Exploring the relationship between supplementary schools and ‘cohesive communities’

Abstract

The number of supplementary schools in England serving minority communities continues to grow. They are popular with the parents of such communities because they often feel their children are disadvantaged in mainstream schools and not afforded the opportunities or the learning environment that is conducive to their children achieving their full potential. Simultaneously, over the past 10 years or so there has been an increasing political focus on local communities and issues of cohesion; both of which were high priorities for the last government. Schools were viewed as key to helping the government deliver these political agendas. The current coalition government also foregrounds the role and responsibilities of communities as part of its ‘Big Society’ concept. This paper explores the positioning of supplementary schools in relation to notions of ‘cohesive communities’. It draws on findings from a study commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families on supplementary schools, which aimed to establish their level and type of provision, impact, and to a lesser degree, their role in the community and the cohesion agenda.

Keywords:

• community cohesion agenda
• local community
• integration
• mainstream schools

Note on contributor

Dr Anthea Rose is a Researcher at the Oasis College of Higher Education. Prior to this post, she was a Research Fellow at the IPSE. She has a background in research spanning the education sector with a particular interest in the role education plays in promoting social justice and inclusion. Anthea is specifically interested in issues of gender, the family, literacy, the raising of achievement for underperforming groups and education in the voluntary and third sector.

Notes

1 The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills in England.

2 For a discussion on the potential impact of supplementary schools on black and minority ethnic pupils' mainstream attainment, see Maylor et al. (2011).

3 For full details on the study's research methodology, see Maylor et al. (2010) at http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/810/1/DCSF-RR210.pdf.

4 Connecting Communities Plus funding was available through DCLG between April 2006 and March 2009 to help the third sector and community organisations promote racial equality and community cohesion.