Students at a Bradford school are keen to help develop recommendations made in Lord Ouseley's report.

Sixth-formers Simone Reid and Kwame Ibegbuna, pictured, from the Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College in Westgate Hill, felt Bradford sat in on the race review panel.

They say that schools now need to develop the report's recommendations that integration of different races and cultures should start for children in schools from an early age.

Kwame said: "We all agreed that education should come from the grass roots level - pre school - where children can get a good exchange of cultures.

"After the 1995 riots, no real initiatives were taken and it is only now that people are seeing the real problems and the gulf that exists."

Headmaster Vincent McNicholas said he felt the report criticised religious schools, like Yorkshire Martyrs.

"I asked Lord Ouseley about this and I was happy with his response," said Mr McNicholas.

"He said 'It's not religious schools per se, but those which don't appreciate other cultures and traditions.' If our school only admitted Catholic children or only looked at that faith, then we would have a much narrower view, but we appreciate the gifts and ideas of all the children here.

"This is a religious school run by the Catholic Church which admits children from different ethnic backgrounds, including Irish, Afro Caribbeans, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians. If you walk around the school, you see a good mix of students.

"We accept the report and also accept that there's a lot still to do. We have now got to look to the future to build communities and raise achievement."

The school prides itself on its racial and cultural integration and has a multicultural show next week to celebrate its different cultures.

Simone said: "We have got to focus on the schools themselves. When the riots broke out in Bradford, it wasn't people who were of school age but those who had moved on and out of school.

"Those people don't have a tolerance for police or authorities and we need to implement something to reach them. Once people are not in the education system or the job world it is hard to educate them.

"Bradford is a beautiful place and has brilliant things to offer - but one big event like the riots can slow the progression the city can make."

Mr McNicholas said the education system in Bradford was hugely under-funded.

"Around £174 million has gone into other schools and we haven't received that," he said.

"Any school doesn't operate on its own - we need support from quality services to back up what we are trying to achieve here. Resources are important if we are going to attract teachers to want to come and work in this school."

He added: "The report said we have to improve education in Bradford and that is what will be the real catalyst to great prosperity. If young people have more qualifications they have more choices.

"One thing we are trying to do with the multicultural show is involve parents. A lot of parents have been coming into school to support it."