Education has laid out how it promotes “respect, equality and inclusion” in our schools to try and prevent racism.
The curriculum across all States maintained schools is “carefully designed to promote
respect, equality and inclusion, including a strong focus on preventing racism in PSHE,
geography and English”, said a spokesperson, in response to a Freedom of Information request focused on racist behaviour in schools.
Education, Sport, and Culture said “each Key Stage builds on these principles in age-appropriate ways” to prevent any instances of racism at primary or secondary level.
The FOI response revealed that there have been 71 instances where a student has been suspended under the category of ‘racist abuse’ since September 2021.
ESC added that does not mean 71 different students have been suspended “as the same student might have been suspended on more than one occasion for the same type of incident”.
The figures only relate to the States education sector, and not the fee-paying colleges as they are outside the scope of ESC in relation to FOIs.
Of the 71 suspensions linked with racist abuse in States schools between September 2021 and October 2025, ESC said four were within the primary sector and 67 were within the secondary sector.
No data is kept to identify any of the incidents beyond ‘racist abuse’ said ESC.
It also explained how it aims to prevent racist behaviour from occurring through teaching younger children about the importance of respect and kindness towards others, and recognising that families and backgrounds may differ.
Older children are challenged on prejudice-based language and behaviour online and offline, with inclusion promoted, with a deeper understanding of discrimination laws encouraged as students progress through secondary schools.
Older students are also encouraged to challenge prejudice and extremist views, and prepared to be “informed and responsible citizens”.
Some of Guernsey’s States run schools have used their lessons and extra-curricular activities to meet external standards which reflect the inclusive and non-prejudicial aims laid out by ESC.
Nine of them have Gold Rights Respecting Schools Award, and five have Silver awards.
To be ranked a Gold Rights Respecting School, the school must show it “has fully embedded the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC or the Convention) into its ethos and practice across all aspects of school life”.
The Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations, built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions.