#SRtRCSpotlight: Supporting Specialist Provision Settings Across the North East
As demand for anti-racism education continues to grow, Show Racism the Red Card has seen an increasing number of requests from specialist provision settings across the North East.
Recognising that no two learners are the same, educators have been working closely with schools to ensure workshops are accessible, engaging and responsive to the needs of young people with additional needs. Through careful planning, adaptable resources and a commitment to inclusive practice, sessions are designed to ensure every learner can access key messages around respect, equality and anti-racism.
One recent example of this work took place at Barbara Priestman Academy, where educators delivered four anti-racism workshops to students across the school.
Barbara Priestman Academy has a longstanding reputation for providing a nurturing and inclusive environment for its learners and this was evident throughout the visit. Staff demonstrated a deep understanding of the needs of their young people and worked closely with educators to ensure sessions reflected the experiences and priorities of the school community. The strong relationships between staff and students, alongside the school’s commitment to ensuring every learner feels valued and respected, provided an excellent foundation for the workshops.
The sessions explored what racism is, how it can affect individuals and communities and the positive role young people can play in challenging discrimination. Throughout the day, educators adapted activities in response to learners’ needs and interests, ensuring that every student was able to engage with the content in a meaningful way.
Working in partnership with school staff before the visit also enabled educators to tailor discussions around emerging themes and areas of concern identified within the school community, helping to ensure the sessions were both relevant and impactful.
Staff at Barbara Priestman Academy praised the flexibility and experience of the educators, highlighting the importance of delivering anti-racism education in a way that is relatable and accessible for all learners.
“It was an absolute pleasure to be able to attend the four workshops, and I wanted to extend how grateful we are that the workshops were so well pitched for our learners. The educators were able to adapt the sessions in the moment, according to emerging need and participant responses.”
The school also noted the value of having experienced practitioners leading the sessions, particularly when working with young people with additional needs.
“It was very apparent how experienced your educators were in working with young people and in particular, young people with additional needs. This is so important to our learners, and it maximised their engagement in each session.”
For many students, it is often the small moments that leave the biggest impression. Staff reflected on the care taken to ensure that every young person felt seen, heard and valued throughout the day, reinforcing the message that everyone matters and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
“I was amazed at the care taken to ensure every young person was addressed directly during the sessions. This echoed the ethos that every one of us matters, is important and has a right to be treated with respect.”
The visit to Barbara Priestman Academy forms part of a wider commitment by Show Racism the Red Card to ensure anti-racism education is accessible to all young people. Over the past year, the organisation has continued to develop and adapt its resources to better support learners in specialist provision settings, including those with SEND, SEMH and a range of communication and sensory needs.
This work has included the development of more interactive activities, the use of visual supports and a flexible approach to delivery that enables educators to respond to learners in the moment. By placing inclusion at the centre of workshop design, Show Racism the Red Card is helping to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to develop an understanding of racism, challenge prejudice and use their voice to create positive change.
Reflecting on the visit, staff at Barbara Priestman Academy shared their enthusiasm for continuing the partnership in the future.
“We are so grateful that you were able to organise these sessions at such short notice and we look forward to working with Show Racism the Red Card again next academic year. Our learners will benefit from revisiting the important messages shared during the sessions and building upon their learning in the future.”
As requests from specialist settings continue to increase, Show Racism the Red Card remains committed to evolving its educational offer to meet the needs of all learners. The success of the workshops at Barbara Priestman Academy demonstrates the impact that inclusive, responsive and learner-centred approaches can have in empowering young people to build more respectful and inclusive communities.
Visits such as this highlight the importance of partnership working and showcase the exceptional practice taking place every day within specialist provision settings such as Barbara Priestman Academy.
Show Racism the Red Card would also like to thank the staff and students at Barbara Priestman Academy for the warm welcome extended to the education team. The dedication, care and advocacy demonstrated by staff throughout the day was clear to see and reflects the outstanding work taking place across the school to support and empower its young people.
If you would like us to provide a workshop for your school or organisation, please complete the enquiry form below: