Albey Law-Smith, March 2014

A regional-based organisation has been chosen to partner The Arnold and Springboard Foundations to increase the representation of students of African Caribbean and African Heritage pupils in the UK’s top independent schools.

The Clarion Academy, a supplementary voluntary organisation, will focus on identifying and supporting pupils of African heritage to enable them to enter higher education through the support of bursaries.

“The initiative, conceived by a group of volunteers, is one of the first of its kind in the country, where private and public sectors are invited to join together to enhance the lives of our African heritage children. "It is a call to action, a challenge, not only to our community and its leaders, but also to the donor community, to step up and help us alter the future of these young people.” says Albey Law-Smith, one of its founders.

“When we look at poverty rates, graduation rates, crime rates and employment rates, one thing stands out: young people of African heritage are not fully sharing in the promise of educational attainment. Far too many are trapped in circumstances that are difficult to escape.

Director Ian Grayling, a specialist in education, comments: “There is no doubt that the disparities between the achievement of children of African heritage and their white peers remain stark and unsustainable. If we fail to bridge the gap, we will once again be leaving another generation of young people on the sidelines of our economy. The answer lies in the ability of our schools and how they address the educational challenges young people of African heritage face each and every day.”

The African Caribbean and African heritage community have been over-researched down the years and the common thread throughout is that education has been the most emotive and powerful of the issues covered within the studies/researches. Education is the issue of greatest concern to people of African heritage. It is viewed that any failures in this area affect many of the other problems facing the community, from employment through to lack of equal opportunities and political influence.

Although in its infancy, The Academy has already supported a number of young people in the region to gain bursaries at Rugby school, whilst several others are in the final stages of entrance into similar schools for the 2014/15 academic year. Mrs Law-Smith concludes by saying: “Although The Clarion Academy is only taking a small step, it will encourage others to help reduce the achievement gap in schools by improving outcomes for African heritage pupils in our independent schools.