Social Cohesion Heritage Project

Context: Co-educational Approximately 1250 students with over 200 in 6 th Form Specialist Humanities College Faith School Multi-cultural school with 253 EAL students Intake below national average Wave 4 of BSF

Reasons for the Heritage Project 1.Gravesend has a rich history that includes Pocahontas 2.Ebbsfleet International Station will bring rapid change 3.To help develop a broader understanding of the ethnic and religious groups in Gravesham 4.To contribute to a greater understanding between generations 5.To encourage further research 6.To help answer questions such as; What does it mean to be British? How do we learn to live together?

Partners: Cecil Road Primary Holy Trinity CE Primary Wrotham Road Primary Northfleet Technology College for Boys St John’s RC Comprehensive Saint George’s CE School NW Kent Racial Equality Council Gravesham Borough Council Gravesham Consortium

The Plan: To link each primary with a secondary partner Each pair to concentrate on specific ethnic groups: 1.Saint George’s and Holy Trinity – African groups 2.St John’s and Wrotham Road – East European Groups 3. Northfleet Technology College and Cecil Road – Asian groups

The Practice: We agreed on 20 questions that students could use with their parents/grandparents covering home, schooling, food, clothing and festivals Each school could choose how to introduce and run the project Any one could take part, but only the chosen groups would be used for the book All records to be kept on a data base Each school to provide up to 6 complete entries Each school to edit entries

Methods: Saint George’s attempted to target all students in Year 7 on two Focus Days with the timetable suspended Cecil Road suspended the whole Timetable and had a Heritage Week The other schools targeted either a year group or small groups All entries were collated at a final Meeting Each section was to begin with basic information on the history and geography of the interviewees country of origin

Outcomes: More success with individuals and small groups Cecil Road most successful with Heritage Week Information on questionnaires was often thin Older students in secondary schools more willing Wrotham Road found Roma groups unwilling, but others keen Some lively debates on what it means to be British!

Impact: Students really enjoyed being involved They learnt a lot about their own families and their background The Heritage Book is being used with immigrant groups The information has been shared with other students and teachers It has enhanced our stance on ‘All Different, All Equal’ Will it ensure social cohesion – no idea, but it should help to reinforce the view that ‘Civilisation is a manner of living, equal respect for all people’