About the award

The Stephen Lawrence Education Standard is unique to Leeds. It was developed in partnership between Education Leeds, the Leeds City Council and Black and Minority community representatives, in response to the tragic murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and the publication of the Macpherson Inquiry Report into Stephen’s death in 1999.

The Standard was launched in 2003, evolving from a competitive award established in 2000, the award was the first of its kind in the country and was designed to:

• Acknowledge and celebrate existing good practice in promoting race equality and achievement in schools.
• Encourage all schools to place a commitment to racial equality at the centre of their curriculum, policy and practice.
• Provide a focus for race equality initiatives in schools across the city.
• Provide an opportunity for schools to share effective practice.

The aims of the Standard:

• To develop effective leadership, and a whole-school approach, which embeds race equality into the life of the school.
• To make sure that the duties of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 are fulfilled.
• To examine policies and their outcomes, and to guard against causing disadvantage for any section of our communities.
• To acknowledge and celebrate existing good practice in promoting race equality and ethnic minority achievement in schools.
• To empower children and young people to become responsible citizens of the world.
• To improve outcomes for children, young people and adults in our schools.

Benefits of the Standard

• Improved outcomes for children and young people.
• Prepares children and young people to become responsible citizens of the world, working to bring about peace.
• The clear link to school self-evaluation helps to clarify the vision and goals for race equality and school improvement.
• A clear framework and support to develop, champion, and embed race equality and community cohesion work in schools.
• Professional development, personal growth, coaching and empowerment are essential parts of the standard.
• It encourages innovation, partnerships and the engagement of all stakeholders, as well as networking across the city.
• Schools in mainly white settings benefit enormously from the framework and approach to race equality and community cohesion.
• Provides models of good practice for dissemination within the city, nationally and internationally.

“The Stephen Lawrence Education Standard is unique because it instils in the hearts of young children, the knowledge to prevent racism at an early age. It also works in accordance with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, which places a statutory duty on all public authorities to positively promote race equality.
“It is a health initiative reflection on the bodies and minds of children, parents, teachers, governors and all who become involved with the Standard.”

Louise Crumbie, Chair of the Stephen Lawrence Education Standard Partnership