A remarkable picture of how Britain is 'sleepwalking' towards US-style segregation of schools along racial lines is highlighted today by government figures that reveal many towns are developing schools that are overwhelmingly white, Asian or black.

A majority of pupils in many areas of the country - particularly in deprived former mill towns in the north of England - have little contact with children from different ethnic backgrounds, even though they live in close proximity.

 

The figures are bound to raise fresh concerns about the phenomenon of 'white flight', where some families move area to remove their children from schools where there is an intake is predominantly Asian children. The split in communities can also lead to increased racial tensions.

 

According to the Department for Education and Skills, Blackburn with Darwen council, recently the subject of a BBC Panorama documentary on the parallel lives led by different communities, is one of the most divided boroughs. Four secondary schools out of nine there attract more than 90 per cent of their pupils from just one community.

 

His remarks came after new government figures illustrate the recent warning by Jack Straw, the Commons leader and MP for Blackburn, that people are 'breathing the same air but walking past each other'.

 

In Straw's borough, there are three overwhelmingly white schools - Darwen Vale High (95.5 per cent white), Darwen Moorland High (91.6 per cent white) and St Bede's Roman Catholic High (96.3 per cent white). The segregation is matched on the other side of the racial divide. At Beardwood High, 94.5 per cent of pupils are Asian. Just 2.5 per cent of the school's pupils are white. Only one school in the borough reflects the ethnic breakdown of a community whose population is 70.5 per cent white and 26.5 per cent Asian. Of the pupils who go to Witton Park High, 71.7 per cent are white and 26.6 per cent are Asian.

 

if its happening (and here in derby it isnt) then its only because of the ethnic mix within the catchment areas...

if its happening (and here in derby it isnt) then its only because of the ethnic mix within the catchment areas...

 

That's probs true mate, I mean, look at Mile End, Whitechapel, Hackney, Brixton.... Predominately ethnic minority areas of London.... Dunno why it comes as some sort of bloody great 'revelation' to find out that most of the kids in schools in those areas are black or asian..... Like, DUH!!!! :huh:

 

theres about 10 black people in my school, youd think thered be more in a place like hailsham

In my primary school there were 2 black girls, in high school there were 3 black children in my year and i looked on wikipedia and my town has a 99.6 % population of whites.. even tho it is really clost to liverpool and manc and the biggest town in cheshire..