Laura Doel, national secretary for school leaders’ union NAHT and director of NAHT Cyrmu, said: “This is a valuable report looking at pupils’ experiences of racism in secondary schools. Everyone who works in, judges or creates policy for secondary education in Wales should take note of these findings.
“As the report says, education can play a pivotal role in tackling discrimination, and schools have a unique and vital role to play. It is through education that we can start to build a truly inclusive society, changing minds and challenging prejudices, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and making sure that pupils understand their rights and responsibilities as young citizens of a multicultural nation like the UK.
“We welcome the report’s recommendation that education staff also need training and supporting on how to effectively take an anti-racist approach. NAHT fully agrees with this and continues to call for mandatory anti-racism training for all staff in schools. We want everyone that works in schools to feel empowered to tackle racism in education. It matters for the health, well-being and futures of pupils, staff and school leaders, as well as the communities that they serve.”
First published 28 November 2023