As we welcome back students after the holidays, many teachers and leaders are still asking themselves how best to support their school communities following the horrific attack on children in Southport and the widespread civil unrest that followed it.
Teachers can’t repair the social fabric alone; that will take collective action across civil society. However, schools can provide a safe space for students to find positive role models and learn empathy and respect to mitigate against such incidents happening again.
In support of that, here are five key points for addressing the riots at school.
Swift and visible leadership
The first step should be to be clear with staff about the key messages you want students to know. This ensures staff feel supported and sends a very clear message about school culture.
There are plenty of negatives to talk about (racism, misinformation, violence and more). However, emphasising the positives (like the many stories of community allyship) is key to building empathy and respect. So too is a focus on solutions: what do they think would ensure this does not happen again?
Thomas Estley Community College’s principal, Mandi Collins spoke to all staff and students on their first day of term. Her assembly focused on how the college’s values are polar opposites from those on display by the violent mob, reminding students that no one is an outsider at the college and to let a trusted adult know if someone needs help or is being unkind.
Before any of that, staff had already shared their life stories of adversity and resilience on their training day. Some had arrived as refugees. Others had struggled in poverty or grown up in care.
Later, students will explore the causes and impacts of these terrible events in more depth through their social studies curriculum.
A trauma-informed approach
Everyone has experienced the riots in different ways. Some may feel quite distant from them while others might have been directly involved. We must not presume how people might feel, but take a trauma-informed approach.
For example, let staff members know who they can talk to if they need to about how these events have affected them – whether directly or indirectly.
Similarly, make clear to students that this is a sensitive topic to which an emotional reaction is perfectly normal. Make sure they also know who they can turn to for support.
Give pupils a voice
Sadly, we have heard that in struggling to know how to approach the subject, some schools are simply shutting down the conversation. In reality, this only pushes it online, where misinformation thrives.
By creating safe spaces to air thoughts and feelings, we allow everyone to grapple with them and to experience alternative narratives. They feel heard, seen and reassured that this kind of behaviour is not tolerated.
Doing so first requires reassuring staff that no one is an expert at having difficult conversations. We are all learners when it comes to these.
Establish a culture of open discussion
The effects of our actions will be limited if they are seen merely as a knee-jerk reaction to events. The long-term strategy – and the one most likely to mitigate ongoing tensions – is to create a culture of openness and respect.
That starts with showing that our school confronts difficult conversations head on, but ultimately requires curricular commitment. PSHE and tutor times are evident places to find capacity for this work, but it is vital all teachers are trained in having challenging conversations and modelling respectful disagreement.
You are not alone
There are many local and national organisations who can provide support, and plenty of goodwill to build community resilience after these events too. You’ll find curriculum resources for assemblies and form time, as well as intervention packs on racism, online misinformation, anti-immigration and anti-refugee behaviour and more.
And this goes for those who feel their schools are somehow removed from these events too. For community cohesion to work, it is important that this responsibility does not just fall to those who are experiencing the issue.
It is everyone’s challenge.
Your thoughts