Anti-Racism and Diversity in ITE

The Anti-Racism in Initial Teacher Education (ARITE) network consists of colleagues from the 11 Higher Education Institutions who collaborate to support the implementation of the SCDE National Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education.

If you wish to contact the network, please email Louise Barrett (Network Co-Chair) at louise.barrett@uws.ac.uk or Asif Chishti (Network Co-Chair) at asif.chishti@gtcs.org.uk.

The ARITE network aims to support the higher education institutions to implement action plans informed by the SCDE National Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education by providing a forum for discussion and collaboration.

This section provides details of the current members of the Scottish Council of Deans of Education ARITE network.

Group core membership

University of Aberdeen: Gordon Stewart

University of Dundee: Susan Wylde, Dr Louise Campbell

University of Edinburgh: Dr Nicola Carse, Kevin Brack, Rosa Murray

Edinburgh Napier University: Dr Heather Earnshaw

University of Glasgow: Dr Jennifer Farrar, Dr Saima Salehjee

University of the Highlands and Islands: Jane Maylin

Queen Margaret University: Dr Mostafa Gamal

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Mairi Warren

University of Stirling: Dr Romina Madrid, Professor Lizzie Rushton, Brian Johnson

University of Strathclyde: Dr Navan Govender, Fiona Ramsay

University of the West of Scotland: Louise Barrett

Co-Chairs: Louise Barrett and Asif Chishti

The ARITE network meets monthly to discuss progress in relation to the action plans. Discussions have been stimulated by contributions from expert speakers, including Dr Khadija Mohammed, University of the West of Scotland, author of the framework, Professor Vini Lander, Leeds Beckett University, co-author of the Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education/Training in England, and Mélina Valdelièvre, Education Scotland, co-creator of the Building Racial Literacy programme.

The eleven ITE Institutions have developed action plans to support the implementation of the National Anti-Racism framework.

The plans set out actions relating to the six areas of the framework:

Marketing and recruitment
Racial literacy of teacher educators
Teacher identity and positionality
Anti-racist pedagogy and curriculum
Placement
Probationary period.

Actions include:

Reviewing selection procedures, including interview processes
Providing staff development
Creating opportunities to review and enhance programme design and delivery
Strengthening processes for the reporting of racist incidents during placement
Establishing links with local authority and school activities in this area.

The ITE Institutions intend to collaborate to take forward actions relating to aspects such as offering professional learning for teacher mentors and creating a pool of BME student teacher ambassadors to support recruitment and retention.

Useful links

The National Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education (ITE)