Racism is a Safeguarding Issue: Education as a Safe Haven

Schools often pride themselves on being safe spaces, yet for many students, they are anything but. Racism in education is not simply a matter of representation or curriculum – it is a safeguarding issue. Children are being radicalised online, marginalised in classrooms, and silenced when they try to speak out. Ignoring racism doesn’t protect students; it perpetuates harm.

When we talk about safeguarding, we picture child protection protocols, online safety lessons, and anti-bullying strategies. But racism is rarely given the same urgency, often treated as a ‘behavioural’ problem rather than a threat to wellbeing. This omission has consequences. Experiencing racism is traumatic: it damages mental health, erodes self-worth, and disrupts learning. And when schools fail to act, they can become complicit in further harm.

We should be challenged to confront that denial and reframe anti-racism as a fundamental safeguarding duty. Decolonising the curriculum isn’t about adding diverse content – it’s about telling the truth: truth about the roots of white supremacy, about global histories and contributions, and about the systemic barriers that harm marginalised children daily.

When schools silence conversations or refuse to acknowledge racism, they create unsafe spaces. Anti-racist practice must become part of safeguarding training, staff culture, and classroom discussions. Students should never feel their identity is ‘too political’ to discuss or their experiences are ignored.

The Scale of the Problem

The numbers are stark:

• In 2019, the NSPCC reported that incidents of racial abuse and racist bullying of children had risen by a fifth within four years. 
• In 2021, the Guardian reported that UK schools recorded 60,177 racist incidents in a five-year period (Anti-bullying Alliance)
• A 2020 World Economic Forum report found 95% of young Black British people have witnessed racist language in education. (Forum)
• According to the Department for Education, Black Caribbean pupils are up to three times more likely to be excluded than their white peers (gov.uk).

Yet, many schools still treat racist incidents as isolated behaviour problems rather than safeguarding red flags.

Why Racism is a Safeguarding Concern

• Radicalisation Risk: Extremism targets isolated, angry, or vulnerable children, grooming them with online narratives that can spread through classrooms.
• Chronic Trauma: Racism’s impact isn’t a one-off bruise – it creates long-term psychological harm, raising rates of anxiety, depression, and physical health issues.
• Unsafe Environments: When students see racism dismissed or ignored, they stop reporting it. Silence doesn’t mean equality; it signals danger.

A child who doesn’t feel safe being themselves is not safeguarded. Schools must explicitly name racism in safeguarding policies and act with urgency.

Moving Beyond Performative Action

Assemblies and diversity displays are not enough. Anti-racist practice must be embedded into school culture. Senior leaders should model vulnerability, showing staff and students that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable when confronting prejudice. Teachers must be empowered to respond to racism confidently, while safeguarding teams must be trained to treat racist abuse with the same seriousness as other forms of harm.

Practical Steps for Schools & Teachers

1. Embed Anti-Racism in Safeguarding Training
   • Include racist bullying, harassment, and microaggressions in safeguarding protocols.
   • Train staff on how to document, escalate, and resolve cases effectively.
2. Create Anonymous Reporting Channels
   • Allow students to report racism through secure, anonymous forms or ‘trusted adult’ programs.
   • Ensure reporting leads to visible action to build trust.
3. Audit School Culture and Discipline
   • Analyse sanctions, exclusions, and behaviour logs for racial bias.
   • Survey students on whether they feel safe and valued.
4. Actively Celebrate Identity
   • Representation shouldn’t be tokenistic or restricted to a single month. Displays, assemblies, and lessons should celebrate diversity all year round.
5. Partner with Communities
   • Collaborate with local advocacy groups, parents, and faith leaders to create a united, culturally competent safeguarding network.

Long-Term Steps to Discuss and Implement

1. Mandatory Racial Literacy and Trauma-Informed Training
   • Establish ongoing professional development for all staff, governors, and leadership teams.
   • Include practical anti-bias strategies, restorative approaches, and equity-based leadership skills.
2. Curriculum Reform and Decolonisation
   • Conduct curriculum audits to identify gaps, Eurocentric bias, and opportunities to embed global histories and diverse voices across all subjects.
   • Create working groups that include teachers, students, and parents to co-develop inclusive resources.
3. Embed Equity into School Policies
   • Ensure behaviour, uniform, and attendance policies are reviewed annually for cultural bias.
   • Introduce an anti-racism charter, making equity a measurable school-wide goal.
4. Equitable Recruitment and Retention
   • Develop strategies to hire and support staff from marginalised backgrounds.
   • Introduce mentorship programs and leadership pipelines to diversify senior leadership teams.
5. Student Voice and Leadership Structures
   • Formalise pupil-led diversity and equity councils with genuine decision-making power.
   • Include students in policy discussions, curriculum planning, and cultural initiatives.
6. Partnerships with Universities and Cultural Organisations
   • Collaborate with museums, archives, and community-led organisations to integrate local and hidden histories into learning.
   • Use these partnerships to expand professional development opportunities for staff.
7. Data-Driven Accountability
   • Track racial disparities in exclusions, attainment, and access to enrichment opportunities.
   • Publish anonymised annual reports to maintain transparency and measure progress.
8. Wellbeing Infrastructure
   • Create a system of proactive pastoral care to address the emotional toll of racism on students and staff.
   • Offer external counselling, mentoring, and safe spaces for reflection and healing.

Authors, Poets & Works to Teach

Bringing diverse voices into the curriculum is a powerful anti-racist action. Consider introducing:

• Akala – Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (critical nonfiction for older students).
• Kayo Chingonyi – Kumukanda, a tender and nostalgic collection exploring Black identity, masculinity, and heritage.
• Malorie Blackman – Noughts & Crosses series, a compelling exploration of racism and justice.
• Claudia Rankine – Citizen, poetry that captures microaggressions and systemic inequality.
• Dean Atta – The Black Flamingo, a verse novel celebrating identity and self-expression.
• Benjamin Zephaniah – Poems such as The British, exploring multiculturalism and belonging.
• Patrice Lawrence – Orangeboy, a gripping novel about youth identity, loyalty, and race in the UK.

Did You Know?

Britain’s multicultural history long predates Windrush:

• John Blanke: A Black trumpeter in Henry VIII’s court, documented in royal artwork and paid a musician’s wage in the 1500s.
• Mary Prince: The first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain (1831), a pivotal voice in the abolition movement.
• Walter Tull: One of Britain’s first Black professional footballers and the first Black officer to lead white troops in WWI.

These stories remind us that diversity isn’t new – it is woven into Britain’s history.

Call for Support

Safeguarding means every child feels safe to exist as themselves. Parents, governors, and communities need to be part of this conversation. Anti-racism is not a ‘school initiative’; it goes beyond the gates. Schools should partner with grassroots organisations, listen to marginalised voices, and build trust that extends into families and local communities. 

The stakes are too high to ignore. Racism must be treated with the same gravity as abuse or neglect, because its effects can be just as devastating. Schools are in a unique position to interrupt these cycles by becoming proactive, empathetic, and brave. Yet, policymakers must back this with funding, training, and clear frameworks, but every teacher already has the power to make a difference:

• Believe students when they share their experiences.
• Advocate for systemic change.
• Build safe, inclusive spaces where every voice is valued.

Schools are uniquely placed to break cycles of harm, disrupt extremism, and model empathy for the next generation.

A motto to guide your practice after this reading: Safety is not silence; true safeguarding starts with uncomfortable truth.