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REACH response

Date of speech	5 December 2007
Location	Eastlea Community School, Newham
Event summary	Launch of the Government response to the REACH report

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Draft text of the speech - may differ from the delivered version.

First of all let me say thank you for inviting me here today. It has been a real pleasure. Seeing how keen and enthusiastic you are, I can see why OFSTED rated this an "excellent" school.

Second of all, since we are here today talk about the aspirations of Black boys, let's celebrate something.

Last week, new statistics showed a big increase in Black pupils' performance at GCSE.

In 2007, nearly half of Black Caribbean pupils achieved 5 good grades - up from a third in 2003.

In 2007, 55 per cent of Black African pupils got five good GCSEs - up from 40 per cent in 2003.
 
No other groups improved as fast.

That's great news - and a tribute to places like Eastlea committed to supporting everyone to do their best, no matter what their background.

Those are values that I hold very dear, too.

I believe that everyone should have the same chances to get on in life - to get a good education, a good job, to play a big role in their community - no matter what their start in life.

I'm proud to be part of a Government that has done a lot of practical things to make that happen. Programmes like "Aiming High" have given every Black or minority ethnic pupil a boost. And now a powerful new organisation called the Equality and Human Rights Commission will speak up for the principles of fairness in every sphere of life.

But the challenge is that not everyone is lucky enough to come to places like Eastlea.

Black boys and young men are still less likely than other young people to do well at school: more likely to be unemployed: more likely to get in trouble with the police.

That's just not right, and absolutely unacceptable in a modern society.

That is why we commissioned twenty-five independent experts - including your headteacher (Ann Palmer) - to investigate what could be done to boost the aspirations and attainments of Black boys and young Black men, and enable them to achieve their potential.

I want to take the opportunity to thank Clive Lewis and everyone else who contributed to the REACH report.

I've always believed that the best advocates for communities are communities themselves.

And I think the REACH report has put forward a very powerful set of recommendations exactly because it came from Black men and women, teachers and parents. People who had seen the challenges among their families and friends.

The report set out how huge the opportunities could be if we get it right. The accountancy firm PWC estimated it could boost the economy by up to £24bn over the next fifty years.

But of course, beyond that, helping more people achieve their ambitions is the kind of thing you simply can't put a price tag on.

I'm delighted to be able to publish the Government's response to the report today, and to explain how we will be taking forward each of the recommendations.

First, we know that there are already a whole range of community groups and other organisations reaching out to young Black men.

They work hard to provide both practical support and inspiration for young Black people - through sport, music and art, through volunteering and work experience.

But we also know that these small organisations need to work more closely with each other - to share the lessons they've learnt; to compete more effectively for funding; and to engage better with Government itself - especially local government.

We don't want to tell them how- it's for the sector itself to decide that.

But the Government is ready to support them.

That's why I want My Department's £6m "Strategic Partners" programme - that supports local voluntary groups - to select as a strategic partner at least one group with a focus on race equality and taking forward the REACH report's recommendations.

And this week I will be writing to every local authority in the country to ensure they engage better with groups working in support of young Black men.

Second, I wholeheartedly agree with the REACH panel that education is the key to unlocking young people's potential. All the evidence shows that young people do best when their schools and their families work closely together. Government will help build those bridges, and ensure that families and schools work in partnership to help children achieve their best.

There is no one-size fits all solution.

Different places will call for different approaches and it's not for Government to say exactly what they should be.

But the kind of practical measures we could see more of might include:

• Home-school agreements - setting out what teachers will do, and what parents will do, to help kids succeed;
• More workshops for parents, so they understand how they can help make a difference;
• Better systems to encourage more Black parents to become school governors, and teachers, and teaching assistants, so they can have a real say over their children's education.

Third, we appreciate that we've also got to make sure that school inspections are effective in ensuring schools are doing all they can to promote race equality.

In September, OFSTED published revised guidance to all inspectors of maintained schools, including setting out their expectations for the inspection of race equality.

From now on OFSTED will be checking on how well and consistently race equality issues are reported; highlighting where there are inequalities; and drawing attention to good practice in meeting race equality duties. This work is very important.

Fourth, we need to make sure that there's real momentum behind this work. So we are setting up a board of Ministers at the highest level of government to drive it forward, and also a small taskforce, which Clive here will help lead, to drive forwards the implementation, advise us, and hold us to account.

Finally, we're supporting the creation of a national role modelling programme.

Role models can be really powerful. People who open our eyes to what we could achieve. I've always been inspired by women who worked to make the world around them better like Ellen Wilkinson, or Barbara Castle.

There are plenty of great role models for young Black men around the country - doctors, lawyers, businessmen, civil servants, councillors, church leaders, among others.

The sad thing is that if you turn on the TV you don't see enough of their stories.

So I agree with the REACH report's recommendations that we need to get better both at telling a story about national role models, and at supporting the efforts of local community groups.

In the months to come, a panel of Black men are going to be working together to sift through applications and select 20 national role models.

I'm very pleased that Leroy Logan, Simon Woolley, Tim Campbell and Ozwald Boateng have agreed to sit on the panel.

Their own stories of success are inspiring - as a leading policeman: a community worker: a businessman: and a designer. I am delighted to welcome Leroy and Simon who have come to celebrate the achievements of this school and help launch the role modelling programme.

And because it's important that the role models strike a chord with young people, four young Black men are going to be on the panel as well. Two of them are from here at Eastlea. They've got an important job.

The panel will be making its choice early next year.  If you know someone who you think fits the bill and could be a national role model, why not nominate them?

I'm very much looking forward to seeing who the panel select. In due course they'll be setting up a dedicated website to help the national role models tell their stories, and to offer advice to all mentors and role models working with young Black men.

With action in all these areas, and by Government working together with schools, charities, faith and community groups, I believe we can make a difference.

Five years from now there could be big changes.

More schools expecting young Black men to excel.

More Black pupils getting the highest grades and the best jobs.

More Black boys proud and confident about all they could be and all they could achieve.

I'm looking forward to it.