Black Pupils' Achievement Programme (BPAP)/ Black Children's Achievement Programme (BCAP)

Aims and Implementation

Aims

The African Caribbean Achievement Project was rolled out nationally as the Black Pupils' Achievement Programme in June 2006.  The aim of the BPAP was to work in partnership with LAs and schools to raise the attainment of the target groups (Black African, Black Caribbean and mixed heritage pupils Turkish, Somali, Bangladeshi and Pakistani pupils) and to contribute to raising the overall attainment locally and nationally. The programme came to an end in August 2008.

However, the Black Children's Achievement Programme BCAP which was also launched in September 2006 complimented BPAP and continued to run until July 2009. The aim of BCAP was to work with Local Authorities and primary schools to focus on raising the attainment of Black children (Black African, Black Caribbean and Mixed White and Black children.

Implementation

BPAP

Phase 1 of the Black Pupils' Achievement Programme was launched in October 2005 and Phase 2 in June 2006.  The programme was conducted in 100 schools in 25 LAs.

The programme focused on high quality teaching and learning and also on:

• developing the capacity of LAs to raise the attainment of Black African, Black Caribbean and mixed heritage pupils;
• developing the skills of those in senior and middle leadership roles, to lead a whole-school approach to raising the attainment of Black pupils;
• developing knowledge and understanding of the specific issues relating to the attainment of Black African, Black Caribbean and mixed heritage pupils;
• providing teachers with practical and useful strategies to raise expectations and strengthen teaching;
• tailoring existing mainstream resources and guidance produced by the National Strategies and Department, to address LA and school priorities relating to black pupils' attainment; and
• instilling high expectations to succeed in pupils and teachers; recognising and respecting diversity; intolerance of racism, and working with parents and the wider community.

BPAP promoted the value of strong leadership in developing a whole school ethos where there were high expectations to succeed among both pupils and teachers and where there was an active programme of engagement with parents and the wider community. BPAP also placed a strong emphasis on the use of and interrogation of data to ensure that the experiences and outcomes for all pupils from minority ethnic groups were monitored and where appropriate effective targeting and intervention were put in place.

This programme finished in August 2008 and has now been mainstreamed and its main features consolidated into the work of LAs through the publication of National Strategies guidance materials.

BCAP

The Black Children's Achievement Programme (BCAP) was a national programme aimed at raising the attainment of Black pupils in the Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2 in primary schools. BCAP was delivered through the National Strategies. The programme started as a test-based pilot, involving 5 Local Authorities and around 15 schools in January 2005. From September 2006 the pilot was rolled out more widely to 20 Local Authorities and approximately 100 schools. The Programme came to an end in July 2009 and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has commissioned an evaluation of the programme which will report later in the year.