/disrespect/ostracism 

Other 

Details of victims 

Female 

Male 

Appendix 2 

Students Staff Parent/Carer Visitor Governor Other 

Ethnicity categories (Appendix 3) Total within this category 

Details of perpetrators 

Female 

Male 

Ethnicity categories (Appendix 3) Total within this category 

Number of incidents that were internally referred but not substantiated 

Completed by 

Students Staff Parent/Carer Visitor Governor Other 


Appendix 3 

Ethnicity categories and codes used 

within Lincolnshire LA 


Appendix 3 

1

2 

Appendix 3 

Main 

categories and 

sub categories 

White 

British 

Irish 

Traveller of Irish 

Heritage 

Gypsy/Roma 

Albanian 

Kosova 

Italian 

Greek/Greek 

Cypriot 

Turkish/Turkish 

Cypriot 

White Eastern 

European 

White Western 

European 

White Other 

DfES 

and RM 

code 

WBRI 

WIRI 

WIRT 

WROM 

WALB 

WKOS 

WITA 

WGRE 

WTUR 

WEEU 

WWEU 

WOTW 

Black or Black British 

Caribbean 

Nigerian 

Other Black 

African 

Any other Black 

background 

BCRB 

BNGN 

BAOF 

BOTH 

Asian or British Asian 

Indian 

Pakistani 

Bangladeshi 

African Asian 

Nepali 

Other Asian 

AIND 

APKN 

ABAN 

AAFR 

ANEP 

AOTA 

SIMS 

code 

WHB 

WHR 

WHT 

WRO 

WAB 

WKO 

WIT 

WGR 

WTU 

WEA 

WES 

WOW 

BLB 

BNI 

BAO 

BLG 

AIN 

APK 

ABA 

AAF 

ANE 

AOT 

Additional information 

Excluding Kosovan 

Including Bugarian, Czech, Romanian, Latvian, 

Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Ukrainain 

Including French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, 

Scandinavian 

White people not represented in the categories 

above. 

Including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, 

Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, 

St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and 

Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago 

Including Angolan, Black South African, 

Ethiopian, Ghanaian, Rwandan, Sierra Leonian, 

Somali. Sudanese, Ugandan, Zimbabwean 

Black people not represented in the categories 

above, including Black Canadian, Black 

European, Black North American 

Including Mirpuri Pakistani, Kashmiri 

Pakistani, other Pakistani 

Including East African Asian and South 

African Asian 

Asian people not represented in the categories 

above, including Kashmiri other, Sinhalese, 

Sri Lankan Tamil 

Pupil 

Tracking 

Code 

WhBritish 

WhIrish 

WhTrvIri 

WhGypRom 

WhAlbani 

WhKosova 

WhItalia 

WhGreek 

WhTurkis 

WhEasEur 

WhWesEur 

WhOthWhi 

BlCaribb 

BlNigeri 

BlOtBlAf 

BlOther 

Asindian 

AsPakist 

AsBangla 

AsAfrica 

AsNepali 

AsOthAsi 


Chinese 

Hong Kong 

Chinese 

Other Chinese 

Mixed/Dual Background 

White and Black 

Caribbean 

White and Black 

African 

White and Asian 

White and any 

other ethnic group 

Other mixed 

MWBC 

MWBA 

MWAS 

MWOE 

MOTM 

MWB 

MBA 

MWA 

MWO 

MOM 

Any Other Ethnic Background 

Afghanistani 

Filipino 

Thai 

Vietnamese 

Any other 

ethnic group 

Other Categories 

Refused 

Information not yet 

obtained 

CHKC 

COCH 

OAFG 

OFIL 

OTHA 

OVIE 

OOEG 

REFU 

NOBT 

CHK 

COH 

OAF 

OFI 

OTI 

OVI 

OOE 

REF 

NOT 


Chinese people not represented in the 

categories above, including Malaysian Chinese, 

Singaporean Chinese, Taiwanese 

Including White and Blangladeshi, White and 

Pakistani, White and any other Asian 

Background 

People of mixed race not represented in the 

categories above including Asian and Black, 

Asian and Chinese, Asian and other ethnic 

group, Black and Chinese, Black and other 

ethnic group, Chinese and other ethnic group 

People of mixed race not represented in the 

categories above, including Palestinian, Kuwaiti, 

Jordanian, Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Iranian, 

Iraqi, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish (from Iraq, Iran, 

Turkey), Central American, South American, 

Cuban, Belize, Lebanese, Malaysian (other than 

Malaysian Chinese). Moroccan, Polynesian, Fijian, 

Tongan, Samoan, Tahitian, Yemeni 

People who do not wish an ethnic background to 

be recorded 

Appendix 3 

ChHoKoCh 

ChOthChi 

MiWhBlCa 

MiWhBlAf 

MiWhAsi 

MiWhOtEt 

MiOthMix 

OtAfghan 

OtFilipi 

OtThai 

OtVietna 

OtEthnic 

Refused 

NotObtnd 

3

Appendix 4 

Checklist 16 for school race equality 

co-ordinator and named governor 

for race equality 

16 Adapted from Learning for All: Standards for Racial Equality in Schools, Commission for Racial Equality, 2000 


Appendix 4 

1

Appendix 4 

A. Clear procedures are in place to ensure that racist incidents are dealt 

with promptly, firmly and consistently 

2 

• The headteacher, members of staff (teaching and non-teaching), governors, 

pupils and parents/carers are involved in the development of policy and 

procedures in respect of racist incidents. 

• The school Race Equality Policy provides a clear explanation of what 

constitutes a racist incident17 . 

• Procedures for dealing with, recording and reporting racist incidents are 

included in the school Race Equality Policy. 

• Procedures indicate how specific types of racist incidents should be addressed. 

• Procedures for dealing with, recording and reporting racist incidents are 

disseminated to all members of the school community, including new 

members of that community. 

• Staff are vigilant with regard to racist behaviour amongst pupils, colleagues, 

parents/carers and visitors to the school. Staff treat all reports of racist 

incidents seriously and deal appropriately with racist incidents whenever 

they occur. 

• Active steps are taken to protect staff from racist bullying or harassment by 

other members of staff, pupils, parents or anyone else18 . 

• All members of the school community are encouraged to report all racist 

incidents and know the procedures to follow. 

• A named member of the senior management team has overall responsibility 

for dealing with racist incidents. This role is widely publicised among the 

school community. 

• There is a named governor for Race Equality issues, including racist 

incidents. 

• All allegations of racist incidents are formally recorded, including the date, 

the names of victims and perpetrators, the nature of the incident and the 

action taken in response. 

• Incidents that may also constitute a child protection issue are dealt with in 

line with guidance contained in The School Administration Handbook. 

• All reported racist incidents are promptly investigated. 

• The school identifies key agencies, groups and organisations to work with 

(including the LA) in order to tackle racism and racial harassment in the 

school and the local community. 

• Incidents of a serious and/or persistent nature are reported to the Police and 

other relevant agencies. 

17 The definition recommended by Lincolnshire LA and the Home Office is that provided by The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry 

Report: ‘Any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person’ 

18 Employers are responsible for protecting their employees from racial harassment, whether they are subjected to it by other 

employees or by third parties 


• Incidents that may constitute a criminal offence are reported promptly to the 

Police, in liaison with EMAS advisers. 

• All incidents and their resolution are regularly reported to the governing 

body. 

• All incidents and their resolution are regularly reported to parents/carers. 

• The governing body reports number and matter of all incidents to the LA on 

an annual basis. 

• Parents/carers and other relevant members of the school community are kept 

informed of any action taken to deal with racist incidents. 

• Action is taken to prevent racist incidents from recurring. 

• Racist graffiti on school property is removed within 24 hours of its being 

reported. 

• All racist incidents are monitored and the effectiveness of the action taken to 

address incidents is assessed. 

• Policy and procedures for dealing with racist incidents are regularly 

reviewed. 

B All staff are trained to deal effectively with racist incidents 

• Staff induction covers the school’s policy and procedures for dealing with 


• Staff in predominantly White schools are alerted to the possibility of racism, 

racial harassment, prejudice and stereotyping. 

• All staff (including contract staff) receive regular training on how to 

implement the school’s racist incident policy and procedures. 

• All staff who are involved in supporting victims and perpetrators are given 

appropriate training. 

• Staff are aware of the sanctions that will be applied to perpetrators of racist 

incidents and impose these consistently. 

• Staff understand that any act of racial discrimination or harassment on their 

part constitutes gross misconduct and as such would be dealt with under the 

school’s disciplinary procedure. 

• Staff effectiveness in dealing with racist incidents is monitored and 

evaluated. 

C A sensitive and structured system of support is available to victims of 

racism 

• All members of the school community, including pupils, staff and parents, are 

able to obtain appropriate support if they are subjected to racism or racial 

harassment. 


Appendix 4 

3

Appendix 4 

• A designated member of staff coordinates the support that is offered to victims. 

• Staff are trained and able to provide support for victims. 

• Parents/carers of pupils who are victims are always informed of incidents and 

of the actions taken to deal with the incidents. 

• Action is taken to prevent the victim being subjected to further incidents; 

• Perpetrators are removed from situations which might upset or antagonise 

the victim. 

• A variety of strategies are in place to support victims of racial harassment. 

These include: 

• Asking victims what support they would like; 

• Giving victims the option of receiving support from outside the school; 

• Enabling victims to access peer support schemes; 

• Providing mentors who can support victims; 

• Encouraging pupils who witness racist behaviour to report it. 

D The school has clear procedures for dealing with perpetrators of racist 

incidents 

4 

• The procedures for dealing with racist incidents are described in the Home- 

School Agreement. 

• Parents/carers of pupils who are responsible for racist conduct are 

encouraged to play an active role in dealing with it. 

• Perpetrators are disciplined appropriately and consistently. 

• Perpetrators are encouraged to participate in activities aimed at: promoting 

intercultural awareness; challenging stereotypes and media myths; and 

changing racist attitudes and behaviour. 

• A variety of strategies are in place to support perpetrators of racial 

harassment. These include: 

• Enabling perpetrators to recognise the effect of their behaviour on 

others; 

• Enabling perpetrators to explore ways of preventing future occurrences 

of racist behaviour; 

• Using outside agencies as appropriate; 

• Identifying mentors who can provide guidance to perpetrators and act 

as appropriate role models. 



Appendix 5 

Glossary of terms 

Appendix 4 

19 Most of the definitions are taken from Learning for All: Standards for Racial Equality in Schools, Commission for Racial 

Equality, 2000 

1

Appendix 5 

Black 

Black is sometimes used as a general term for people of African, Caribbean, South 

Asian and other Asian origin. It includes Caribbeans, Africans and others who wish to 

describe themselves as Black. 

Discrimination 

The Race Relations Act 1976 states that: ‘A person discriminates against another.... if.... 

on racial grounds he treats that other less favourably than he treats or would treat 

other persons’. 

The Race Relations Act 1976 legislates against two distinct types of discrimination: 

direct or indirect. Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less 

favourably because they are, or are perceived to be, a member of a particular ethnic or 

‘racial’ group. Indirect discrimination occurs when something has a disproportionate 

negative impact on a particular racial group which cannot be justified on non-racial 

grounds. 

Ethnicity 

Ethnicity refers to a person’s identification with a group which shares some or all of the 

same culture, lifestyle, language, religion, nationality, geographical region and history. 

Everybody belongs to at least one ethnic group, including, for example, the English, 

Irish, Scottish and Welsh. An individual’s ethnic identity is often complex, for example, 

a person may be Scottish, Black and Roman Catholic. 

Ethnic monitoring 

The process of collecting and comparing data by ethnic group. In the school 

environment, ethnic monitoring might cover attainment and progress, recruitment and 

promotion, behaviour, discipline and exclusion, attendance, involvement in activities 

and the use of services, and parental involvement in the school. 

Institutional racism 

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines institutional racism as: ‘The collective 

failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people 

because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, 

attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, 

ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic 

people.’ 

Interculturalism 

Interculturalism is to do with mutually enriching interactions between different 

cultural groups in ways that respect and seek to maintain the distinct identity and 

integrity of the cultures involved. 

Multiculturalism 

Multiculturalism is about recognising the value and importance of diverse cultures and 

treating people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds as one’s equals. 

2 


Nationality 


Appendix 5 

Not to be confused with ethnicity, race or religion, a person’s nationality is defined by 

the country or countries of which he or she is a citizen and in which he or she has the 

right to reside. 

Race 

A term used to describe a class of people distinguished by their skin colour and other 

physical characteristics. there is no scientific basis for the 19th century belief that 

people can be divided into four basic ‘races’ and that some were superior to others. 

Racial Group 

The Race Relations Act 1976 defines ‘racial group’ by race, colour, nationality (including 

citizenship) and ethnic or national origin. 

Racial harassment 

The Commission for Racial Equality defines racial harassment as verbal or physical 

violence which includes attacks on property as well as on the person, which is suffered 

by individuals or groups because of their colour, race, nationality and ethnic or national 

origins, and where the victim believes that the perpetrator was acting on racial grounds 

and/or there is evidence of racism. 

Racial prejudice 

Prejudice involves prejudging people on the basis of false presumptions or inadequate 

evidence. Racial prejudice, which is usually negative, involves holding opinions or 

attitudes about people because of their racial or ethnic origin, based on false 

presumptions or inadequate evidence. 

Racial stereotyping 

Racial stereotyping involves categorising a racial group based on knowledge or 

experience of the actions or behaviour of a few people from that particular racial group. 

Racial stereotyping can be seen in views that certain racial groups are ‘good at sport’ or 

‘keep to themselves’. 

Racism 

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines racism as: ‘Conduct or words which 

advantage or disadvantage people because of the colour of their colour, culture or ethnic 

origin. In its more subtle form it is as damaging as in its more overt form’. 

Using this definition, Black, White or Asian people may be victims of racism. This 

definition of racism is consistent with the Race Relations Act 1976. Some groups of 

people (for example, Black people, Asians, Gypsies and asylum seekers) are much more 

likely to suffer racism. Racism is sometimes used to refer to the power relationship 

between white people and Black people. The basis for this viewpoint is that most of the 

social, economic and political decisions are made by white people and that these 

decisions may systematically disadvantage Black people. ‘Black’ is used politically in 

this context to unite people who are not white or who are likely to be subjected to 

racism (for example, Jewish people). 

3

Appendix 5 

Racist incident 

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report defines a racist incident as: ‘any incident which is 

perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person’. 

Stereotype 

An over-simplified and superficial generalisation about the characteristics of a 

particular group. 

Travellers 

The term ‘Traveller’ encompasses a number of different groups whose cultural heritage 

is traditionally nomadic. Many travellers now live in houses or on permanent caravan 

or mobile home sites. The term covers Gypsies and Irish Travellers (who are recognised 

as racial groups under the Race Relations Act 1976), circus and fairground people, 

bargees and New Travellers. 

4 


Appendix 6 

Further reading and resources 


Appendix 6 

1

Appendix 6 

2 

Action for Racial Equality in the Early Years: understanding the past, thinking 

about the present and planning for the future, Lane, J., New Early Years Network, 

1999 

All Different, All Equal, Norfolk Education and Action for Development, 1997 (a 

classroom resource) 

All Different, All Equal Education Pack: ideas, resources, methods and activities for 

informal inter-cultural education with young people and adults, Council of Europe, 

1995 

All Our Children, Early Years Trainers Anti Racist Network, 1990 

Challenging Racism, Valuing Difference: a facilitator's guide, Tower Hamlets, 1994 

(there are two versions of this publication: one for the Primary phase and one for 

the Secondary phase) 

Code of Practice on Reporting and Recording Racist Incidents in Response to 

Recommendation 15 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report, Home Office, 2000 

Combating Discrimination: Persona Dolls inAction, Brown, B., Trentham Books, 

2001 (a booklet and video resource pack are also available from Persona Doll 

Training, 51 Granville Road, London N12 OJH) 

Dealing with Racial Harassment and Racist Incidents in Schools: professional 

development materials, Northamptonshire County Council Multicultural 

Education Service 

Educational Inequality: Mapping Race, Class and Gender, Gillborn, D. and Mirza, 

H.S., OFSTED, 2000 

Equal Opportunities Policies Pack, Walsall Equal Opportunities Unit, Walsall 

LEA, 1999 (guidelines for schools on the development of policies and procedures) 

Evaluating Educational Inclusion: guidance for inspectors and schools, OFSTED, 

2000 

Exclusion from School and Race Equality: a good practice guide, Central Books, 

1997 

Exclusion from School and Race Equality: a research report, Central Books, 1997 

Exclusion from School and Race Equality: the public cost, Central Books, 1997 

Face to Face: young people explore issues around racial harassment, BIKESHED in 

association with Leeds Racial Harassment Project, 1997 (video resource pack) 

From Cradle to School: a practical guide to race equality in early childhood 

education and care, Central Books, 1996 

Global Perspectives in the National Curriculum: guidance for Key Stages 3 and 4, 

Development Education Association, 1999 

Global Citizenship: the handbook for Primary teaching, Chris Kington Publishing 

in association with Oxfam, 2002 

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil: an anti-racism education pack for 

children and young people, Sandwell Health Authority, 1998 (a training resource) 

Homebeats: the struggle for racial justice, Institute of Race Relations, 1999 (CD- 

ROM for secondary pupils) 


Improving Practice: a whole-school approach to raising the achievement of African 

Caribbean youth, Weekes, D. and Wright, C., Runnymede Trust, 1998 

In the Mix: tackling racial harassment, Birmingham Partnership Against Racial 

Harassment and Birmingham City Council, 1999 (video resource pack) 

Inclusive Schools, Inclusive Society, Richardson, R. and Wood, A., Trentham Books, 1999 

Index for Inclusion, Booth, T. and Ainscow, M., Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, 

2002 

Inspecting Schools for Race Equality: OFSTED's strengths and weaknesses, Osler,A. and 

Morrison, M., Trentham Books, 2000 

Learning for All: Standards for Racial Equality in Schools, Commission for Racial 

Equality, 2000 

Lessons of the Law: a casebook of racial discrimination in education, Central Books, 1991 

Making the Difference: teaching and learning strategies in successful multi-ethnic schools, 

Blair, M. and Bourne, J., DfEE, 1998 

Minority Ethnic Pupils in Mainly White Schools, Cline, T. et aI, DfES, 2002 

My England, ARC Theatre Publications, 2001 (video resource pack for secondary pupils) 

On the Spot: Dealing with Racism, Early Years Trainers Anti-Racist Network, 1996 

Promoting Racial Equality and Cultural Diversity, Rees, B., Pearson Publishing, 2003 

Race Equality and Science Teaching: an inset manual, Association for Science Education, 

1994 

Race Equality and Science Teaching: a teacher's handbook, Association for Science 

Education, 1994 

Racetracks, Dadzie, Stella, Greenwich, 1993 (a resource pack for tackling racism with 

young people and a practical guide for youth workers wanting to challenge racism in a 

range of contexts) 

Racism Explained to My Daughter, Ben Jalloun, T., New Press, 1999 

Raising the Attainment of Minority Ethnic Pupils: school and LEA responses, OFSTED, 

1999 . 

Religious Discrimination: Your Rights, Commission for Racial Equality, 1996 (available in 

English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Turkish, Urdu and 

Welsh) 

Rethinking Interventions in Racism, Bhavnani, R., Trentham Books, 2001 

Roots of the Future: ethnic diversity in the making of Britain, Central Books, 1996 

Routes of Racism: the social basis of racist action, Hewitt, R., Trentham Books, 1996 Set to 

Fail? 

Setting and banding in Secondary schools, Central Books, 1992 

Show Racism the Red Card, Heinemann Library, 2001 (video, CD-ROM and teaching 

notes for upper KS2, KS3 and KS4) 

Spanner in the Works: cross-curricular approaches to teaching children about racism, 

Brown, C., Trentham Books, 1990 


Appendix 6 

3

Appendix 6 

4 

Special Educational Needs Assessment in Strathclyde: report of a formal investigation, 

Central Books, 1992 

Still No Problem Here, Gaine, C., Trentham Books, 1995 

The Duty to Promote Race Equality: a Guide for Schools, Commission for Racial Equality, 

2002 

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: report of an inquiry by Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, 

The Stationery Office, 1999 

Toolkit for Tackling Racism in Schools, Dadzie, S., Trentham Books, 2000 

Unlearning Discrimination in the Early Years, Brown, B., Trentham Books, 1998 

When Hate Comes to Town, Searchlight, 1995 (a comprehensive resource pack) 

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/real/sortit/racism.shtml (a young person's guide to race issues) 

www.britkid.org (for pupils and teachers) 

www.childline.org.uk (includes advice to pupils facing racism) 

www.cre.gov.uk (a good source of general information on race equality issues) 

www.globaldimension.org.uk (includes hyperlinks to many other useful websites) 

www.guardianunlimited.co.ukIracism/ (lots of articles on racism) 

www.magenta.nl!crosspoint/ (excellent directory of links) www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet 

(pupils' website managed by Oxfam, with a section for teachers) 

www.qca.org.uk/ca/inclusion/respect for all! (teaching materials for different subjects 

focused on addressing racism and developing intercultural understanding) 

www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ethnicminorities/ (ethnic minority achievement) 


Appendix 7 

Contacts and Support Agencies 


Appendix 7 

1

Appendix 7 

2 

The EMAS Service 

The Primary School 

Sturton by Stow 

LINCOLN LN1 2BY 

Tel/Fax 01427787190 

e-mail: 

jill.chandarnair@lincolnshire.gov.uk 

The Traveller Education Service 

15 The Avenue 

LINCOLN LN1 1 PA 

Tel 01522 553320 

e-mail: 

pat.ingall@lincolnshire.gov.uk 

Lincolnshire Police 

West Parade 

LINCOLN LN1 1YP 

Tel 01522 532222 

Minicom: 01522 558140 

www.lincs.police.uk 

Citizens Advice Bureau (Lincoln) 

Beaumont Lodge 

Beaumont Fee 

LINCOLN LN1 1 UL 

Tel 08701 224422 

www.lincolncab.org.uk 

Lincoln WELCOME 

(Asylum Seekers/Refuge 

Voluntary Support) 

Tel: 01522 853035 

Lincolnshire Gypsy Liaison Group (LGLG) 

C/O Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council 

The School Liaison Officer 

Children's Services Directorate 

Student and School Services 

County Offices 

Newland 

LINCOLN LN1 1QY 

Tel: 01522 553297 

e-mail: 

lin.oneill@lincolnshire.gov.uk 

The Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council 

The Hub 

Beaumont Fee 

LINCOLN LN1 1UW 

Tel: 01522 551680 

e-mail: info@lincs-rec.fsnet.co.uk 

Crimestoppers 

Tel: 0800555 111 www.crimestoppers-uk.org 

Victim Support www.victimsupport.org.uk 

Childline 

Tel: 08001111 www.childline.org.uk 

CALL Advocacy 

Unit 12 

Allenby Business Village 

Crofton Road 

Lincoln LN3 4NL 

Tel: 01522 511114 

office@calladvocacy.org.uk 



Appendix 8 

Sample letter 

Appendix 8 

1

Appendix 8 

Sample letter 

2 

Below is a sample letter that may be send by the school to all parents following a 

racist incident. The letter can be adapted to include the nature of the incidents/s, 

the actions taken and future actions and commitments to support the school’s 

policy. 

Dear Parent/Carer, 

We have recently been experiencing (the use of racist language in the classroom 

and in the playground). This will not be ignored in our school and in accordance 

with the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, each incident will be recorded 

and appropriate action will be taken. The immediate stages are: 

• Both victim and the perpetrator will be spoken to. 

• The perpetrator will be made aware of the seriousness of his/her behaviour 

and encouraged to apologise. 

• The victim will receive appropriate attention and support 

• The perpetrator will be punished/supported in accordance with the 

school’s behaviour policy. 

Details of this procedure and further action can be found in our school Race 

Equality Policy. 

Our school recognises and respects all pupils and their families from a wide 

variety of backgrounds. We are proud of our efforts to treat everyone fairly and 

to provide an environment where everyone feels safe and that they belong. In 

order to continue to provide this school ethos, we will make every attempt to 

stamp our behaviour and actions that cause any pupil and his/her family to feel 

threatened or unwelcome. 

The school’s commitment to eradication racism in all forms is by dealing with 

all incidences regardless of the severity. We ask you, as parents/carers to 

support this commitment our of school and provide our pupils with guidance 

and an understanding of equality. Hopefully we will be able to continue to 

provide a safe learning environment for all the children.

Dealing with and reporting racist incidents in school - Lincolnshire ...

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