By Alex Kennedy • Sep 2nd, 2009 • Category: Coalition, Lead Story
Accord has today announced the launch of the Accord Award, a prestigious new prize that recognises the achievements of primary and secondary schools that celebrate diversity of religious and non-religious beliefs. The awards are to recognise work in schools and the wider community that goes well beyond simply the legal requirements on inclusion and equality.
The award is open to all state-funded schools and will be judged by a highly respected and experienced panel of experts.
- Lord (Kenneth) Baker, Secretary of State for Education and Science 1986-1989.
- Baroness (Kishwer) Falkner, Liberal Democrat Spokesman on the Ministry of Justice in the Lords and expert on human rights and multiculturalism.
- The Rt Rev’d Professor Richard Holloway, former Bishop of Edinburgh and current Chair of the Scottish Arts Council.
- Reverend Professor Christopher Rowland, Theologian, Oxford University
- Polly Toynbee, leading journalist and social commentator.
The panel will be chaired by Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, who also chairs Accord. The judges will be looking for schools that have an ethos that celebrates inclusion and that pride themselves on building links within and between communities. The winning school will be announced in the press.
Launching the awards, Accord Chair Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain said:
“So many people just sit back complain about the state of our schools that Accord has decided to do the reverse – actively seek out and reward those that are inclusive, tolerant and transparent.
“So many people just sit back complain about the state of our schools that Accord has decided to do the reverse – actively seek out and reward those that are inclusive, tolerant and transparent.
Not all of Britain is “broken” – there are also many examples of remarkable success and cohesion – so it’s time to praise those schools that work hard to build bridges between the different faith and ethnic communities.”
Polly Toynbee, the journalist and social commentator, is one of the judges of the awards and said:
“We need to celebrate schools that find ways to bring people together by promoting thought and ideas, encouraging debate across cultural barriers, opening minds and exploring beliefs with tolerance and imagination.”
“We need to celebrate schools that find ways to bring people together by promoting thought and ideas, encouraging debate across cultural barriers, opening minds and exploring beliefs with tolerance and imagination.”
From the opposite end of the political spectrum, the Award has also been welcomed by former Conservative Secretary for Education, Lord Baker, who has agreed to serve as one of the judges. He said:
“One of the ways in which harmony, understanding and tolerance will be promoted in many of our towns and cities is if children of all races and creeds learnt alongside each other, had lunch together and played together at school. The Accord Awards will help to highlight the best examples of such inclusivity, tolerance and transparency and I am glad to have been asked to be one of the judges.”
Details about how to apply can be found here.
The deadline for entries is 2 November 2009 and prizes will be awarded in the New Year.
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