Drummond Community High School: challenging racism and promoting equality

Drummond Community High School has a well-earned reputation for its work in equal opportunities and multicultural social inclusion. This is reflected in a range of school policies, in the provision of good support for pupils with English as an additional language and in effective pastoral care for pupils. 

The school has an active Equality Group which was formed during the 1980s to oversee equalities work, with the backing of management. It currently numbers about 14, including teaching staff from a wide range of departments, the school librarian and community education staff. 

The school has a significantly large ethnic minority - mostly Asian - population, currently around 17% of a school roll of 460. Ethnic minority numbers are increasing, as is the school roll in general, with some ethnic minority pupils attending as a result of placing requests. 

The Equality Group has been responsible for a number of initiatives to improve the experience of ethnic minority pupils and to educate white pupils in multicultural and anti-racist education. The school's approach is characterised by effective awareness raising and by realistic ways of involving young people in decision making.