Black Educators' Network
In 2002, following Diane Abbott MP's "London Schools and the Black Child
Conference", Dawn Ferdinand (head of
St Mark's CE Primary School) and Graham Smith (Head of the
Ethnic Minority Achievement Service) discussed some of the emerging
issues. They focused on the feasibility of a group for black teachers and
brought in Rosemary Campbell (an independent consultant) to set up the Black
Teacher's Network (BTN). Celestine Keise (former Inspector for Social
Inclusion) was also instrumental in these initial phases.
In 2003 the Black Teachers' Network was renamed the Black Educators' Network
to reflect the fact that the network is for all educational professionals from
head teachers, teachers, educational managers, consultants, teaching
assistants, learning mentors, LEA staff to administrators.
The Network started as a support group, but is now recognised as a key part of
the strategy in raising the recruitment and retention levels of black staff
within Islington schools. As such, BEN is managed and provided with
administrative support from CEA@Islington's Personnel Department.
The group was initially led by Lela Kogbara (Assistant Director) and Cassius
Francis (Senior Learning Mentor
and Policy Advisor for Pupils of African Caribbean & African Heritage,
Ethnic Minority Achievement Service). Both Lela and Cassius left CEA@Islington
in September 2005, and Carol Hunte (Acting Head, Social Inclusion Unit) has
taken over responsibility for BEN.
CEA@Islington Black Educators' Network
The Network's definition of black in this context are people of African,
Caribbean or dual heritage from either of these backgrounds. The need for such
a group is directly linked to the inequalities in achievement in Islington
schools and the disproportionate exclusion rates that leaves children of
African Caribbean heritage failing in the system. It is clearly understood
that there is such a wide variety of black children in Islington schools with
differing backgrounds and needs that a global term such as African is
unhelpful in identifying those needs. The term 'African Caribbean' therefore
in this context is used to denote the ancestry and heritage of the majority of
black Caribbean youngsters in British schools. The ethnic makeup of the Black
Educators' Network is intended to reflect this particular group of children,
and the network members have chosen to define themselves as black.
Aims
The network has been established to work in partnership with the education
sector to:
-
provide a forum for professional debate and development from a black
perspective;
-
provide a mutual support network for black staff;
-
examine and address the factors that might inhibit the progression of black
staff within the education sector;
-
working in partnership with CEA@Islington sustain the achievement of Black
children and eradicate inequalities in their progress; and
-
become a consultative body on education policies and practices within
Islington with specific reference to black communities.