The North Kirklees Asian Governors, first established in 1993 to support Asian school governors, was re-launched in November at the Al-Hikmah Centre.
In 1993 there were 50 Asian governors and 2 Chairs of governors with no Asian Head teachers in Kirklees. The landscape has thankfully moved on and now over 130 BME governors with at least 10 Chairs and 5 Asian Head teachers hold positions in North Kirklees.
With the government’s emphasis on British Values, changes to assessment and the new Ofsted Framework schools and governors are facing serious challenges.
The meeting was attended by over 45 governors who heard Ofsted inspector Peter Montford talked about the importance and the crucial role of governors in the Leadership and Management of a school.
The subject on British values was led by two head teachers, Samantha Vickers from BBEC and Bibi Laher OBE from Spring Grove Junior School. Ms Vickers said she was proud of the rich and diverse curriculum offered by the school and that she and her staff work very hard to develop students understanding and tolerance towards other people.
Bibi Laher said her school already has a set of values that were agreed by pupils, staff and governors long before the Government and David Cameron talked about getting schools to include British Values in the curriculum. Mrs Laher’s school values which she calls ‘Human Values’ promotes respect and tolerance of all faiths, celebrates diversity, develops pupil’s social and moral skills to become active British citizens.
Governors welcomed the opportunity of discuss current issues in particular the Muslim community in light of the Trojan Horse debate and the 6 Muslim schools in London that recently were judged by Ofsted to be failing in its duties. Saied Laher, IMWS vice chair, said it is very apparent that the Muslim community is being targeted at the present time and we need to be more proactive and challenge when necessary. He said “We as a community have always been tolerant respectful and law abiding British citizens.” He added it was important to provide a forum for discussion and support to governors and the local community.
