Each child in Britain deserves to experience dignity, belonging and joy in education. But Black children have historically been denied this right.

• 95% of young Black people have heard and witnessed racism at school. 49% of young Black people feel racism is the biggest barrier to attaining success in school, while 50% say the biggest barrier is teachers’ perceptions of them – for example, being seen as ‘too aggressive’.¹¹
• Data released following the report into the Child Q case showed 75% of children subjected to strip searches by the Metropolitan Police from 2019-2021 were from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The figures could be higher, as data only covered searches carried out after arrest.¹²
• In 2020, the largest exam board in the country did not include any books by a Black author among set texts for its GCSE English literature syllabus.¹³
• Just over 1% of secondary school teachers come from Black African or Black Caribbean backgrounds. Only 0.7% of headteachers identify as Black Caribbean and 0.2% of headteachers identify as Black African.¹⁵

Despite persistent barriers, more Black students are accessing higher education and attending university. In 2019, 45% of Black 18-year-olds across England were accepted into higher education, up from 28% in 2010.¹⁶