Birmingham is proud of its diversity.  We educate children and young people from many heritages in Birmingham schools and believe that all should be:

• entitled to access a range of educational opportunities which promote achievement and enable them to reach their full potential;
• prepared for life in our multicultural society, recognising and building on the strengths of diversity;
• enabled to challenge racism, sexism, homophobia and other unfair discriminatory practices.

In Birmingham we see that equal opportunities is an important aspect of raising aspirations, self-esteem and educational standards, of developing cohesive communities and a forward-thinking, international city in which all can be proud to live.

	Understanding Your Muslim Pupils Essential information for new teachers to Birmingham.
	Meeting the needs of African Caribbean pupils Essential information for new teachers to Birmingham.

These booklets have been produced specifically for new teachers to Birmingham.  Eventually they will form a series providing information on teaching young people from different backgrounds represented in Birmingham.  They are available for purchase from BASS publications:

bass.publications@birmingham.gov.uk    Telephone 0121 303 8081

Equalities and diversity in employment

Your rights

You rights as an employee protect you from prejudice, discrimination and harassment in the workplace on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and disability.  This includes:

• direct discrimination – treating people less favourably than others on grounds of their gender, ethnicity etc.
• indirect discrimination – eg: practices that disadvantage people because of their gender, ethnicity etc.
• harassment – conduct that violates people’s dignity or degrades, humiliates or offends them
• victimisation – treating people less favourably, for example because they have made a complaint.

These rights are founded in the City Council’s policies and practice, as well as in a range of legislation such as the Race Relations Amendment Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations.  You will find more details and advice from your teacher association.

Your responsibilities

You also have obligations as an employee, including those set out by the City Council regarding the practice of equality of opportunity, and against discrimination and harassment.  You have particular duties as a teacher, such as having high expectations of all pupils and establishing fair and respectful relationships with them, for example the professional attributes as set out in the Induction Standards and in the GTC code of professional conduct.

Useful web links

	Achievement for All BGfL site promoting achievement in Birmingham.
	Black History Month Site celebrating Black History month all year round, sharing African and Caribbean history.
	Black Presence Information about African Britons from the past and present, with African British news.
	Channel 4 Origination Resources celebrating the contribution of migrant cultures to the UK.
	DfES Aiming High Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils.
	EMA Online Online resource base for teachers focused on ethnic minority achievement.
	Islam Awareness Week Past and present: 1000 years of Islam and Britain.
	Moving Here Migration stories and histories.
	Muslim Heritage Islam’s contribution to civilisation.
	QCA Respect for All Valuing diversity and challenging racism through curriculum/subjects.