LOP’s LOKEREN Working together on tackling inequalities in education

Population: +-40.000 Province East Flanders, between Gent – Sint-Niklaas

Nature Some local flavour Football mania Festival

In short: analysis of the local situation DEMOGRAPHICS CHILDHOOD POVERTY ETHNIC BACKGROUND / SEGREGATION SOCIAL MIX AND NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS IN PRIMARY LOCAL ANALYSIS = A CORE TASK FOR LOP

Analysis of the local situation DEMOGRAPHICS 40.000 inhabitants Growing population: +10% by 2030 Relatively young population  Primary education: Capacity problem in many schools What do demographics mean for (potential) school population? 17 primary schools – 6 secondary schools 2 primary special – 2 secondary special schools

Number of pupils, inhabitants, and projected inhabitants, 2-5 yrs old Kindergarten Difference: 2 to 2,5 year olds that are not yet in school

Number of pupils, inhabitants, and projected inhabitants, 6-11 yrs old Primary education

Number of pupils, inhabitants, and projected inhabitants, 12-17 yrs old Secondary education

Analysis of the local situation CHILDHOOD POVERTY: 6/7 indicators childhood poverty barometer 11% of births in Lokeren in poor households (10% in FL) Multidimensional measure (not just income) Population data (Child & Family) Growing problem

% of births in poor households in Lokeren (2001-2012)

Childhood poverty barometer

Number of births in poor households

Analysis of the local situation DIVERSITY/ Ethnic background: General: 19% of people living in Lokeren have another ethnic background (16% non-EU) 0-5 yr: 37% - 6-11 yrs: 35% - 12-17 yrs: 29% (the ‘older’, the lower the %) 7 out of 10 families in poverty: non-EU (high unemployment/dependency rate)

Analysis of the local situation DIVERSITY/ Ethnic background in education Primary: 15% of children in preschool -11% of children in primary education speak only another language at home (probably higher in reality) Secondary: 4% in general education – 10% in technical education – 19% in vocational and 35% in parttime vocational education  UNDERESTIMATION  High level of segregation according to language children speak at home

Analysis of the local situation Four out of ten children are ‘indicator’-pupils: Low educational level mother Low income Institutionalized Family of ‘travellers’

Analysis of the local situation Local educational outcomes High percentage of children falling behind (repeating a class): one in five in primary (21% vs 15% FL) – in secondary education (10% General – 37% Technical – 59% Vocational) Strongly related to indicator ‘low educational level mother’ Early school leavers: 11% pupils going to school in Lokeren – 18% pupils living in Lokeren Relatively low percentage of truancy

What does the local platform do? Schools are working hard on a daily basis on inequalities in education Added value LOP: a platform where schools and other partners can learn about our ‘common reality’ (make the diagnosis), inspire each other, look for common answers and make agreements

General Assembly primary & secondary Algemene Vergadering LOP’s Bao & SO Lokeren General Assembly LOP Primary 2 x /year General Assembly LOP Secondary Education 2x /year   Executive board LOP SO 3 a 4 x /year Executive board BaO 3 a 4 x /year General Assembly primary & secondary Algemene Vergadering 1x /year Learning Network School Arrears Group parent involvolvment/participation WG well being and bullying Working group Wellbeing and school trajectories WG Enrollment Policy Disfunction Commission Working group Diversity CHILL’OP Forum Newcomers (other language) Regional working group Special Education WG Non-Educational Partners WG Parents

What does the local platform do? 2014-2019 : a new policy plan of LOP and of the city Our goals Working evidence-based ( local analysis) Enrollment policy and mediation Knowledge of poverty in school Parental-school involvement Help newcomers find their way to school Schooling at risk (wellbeing) Diversity Inequality in educational arrears Bullying

What does the local platform do? 2014-2019 : a new policy plan of LOP and of the city Our goals Working evidence-based ( local analysis) Enrollment policy and mediation Knowledge of poverty in school Parental-school involvement Help newcomers find their way to school Schooling at risk (wellbeing) Diversity Inequality in educational arrears Bullying

Enrollment policy …in the past… Experienced problems… Overcrowded classrooms Camping for enrollment First come, first served …in the past… Social segregation

Enrollment policy Vision: Neighborhood schools: Working on social mix The closer you live / work, the higher your chance to get into a school (distance plays a big role) Working on social mix Some schools 90% others 10% ind pupils  related to spatial segregation and decision-making factors in school choice (flight to the borders of the city) Now: in every school 40% of places are for indicator-pupils Max 25 children per class Camping for enrollement: over

Enrollment policy Online registration prior to enrollment Since 2010-2011 In reality: Working on social mix is by definition a (very) slow process Capacity problem works ‘for’ changes in social mix (but slowly)

Enrollment policy ‘School in sight’ Project funded by the city Make schools neighborhood schools again Showing middle and higher class parents benefits of a neighborhood (socially mixed) school Bringing them together (and with parents from the school)– visit schools together (on open-class-days) – feedback night Positive results, but not (yet?)for all schools. LOP: information through intermediaries to lower SES parents

More plans for this year 5 may LOP-day with stakeholders in Lokeren On poverty in education: speaker, exchanging good practices, workshops on translating policy ideas to school /classroom/teacher level

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