This event has been postponed and a new date will be confirmed soon.

Lead: Professor Leon Tikly, University of Bristol

The Report of the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities (CRED), popularly known as the Sewell report, raised profound issues for policy makers, practitioners and researchers about how racial disparities in the English education system can be conceptualised, measured and addressed. The main claim in the report, that other factors besides racism are more likely to determine outcomes for different ethnic groups polarised opinion within the educational community. In making their claims, the authors of the report argue the need for ‘objective’, quantitative evidence rather than ‘subjective’ evidence based on ‘lived experience’. Critics of the report were quick to question the ‘objectivity’ of the findings, the dismissal by the authors of qualitative evidence of the lived experience of racism, and the denial of the institutionalised nature of racism in education. As a consequence, it was argued, the recommendations of the report, namely that government interventions should target socio-economic disadvantage rather than systemic racism were flawed.

The controversial nature of the report’s framing, methodology and findings raise profound questions about how racial disparities may be conceptualised, measured and acted upon now and in the future. The Presidential roundtable will bring together researchers, policy makers and practitioners and researchers to discuss the following questions:

• How are racial disparities currently conceptualised in education policy? How might they be better conceived going forwards?
• How might racial disparities be measured? What is the role of quantitative and qualitative research in evaluating racial disparities?
• How useful is the concept of institutionalised racism for explaining racial disparities?
• How might the relationship between race, class and gender be understood in understanding racial disparities?
• What are priorities for policy and practice going forwards in addressing racial disparities?

The roundtable brings together leading figures in the debate representing research, policy and practice, each with diverse perspectives concerning the way forward. The roundtable will commence with four speakers each giving 10-minute presentations. They will be followed by four respondents who will each speak for 2-3 minutes each from their own perspectives and with the aim of stimulating debate.