Education conference to be held to address education attainment gap

The Bucks Minority Education Concern has organised the annual conference for parents at Cressex Community School in High Wycombe on September 27.

It is a community event to celebrate young people in Bucks and help parents raise aspiration.

BMEC was set up in 2011 to address how social disadvantage and children's underachievement affects families from black and minority ethnic communities disproportionately.

But on further investigation they have also begun to address the gap between the success of all pupils from wealthier backgrounds and those from less affluent families.

John Bajina, who is BMEC's chairman and a school governor at Sir William Ramsay School in Hazlemere, said: "One of the things we are trying to solve is the under achievement in certain social economic groups.

"Regardless of colour or creed- that is where the problems are.

"What we are trying to teach parents is very simply things like - it is a school- not a prison. Teachers are not government officials."

BMEC has ongoing conversations with schools and monitors education authorities' performance closely.

During the first half of the conference BMEC will talk about the problems facing Bucks and what the attainment gap in education is, then there will be two guest speakers, followed by a question and answer session.

There will also be an award ceremony for Young Achievers. High Wycombe mayor Cllr Khalil Ahmed will present the trophies. 

Mr Bajina said: "We are hoping this will be the biggest and the best.

"Anybody who is interested in education is welcome but also this time we want to encourage all school governors to come along.

"We realise governors are not born with the knowledge of the gap so any governors that want information will be most heartily welcomed."

The conference is on September 27 from 11.30am to 3pm at Cressex Community School in High Wycombe.

Free entrance with tea, coffee and food. To reserve your place email Bmec.enquiries@gmail.com.