Brief

The Stephen Lawrence Education Standard was initiated ten years ago in Leeds to promote race equality and community cohesion, following the publication of the Macpherson Inquiry. It is based at Education Leeds. Meerkat Publications and Design was procured to provide a lively news magazine for all teachers in the city and beyond which would be inspirational, highlighting good practice and celebrating the achievements of students engaged with the Standard.

Solution

After consultation with the Director of Equalities and Entitlement and meetings with community workers, teachers and students, we created Harmony magazine. This would see things from the point of view of pupils and students as far as possible, avoiding jargon. It would contain on-the-spot interviews with children, the best photographs, background features and contact information, and would appeal not only to Leeds teachers but to everybody involved with the issues which the Standard addresses.

Outcome

We regularly visit as many as possible of the schools and colleges involved – two thirds of all educational establishments in the city – and attend awards ceremonies, cultural events and conferences. Harmony’s editor (from Meerkat) was invited to train as an assessor for the Standard, which in January 2010 was launched nationally.

Harmony now contains stories and photographs from schools in other parts of the country, including Mansfield, Nottingham and the London Borough of Camden.