How to get involved with your school and make a positive difference.
Become a School Governor, or a Trustee if Your School is an Academy
Governors help shape school policy, including how bullying is handled. They hold school leaders to account but more than that, help to support them to make it better for all. Good governance can really make school leaders' working lives easier. If you want to help set the tone from the top, consider applying as a parent governor when there is a vacancy or submit an expression of interest to be considered as a co-opted governor. Further guidance on the role of a governor/trustee can be found here.
Read the School’s Governing Body Minutes
Ask your school for a copy of their approved governing body meeting and committee minutes over the 18 months or so. Meetings for each usually occur three times per a year. Governing body minutes are public records and may show whether bullying, equality, and inclusion are being properly discussed.
You do not need to submit a freedom of information request for this information. Under The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and Allowances) (England) Regulations 2013, governing bodies must keep minutes of all meetings and: “make them available for inspection by any interested person, except where the information is considered confidential.”
So, as a parent, you are legally entitled to request minutes. A simple email request is sufficient. Click here to download an email template.
Check the School’s Intake Form
Make sure there is an option for pupils to be listed as Sikh on the school's admission/intake form. This small step can help ensure identity is respected and counted in school data and equality objectives. It can also give some idea of the demographic make-up of the school and help parents understand how much of a minority their child is likely to be in school. To request the intake form, click here to download an email template.
Complete the Ofsted Parent View Survey
Every parent gets one individual response per school on Ofsted’s Parent View. Use it to raise concerns about bullying, inclusion, and how your child is treated. Ask other parents at the school to also do the same. Submit your response here. You will need to create a log in for each parent.
Read the Equal Opportunities Policy & Objectives
The school must publish their Equality Policy and Equality Objectives on their website. These should explain how the school promotes fairness and supports minority pupils. Look for clear commitments, not just general applications, to inclusion and support for all backgrounds, including Sikh pupils. Remember: You don’t need to be a policy expert. Just being aware, asking questions, and giving feedback alerts school that parents take an interest. If the policy and objectives are not published on the website then click here to download an email template.
Download the NSABA Poster by clicking here.
Print it out and stick it up where you can. You can even digitally share the poster on platforms for awareness.