#RENDBristol - a day of hope, connectivity and solidarity.
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder and Director of the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators).
Another Saturday… another grassroots event… this time I co-organised and co-hosted the inaugural #REND event in Bristol.
My friends and family who are not in education do not get it – ‘Why do you work on Saturdays Hannah?’ I get asked regularly when challenged about my work life balance. My reply is often the same – it does not feel like work when it is driven by purpose and passion. And the work is too important and too urgent – how else would we get 100 people together to talk about racial equity?
So when Domini and Rahima reached out to me in early June and asked me to join them in co-organising the first REND event in the SW, my answer was a firm yes. Having attended multiple #REND events in Luton, Birmingham and London, it was great to be holding one closer to my home in Bath. As a friend of Sufian and a supporter of Chiltern Learning Trust I wanted to help them mobilise the movement to other parts of the country to help spread the word.
Brought up in North Devon, I also always love delivering DEIB training and supporting educational organisations in the South West with their DEIB strategy. When we talk about legacy, my hopes are to grow consciousness, confidence and competence in DEIB matters in the less diverse parts of the country. We all know that the shires and the white-majority parts of the country need these events and these conversations as much as the cities and the more diverse parts of the country.
Once we got the green light from Sufian to start planning we began to plan the event. Having all attended the black-tie Friday night events we wanted to disrupt things and try a different model to make it more inclusive and more accessible to attend. So we decided to pilot a lunchtime event instead. Furthermore, instead of a dress-up event and a formal meal we went for a more casual affair and a DIY approach. We realised quite quickly how much work we were taking on so we reached out to Tanisha to join the organising team. A big thank you from all of us to Jo and the team at Cotham School for generously hosting us and for so many of the staff who rolled up their sleeves at the event.
Our approach thus meant that we did not need to secure large sponsors – we wanted the event to be grassroots and we were keen to elevate the small orgs, charities/ CICs and individuals doing the work in our region – hence we built a marketplace into the event flow. A massive thank you to our exhibitors who supported the event: Belonging Effect, Cabot Learning Federation, Courageous Leadership, HGS Education Ltd, Jigsaw Education Group, PGS Educators, SARI, Somerset Research School , South Gloucestershire Race Equality Network and Teacheroo.
Curating the line-up of speakers – we were committed to amplifying a local headteacher, a regional academic, best practice from Wales alongside national thought leaders, role models and researchers. We mapped out how many speakers we could fit into the schedule and landed on part 1 with 3 speakers before our Caribbean lunch and part 2 with 3 more speakers post-lunch. We have so much appreciation for our speakers for the work they do, for travelling to join us on a weekend and for speaking for free: Canon David Hermitt, Del Planter, Diana Osagie, Lilian Martin, Dr Marie-Annick Gournet and Sufian Sadiq. (For reference the slide deck from the main hall is here).
With all of the details confirmed we then began to market the event on our socials and across our networks. Our call to action was simple: “Following on from the sell out Racial Equity: Network Dinners launched by Chiltern Teaching School and continued around the country we are delighted to announce the arrival of the event in Bristol. The Racial Equity: Network Dinner is an opportunity for people across the education sector who share and appreciate the importance of racial equity, to come together to celebrate, network and enjoy a delicious meal”.
Our target was to bring 100 people together for our first event and we were only a few people shy on the day – our challenge now is to get everyone to return to our next event and bring someone with them who needs to be in the room to hear the messages that were shared.
The day was a whirlwind: from blowing up balloons, to laying the tables, serving the food, to greeting our speakers and holding space for our guests – the time disappeared quickly. It was brilliant to see so many familiar faces in the room, to meet virtual connections in person and to connect with new people from the area who are committed to making educational space more inclusive, more representative and ultimately safer for our global majority communities and colleagues.
Thank you for the positive feedback we have already received:
- Fern Hughes: “With 100 brilliant attendees, the room was full of purpose, passion and powerful conversation. Networking and connecting with so many inspiring people working across education — a sector close to my heart — made the day even more meaningful”.
- Adrian McLean:“#REND Bristol did things in style! Expertly arranged by Domini Choudhury Tanisha Hicks-Beresford Rahima Khatun-Malik & Hannah Wilson – we left with full hearts and a full belly!”
- David Stewart: “I’m not one for networking events. I find them superficial, surface-level, and inauthentic. But today completely changed that. Today I was invited to the REND Bristol event — the passion, authenticity, and energy brought by the exhibitors, guest speakers, and organisers was outstanding. Conversations were deep and particularly meaningful. Every speaker shared their story with pride and optimism for the future, and the organisers made the entire day run seamlessly”.
- Saima Akhtar: “Race equity work in education is not just important, it is transformative. It shapes futures, dismantles barriers, and creates spaces where every learner can thrive. As educators and advocates, we carry a profound responsibility to drive this work forward with urgency and courage. The progress we make today will define the opportunities of tomorrow. The conversations and energy in this space never fail to inspire me, but today, thanks to REND, I feel like my inspiration has had an energy drink! Let’s keep pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and ensuring that equity is not just a vision but a lived reality for every child”.
So what’s next?
If you attended we would love to hear your feedback – including what worked and what we can improve at a future event – please do complete the feedback form: REND Bristol Saturday 22 Nov 2025 feedback. Domini, Rahima, Tanisha and I are then meeting next weekend to review the event and the feedback to confirm our next steps as we want to keep the connections, the conversations and the momentum going.
In the meanwhile, you can join the conversation on LinkedIn – we have a #REND networking group here and we have collated all of the #RENDBristol reflection posts here. If you are not on Linkedin then you can join our private community space on Mighty Networks and find the #REND community group here.
We have also created a page on the Belonging Effect’s website for more information about #REND events around the country (it will be updated over the coming weeks). Ann, who joined us as a delegate in Bristol, is hosting #RENDLondon on Friday 12th December – you can book a ticket here.
For people who live and work in Bristol, we would love to see you at our #DiverseEd Hub – Tanisha and I host it at the Bristol Cathedral School each half-term, our next meet up is after school on Wednesday 3rd December.
When I relocated to Bath in 2023, we hosted a #DiverseEd event at Bridge Learning Campus in Bristol. We are delighted to be hosting our next regional #DiverseEd event at IKB Academy in Keynsham on June 13th. Get in touch if you would like to exhibit/ facilitate a session – the line-up will be confirmed in the new year.
Some final signposting:
- I chatted to a few people about Black Men Teach, you can find them and 200+ other orgs supporting schools, colleges and trusts in our DEIB Directory.
- We would love to publish some more blogs reflecting on the themes from the event, please email me with any submissions.
- Hopefully you got to say hello to Adele from Teacheroo – we collaborate on a jobs board with them to connect diverse educators with settings who are committed to the work. We host free adverts for vacancies for ITTE, DEIB / anti-racist leaders and for governors/ trustees – do get in touch if we can help you promote career development opportunities with our network.
Thank you to everyone who attended and supported #RENDBristol – we look forward to sending out more follow up information and opportunities from our speakers and exhibitors from this event and to reconnecting soon.
A Safe, Professional DEIB Network for Educators
Written by Jo Brassington
Jo Brassington (they/them) is a former primary school teacher, the co-founder of Pride & Progress, and the co-author of Pride & Progress: Making Schools LGBT+ Inclusive Spaces. They work with schools, universities, and charities primarily around LGBT+ inclusion, trans awareness, and children's mental health.
In the first year of my teaching career, my mentors and school leaders gave me lots of great advice as a new, early career teacher. One suggestion in particular confused me at the time, but went on to have a huge, positive impact on both my teaching practice and my career.
During an early-morning chat, my headteacher told me I should join Twitter. I’d used Twitter before, but never in a way that could support me professionally. I was sceptical at first, but about a week later, sitting alone in my classroom after school, I downloaded the app and made myself a new account.
In the weeks that followed, I began connecting with other educators on “teacher Twitter” and slowly built a network. Very quickly, I understood why my headteacher had recommended it. Back then, Twitter was an engaged and empowering space for teachers. You could find educators interested in the same aspects of teaching as you, share resources and ideas, ask questions, exchange advice, and genuinely become better educators together. It felt like a huge, supportive staffroom online – somewhere safe, generous, and collaborative. I learned so much from the people I met there, and that network made me a better, more informed teacher.
When I look back at my career, so many of the things I’m most proud of can be traced back to that space. I became a better teacher through connecting with people like Becky Carlzon on Twitter. I started Pride & Progress with my colleague Adam, who I met on Twitter. And now I’m a Lead Associate for Belonging Effect—another connection first made (you guessed it) on Twitter.
Twitter for teachers was brilliant… until it wasn’t. I don’t need to document the downfall of the digital town square—chances are you witnessed it yourself, or read about it in the news. The platform doesn’t exist under the same name anymore, and neither do the positive values I’ve described. Like many teachers, I eventually deleted my account. It became a space filled with hostility, and it was no longer a safe space for meaningful conversations about diversity.
Losing that vibrant professional community has been a real loss. I tried moving to other platforms, but nothing felt the same. And I’ve had countless conversations with teachers who, like me, are still missing that engaged, supportive online staffroom.
Aware of this gap, we at Belonging Effect have been working to co-create a solution. A while ago, we opened a network space on Mighty Networks under our previous name, ‘Diverse Educators’. Mighty Networks allows you to build your own networking space, shape it for the needs of your community, and most importantly – keep it safe. Following our rebrand earlier this year, we’re now working to re-energise that space.
The Belonging Effect Network is a safe, professional networking space for those working in education to connect and discuss Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. It’s a closed network, and new members answer a few questions before joining – this helps keep the space safe for our community. Through the app or web-browser, you can access what looks like its own social networking space. Inside, you’ll find blogs, books, resources, events, and identity-based networks to support different communities. Our hope is that this becomes the supportive online staffroom so many of us have been missing—but it will only thrive if the community is active and engaged.
If you’d like to help us rebuild the kind of professional networking space that teachers need – and if you’re looking for a supportive, values-led network yourself – then join the Belonging Effect Network today. You can find out more and sign up here. Better still, invite colleagues who you think might be interested by sending them this blog.
We hope to see you in the Belonging Effect Network soon.
Unsettling Deficit Narratives: Race, Identity and Belonging in English Schools
Written by John Doyle
I am a PhD candidate in Sociology at Sheffield Hallam University, having previously conducted research with the Roma-Slovak community entitled 'So much to offer: an exploration of learning and cultural wealth with Roma-Slovak post-16 students'. I have had a career in the public sector, including education, and I am committed to inclusion and a strengths-based approach for all students.
Last week, the final report of the Francis Review was released, promising to address diversity in teaching, curriculum and assessment. The report is comprehensive, and it reinforces the principle that the national curriculum must reflect the diversity of modern Britain. Crucially, it says diversity in the curriculum is not an optional enhancement.
But the report is advisory, and we need evidence that the Department for Education will act on these recommendations.
Two days after reading the report, I attended the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators) one-day event and was inspired by all the presenters who demonstrated the breadth and depth of thinking and practical ways forward to address diversity and equity in education. If we are to enable more children to see themselves in the curriculum, we need the insights and expertise of these presenters and other activists to inform educational development at national and local levels.
Curriculum diversity cannot be optional
The Francis Review suggests that subjects such as English must include “alternative” texts. Yet this is already possible within current policy. If take-up remains marginal, it is because diverse texts are treated as supplements. It is time to recognise that cultural capital goes beyond Shakespeare and Dickens, and that new texts contribute to building the cultural capital recognised and valued in a diverse Britain.
As The Belonging Effect has noted, the report makes no mention of structural racism. This weakens the development of diversity and lacks a consideration of the impact of racism on students within the education system.
My research: challenging deficit narratives
My research, Unsettling Deficit Narratives: Race, Identity and Belonging in English Schools, examines how everyday school practices—curriculum choices, behaviour systems and informal interactions—can reproduce structural racism in subtle but powerful ways. This aligns well with The Belonging Effect’s aims to ensure that everyone feels they truly belong in their place of learning. As they have stated, belonging is the moment when people stop trying to fit in and start being fully themselves.
The research aims to unsettle deficit assumptions that problematise racially minoritised students and frame their cultures as barriers to achievement. The study illuminates how everyday practices, relationships, and policies embody what Paul Warmington (2024) terms a ‘vanishingly small’ space for recognising racism in education, and how what Kalwant Bhopal (2024) defines as a ‘discourse of denial’ shapes teachers’ and leaders’ responses. The framing of education as a race-neutral, knowledge-rich approach endorses Eurocentric models and exclusionary practices. It marginalises attempts at anti-racism through curriculum reform, teacher development, or recognition of the social and cultural capital that racially minoritised students bring to the learning context. The research explored how educational institutions can value the skills, knowledge, and experiences of students from ethnically diverse and marginalised communities.
Students thrive when the curriculum sees them
There are individual teachers and school leaders who are open to change and to explore a more diverse curriculum. The students themselves thrive in settings that reflect their heritages and identities and demonstrate informed and critical approaches to knowledge, with a strong sense of Britain’s historical and contemporary global position. The institution of education, however, remains resistant in its policies, practices, and commitment to a knowledge-rich curriculum in both local and broader contexts. All of which points to the need for a stronger national direction to realise local potential in our schools.
The emphasis in education needs to shift from a deficit-based approach to one that values and builds upon students’ heritages and identities. If there is a deficit, it is the deficit in the education offer, which fails to consider the context of the young person, their fluid and intersectional identities and the racialised aspect of their lives now and in their futures. As one teacher described, we “fit kids into schools, not us looking outward”. Similarly, the students eloquently articulated the issues of an education system that needs to be, “… not just looking at England but how other countries saw us.” This was not a call to reject British identity, but to enrich it—to see themselves as part of the fabric of what Britain is today: globally connected and ethnically diverse.
As a school leader told me, their previous school, a predominantly White British school had embarked on a decolonisation of the curriculum led by the head teacher, which “…really opened my eyes as to how our curriculum is not reflective of the world or our communities”. These words capture the crux of the issue. A diverse curriculum is not only for multicultural schools; it is essential for all schools in a globally connected country.
What needs to change
Belonging is when every student sees themselves reflected in the curriculum and feels engaged in and contributes to their learning. Some educators are already doing this work, and organisations like The Belonging Effect are leading the way. But without policy backing, progress will remain isolated to the passionate, not embedded in the system. Challenging structural racism also means changing curriculum content and delivery, and it is time for this to be acknowledged in our pedagogy. The Francis report may be advisory, but action must be taken, and there is not enough in the report to be clear how this will take place. Progressing a more diverse curriculum must be reflected in the accountability frameworks of education and school leaders. Our understandings of knowledge-rich education need to reflect the commitment to diversity and belonging. A curriculum adapted to our 21st-century world requires us to acknowledge that structural and institutional racism are features of our education system. We can move from a deficit model to engage students and foster a sense of belonging, and this deserves a national directive.
Curriculum and Assessment Review Analysis
Written by Belonging Effect
Belonging Effect is committed to shaping intention into impact and supporting people with their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging strategy and training needs.
Steps in Evolution?
The work of Becky Francis and her team should be commended. It is no small feat to be able to manage a volume of feedback and try to create something new. The Final Report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review is comprehensive. This analysis intends only to consider the evolution of diversity in the curriculum in the Final Report.
So what does the Final Report tell us?
The recommendations made about diversity in the curriculum emphasise that the National Curriculum should be for all young people, reflecting the diversity of society and ensuring all children feel included and represented.
A key recommendation is that the Government reviews and updates all Programmes of Study, and, where appropriate, the corresponding GCSE Subject Content to include stronger representation of the diversity that makes up modern society, allowing more children to see themselves in the curriculum.
Specific subject recommendations intended to support diversity and representation include:
- History Programmes of Study should be adjusted to support the wider teaching of the subject’s inherent diversity, which involves analysing a wide range of sources and incorporating local history where appropriate. This enriches the curriculum by introducing a broader mix of perspectives and connections.
- English Literature GCSE subject content should be reviewed to ensure students study texts drawn from the full breadth of our literary heritage, including more diverse and representative texts.
- Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum and GCSE content should explicitly embed the teaching of social responsibility and inclusive design throughout the design process.
- Geography Programmes of Study should undergo minor refinements to make content more relevant and inclusive.
- Music Programmes of Study for Key Stages 1 to 3 should be revised to ensure a curriculum pathway that allows a range of genres and repertoires to be covered.
The curriculum principles guiding the reforms assert that diverse contributions to subject disciplines enable a complete, broad, and balanced curriculum, and that efforts should support equal opportunities and challenge discrimination.
However, the recommendations aimed at increasing diversity in the curriculum might be considered problematic due to several inherent tensions, dependencies on factors outside the Review’s remit, and practical limitations on implementation.
Tension with Retaining Core Knowledge and Content
The Review emphasised that while the curriculum must reflect the diversity of society, this ambition is balanced by the need to ensure mutual access to core knowledge.
- The curriculum principle states that core knowledge and key works that shape a subject must remain central. This focus can limit the extent to which new, diverse content is introduced or prioritized over established material – and also brings into question the definition of ‘established’.
- In History, teachers requested clearer guidance to reflect diversity without replacing core content. The suggested solution relies on updating the aims and refreshing the non-statutory examples to introduce a broader mix of perspectives, but not replacing existing essential topics. There are profound questions as to how we define ‘core’ content as this has been largely defined by colonial standards.
Dependence on Teacher Autonomy and External Resources
Implementing diverse curricula largely depends on the capacity and choices of individual schools and teachers, which can lead to inconsistent application.
- Diverse representation is sometimes judged as being more appropriately achieved through teacher selection of content rather than centralized prescription in the national curriculum.
- For these localised choices to work, they require support from high-quality exemplification resources (like those produced by Oak National Academy) and a wider selection of inclusive materials from publishers and exam boards.
- In English Literature, while the curriculum allows for a range of texts, current practice often lacks breadth and diversity due to the limited availability of resources and a tendency for teachers to rely on well-established works.
Failure to Address Systemic and Financial Barriers
The recommendations primarily address curriculum content but cannot resolve major underlying issues related to funding, infrastructure, and socio-economic disadvantage.
- In Design and Technology (D&T), implementing elements like inclusive design faces significant barriers extending beyond the curriculum, such as a lack of specialist staff, lack of infrastructure, and the cost of delivery.
- In Music, attainment gaps are substantial, with Music identified as having the highest disadvantage attainment gap of any subject at GCSE. This disparity is driven by the fact that success relies heavily on the ability to read music, which is often developed through additional, out-of-classroom instrumental tuition that benefits higher-income households. The recommendation is only to explore ways to better optimise the investment in music education, rather than guaranteeing equitable, mandatory in-school tuition needed to close this gap.
- The review also warned that substantial curriculum changes intended to promote inclusion must remain cognisant of the potential negative impact on the workload of education staff and the overall stability of the system.
- The report makes no explicit reference to systemic racism (although this is not a surprise).
Philosophical Conflict
The review panel acknowledged that promoting social justice involves dilemmas, as sometimes potential solutions designed to improve inclusivity may risk greater harm and inequities than the problem they seek to solve. Furthermore, efforts to reflect diversity must be careful not to limit children to “narrow frames of reference based on their background”, which as a phrase presents problematic interpretations.
Implications of the November 2025 Final Report
The November 2025 Final Report retains the principle that the national curriculum must reflect the diversity of modern Britain, but makes clear that representation is a requirement of entitlement, not an optional enhancement.
This reframing is significant. It shifts the locus of responsibility beyond schools to the national “knowledge supply chain”: publishers, resource platforms, awarding bodies and subject associations. The Review therefore acknowledges that representational breadth is structurally mediated.
The reframing does not take away responsibility for individual schools and teachers to ensure that a diverse curriculum is taught.
We must remember that Becky Francis’ report, as thorough as it is in some ways, remains a recommendation to the DfE, and that the DfE can choose to reject recommendations as they see fit. The true test of listening is how much is heard – and it is clear that teachers and students alike have expressed their desire for meaningful representation in the curriculum. It remains to be seen, as always.
Written collaboratively by Belonging Effect Associates Bennie Kara and Krys McInnis
From Diverse Educators to The Belonging Effect: Our Next Chapter
Written by Belonging Effect
Belonging Effect is committed to shaping intention into impact and supporting people with their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging strategy and training needs.
When we launched Diverse Educators, our mission was clear: to amplify voices, celebrate differences, and build a more inclusive education system. Over the years, we have worked with countless educators, leaders, and communities who share that passion. Together, we have created space for powerful conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and representation.
But as our work has deepened, so has our understanding.
We have learned that diversity is only the starting point. It is not enough to bring different people into the room – we have to make sure everyone feels that they truly belong once they are there.
That realisation has inspired our next chapter: moving forwards we are The Belonging Effect.
Why We Changed Our Name
The name Diverse Educators reflected who we were when we began – a grassroots community of people passionate about diversity in education. But over time, we have grown into something broader and deeper. Our work now spans sectors, reaches new audiences, and focuses not just on who is present, but on how people feel within those spaces.
Belonging is the bridge between diversity, equity and inclusion – it is the emotional outcome of equity in action. It is the moment when people stop trying to fit in and start being fully themselves.
We chose The Belonging Effect because belonging is not just a concept; it is a ripple. When one person feels they belong, it impacts their team, their classroom, their community. It is an effect that multiplies.
The Butterfly and Ripple Effects
As we explored our new identity, we reflected deeply on the Butterfly Effect and the Ripple Effect – both powerful, globally recognised metaphors for change and impact.
The Butterfly Effect reminds us that even the smallest action can create far-reaching consequences; that a single moment of courage, kindness, or inclusion can transform a culture.
The Ripple Effect shows us how belonging spreads – how one person feeling seen and valued can influence everyone around them.
Together, these ideas capture the essence of what we do: small, intentional acts of belonging that create waves of change across systems, organisations, and communities.
That is the heart of The Belonging Effect.
What the Change Means for Our Community
Our values remain the same – but our lens is sharper. We are continuing our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and representation, but we are framing it through the power of belonging. (We added the B to the acronym DEI several years ago and we support organisations on their DEIB strategy and people who are DEIB leaders).
This shift means:
- Expanding our work beyond education into workplaces and communities.
- Developing tools and training that help people cultivate belonging, not just talk about diversity.
- Measuring impact not only by who is at the table, but by who feels seen, heard, and valued.
Looking Ahead
This is not a departure from our roots – it is a deepening of them. The Belonging Effect is the natural evolution of everything Diverse Educators stood for.
We are excited to step into this new identity with you – our community, our collaborators, and our champions. Together, we will keep creating spaces where everyone belongs and can thrive.
“Third Space” Mentoring for Diverse Trainee Teachers
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder and Director of the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators).
We can develop our beginner teachers to know their craft and know their subject, but where is the space to know themselves? Navigating teaching as a cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied white woman meant I was often in the majority in most spaces I occupied in my early career. As I progressed in my career I experienced some sexism but on the whole I was left pretty unscathed, my identity was not something that came up.
Our friends at Now Teach have coined a layer of support/ piloted an approach called “Third Space” Mentoring where their career-changing trainee teachers receive triangulated support from a subject mentor, a professional mentor and a ‘3rd space’ mentor, someone with shared lived experience.
At the Belonging Effect we already support hundreds of ITTE and ECF providers through our DEIB training, coaching and consultancy, alongside hosting virtual annual conferences in January and June for each cohort. But, over the last few years we have been thinking and talking about this approach as a team and we have been considering how we can further support the development and retention of trainee and early career teachers who hold diverse identities and who come from marginalised communities.
For our BE team and for the ITTE and ECF providers we work with, we often get asked to support teachers who are struggling, not in the classroom, but in navigating their identity. The trainee is perhaps the only person with their identity in the cohort or in the school. There often is not a mentor in their school nor in their provider who shares their lived experience. One provider reached out for help and advice as they had a Muslim Asian Hijabi woman training to teach science, and she had been placed in a school with an all-male science department, with a male mentor. We provided a safe space for her to work with a mentor who looked like her, who understood her and could help her navigate the unique barriers she was facing.
So in a nutshell, “Third Space” mentoring involves creating a supportive environment where individuals can develop skills and find new perspectives. The space creates a pause between different roles and tasks, where a person can use the time to reflect, re-center and decompress. This neutral space enables collaboration and focuses on an individual’s holistic development. The safety of the space enables an exploration of authenticity and vulnerability, being guided by someone who has walked a similar path.
Through “Third Space” mentoring we can ensure that we are helping our trainees by triangulating their subject development, their professional development and their teacher identity development. Here is some helpful research from McIntyre and Hobson (2015) entitled: Supporting beginner teacher identity development: external mentors and the third space: McIntyre and Hobson 2015 pre-publication.pdf In it they cite a range of theoretical frameworks:
“While the concept of identity is understood and employed in different ways by different writers (Beijaard et al., 2004) and is problematic (Roth, 2008), our own conceptualisation is informed by poststructuralist accounts of identities as multi-layered, multifaceted, dynamic and constantly evolving or in continual flow (Hall, 2000; Gee, 2000; Hamilton, 2010). We also recognise that identity transmutations are linked to socio-contextual factors and to power (Lumby, 2009; Beauchamp and Thomas, 2009), a point which is especially apposite for understanding teacher identities, with some writers seeing these as particularly vulnerable, unstable and susceptible to school and national policy pressures and contexts (Lasky, 2005; Leaton Gray, 2006)”.
Why is this an important development?
- With an increased focus on DEIB and representation we know that ITTE and ECF providers are consciously trying to attract and recruit more diverse candidates so that our workforce better reflects the communities that we serve.
- We need to design more inclusive approaches and spaces to better support our trainees.
- We need to train our staff in our provider and hold to account the staff in our placement schools to do the work – to unlearn and to relearn, in order to fully commit to ensuring that our trainees can flourish and thrive.
How does it differ from conventional mentoring?
- The “Third Space” can be the transition between activities, a chance to pause and reflect, rather than the activity itself.
- It can also refer to a physical or metaphorical space that is neither home nor work, allowing for different kinds of interactions and collaborations.
- The “Third Space” can be a site of cultural hybridity, where new identities and perspectives are formed through the intersection of different cultures.
What are the key aspects of “Third Space” mentoring?
- Individualised support: Working with a dedicated coach/ mentor to develop your own program of inquiry and practice, supporting you in navigating life’s challenges and making lasting changes.
- Developmental support: Mentoring can help with specific issues like career direction, professional development, and learning new skills.
- Collaborative problem-solving: Creating a neutral space where people from different backgrounds can come together to share perspectives and find innovative solutions.
- Holistic approach: Focusing on helping individuals integrate their values and find balance in both their work and personal lives.
Are there some examples of how “Third Space” Mentoring can support, develop and retain diverse trainees?
- Age – we support career changes and those trainees who are shifting their professional identity from being the expert in one field to being the novice in another field.
- Disability – we support trainees who are neurodivergent in processing school life, in self-advocating for what they need whilst developing coping strategies.
- Parenthood – we support trainee parent-teachers in navigating their caring responsibilities and in managing their additional responsibilities.
- Race – we support trainee teachers who are racialised as being black and brown, in exploring their experiences and in considering the weight of representation.
- Sexuality – we support trainee teachers who are LGBT+ in ensuring their safety and in navigating any challenges they face with their community.
- Wellbeing – we support trainee teachers in building a toolkit of strategies to manage their own mental health and wellbeing.
How can we help?
- Would your trainee teachers and early career teachers benefit from an additional layer of mentoring as they navigate their way in the education profession?
- We have a brilliant team of experienced coaches and mentors who want to provide an extra layer of support, virtually, to your ITT trainees and possibly to your ECTs at your sibling providers too.
- We hope this will support trainees who are navigating their identity and lived experiences as they develop their professional identity, enabling them to flourish and thrive, to stay and succeed in the teaching profession.
- We are running another pilot of our “Third Space” DEIB Mentoring for ITTs and ECTs in Spring and Summer 2026.
How do we register our interest?
- The “Third Space” DEIB Mentoring for ITTs and ECTs pilot will run from January-July 2026.
- Your trainees can join a virtual mentoring circle for 4 x 1hr half-termly group sessions.
- Our Belonging Effect Associates will hold a safe virtual space for them and their peers to explore identity themes such as: age, disability, faith, menopause, mental health and wellbeing, neurodiversity, parenthood, race, sexuality and intersectional identities.
- Places are £200+VAT per participant.
- Fill in this Google form to express an interest: https://forms.gle/5dLN9fzQ8qBeaCvw9
- Contact Hannah@thebelongingeffect.co.uk to book places for your trainee and early career teachers.
Seen, Valued… and Able: Designing Classrooms for Social and Academic Belonging
Written by Tricia Taylor
With more than 25 years’ experience teaching and leading in schools across the UK and the USA, Tricia founded TailoredPractice to bridge the gap between research and classroom practice. Driven by a passion for making learning work for everyone, she now partners with schools worldwide to translate cognitive science into practical strategies that challenge and support all learners. A regular Learning & the Brain Conference speaker and author of Connect the Dots: The Collective Power of Relationships, Memory and Mindset, she is also Head of Teaching and Learning at Mallorca International School.
Belonging isn’t separate from academic teaching. Strategies that build knowledge—when done correctly—also build belonging.
A heartfelt card from reception (kindergarten) child to a headteacher, which says: “I love it how you always pay attention to me when I am talking.”
I know the headteacher who received this on the last day of term. She kneels to students’ height, meets their eyes and listens without rushing. It’s powerful when that’s modelled from the top. Behind the scenes, great leaders, like this one, also put systems in place so belonging is as much social as it is academic. Yes, we greet students at the door AND we also design routines, teaching strategies and feedback structures that help every students feel seen, valued and able to learn.
Belonging has two strands
In school, when we talk about ‘belonging’, we often focus on the social—names, greetings, being known. That matters. But students also need academic belonging: the steady sense that their thinking belongs here, that they can see what ‘good’ looks like, and that there’s a fair and achievable route to get there. The strands work best together: warmth without stretch becomes ‘nice but low challenge’; stretch without safety shuts down risk-taking.”
- Social belonging: feeling accepted, respected, included, and emotionally safe with peers and adults.
- Academic belonging: feeling like a valued, accepted and legitimate member of the subject community—“people like me do this work here”—with clear expectations and support to succeed.
Students’ experiences of race, language, gender or identity can shape whether they feel safe and legitimate in the classroom community, socially, emotionally and academicially. As Glenn Whitman from the Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning writes, “Belonging is not a monolithic thing you either have or don’t have … each student will feel a sense of belonging in some spaces but not others.”
Barriers to belonging (what we saw)
This year, when the teachers and I brainstormed barriers to belonging, we could see both social and academic situations when students lack that sense of belonging.
- Social (& emotional) barriers. Mispronounced or shortened names; not knowing who to sit with at lunch; wondering “Does my teacher like me?”; cliques and subtle hierarchies; loneliness; curriculum or displays that don’t reflect students’ identities; inconsistent behaviour norms — “I don’t know how to act here”; lack of trust that it’s safe to be yourself.
- Academic barriers. Unclear success criteria; errors made public with no way to repair; low-challenge tasks that signal low expectations; speed mistaken for worth while the class moves on; English as an additional language without scaffolds; risky participation structures (like round-robin reading or hands-up dominance); tracking/setting that labels students.
- When they overlap. Participation feels risky or pointless; attention shifts to self-protection and working memory overloads with worry. The result is less learning.
What students say works
When teenagers describe classes where they belong, two themes surface. They feel they belong when (1) teachers intentionally build trust and peer relationships, for example, using seating to encourage peer interaction rather than as punishment—and when (2) teachers use supportive structures: rehearsal before sharing (turn-and-talk), specific and actionable feedback, clear scaffolding of complex concepts, and treating wrong answers as opportunities for growth rather than labels of who is “smart” or “dumb.” (Keyes, 2019). Together, these strategies draw in students who might otherwise hold back—socially, emotionally, and academically.
Classroom strategies — a dual purpose
Have a look at these common high-impact strategies for budding knowledge and see how—when done correctly—they also create a sense of academic belonging:
Strategy |
What is it? |
How it connects to belonging |
| Spaced retrieval | Short, low-stakes questions on prior learning, spaced over time (no peeking). | Early wins and visible progress show “I can do this here.” Thinking hard to retrieve is valued over ‘the right answer’. |
| Hands-down questioning (Question → pause → name) | Ask, wait 3–5 seconds, then invite a student by name. | Protected think time; wider participation beyond the quickest hands. |
| Oracy (talk partners) | Structured partner talk with sentence stems and rotating roles. | Every voice rehearsed, heard and valued; confidence and precision to share ideas increases. |
Checking all for understanding |
Mini-whiteboards, exit tickets, “show me” checks—then adjust teaching. | Everyone’s thinking counts; mistakes become next steps, not labels. My teacher is paying attention to my progress. |
Make them routine
Belonging grows when school feels reliable: steady relationships, clear expectations, visible support, fair access. That happens when our best strategies run as predictable routines. Predictability lowers anxiety, frees working memory and signals a way in… every lesson.
Let’s take a popular strategy like the Do Now — a 2–3 minute starter students begin immediately on entry. Four quick steps:
- On screen before entry: three retrieval questions (last lesson / last week / last month).→ students walk in knowing what’s expected. The clarity signals: “There’s a place for me here.”
- Students get straight to work: 2 minutes of quiet thinking and recording answers.→ Everyone has something they can attempt. Early wins show: “I can do this.”
- Teacher scan: circulates, glances at responses, offers a quick prompt or encouragement, and notes who might need support.→ The teacher is paying attention; my thinking matters.
- Whole-class spotlight: share one item together; mistakes are treated as part of the process.→ Errors aren’t labels; they’re part of learning. Students feel safe to take risks.
Same time, same steps, every day: the routine creates early wins and builds academic belonging.
Leaders set the tone
When a school leader models real attention—and builds systems so every adult does the same—students sense they matter. In the lesson, they run a simple test: Can I see what “good” looks like? Do I have a fair shot at producing it here? Is someone paying attention to my thinking? Good design lets them answer yes, yes, and yes.
So leaders, If belonging is an initiative in your school, make sure the strategies you model in professional development build belonging socially and academically. It’s not either/or — both matter.
Further Reading
- Keyes, T. S. (2019). Factors that promote classroom belonging and engagement among high school students. School Community Journal, 29(1), 171–200. (Student interviews highlighting the importance of trust, supportive participation, and error-as-learning.) Link
- Lawrie, S. I., Carter, D., et al. (2025). A tale of two belongings: Social and academic belonging differentially shape academic and psychological outcomes among university students. Frontiers in Psychology. Link
- Walton, G. M., & Cohen, G. L. (2007). A question of belonging: Race, social fit, and achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(1), 82–96. Link
- Whitman, G. (2024). Setting the Conditions for Learning: Why Belonging and Great Teaching Always Matter. Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning. Link
Why schools need to address anti-LGBT bullying
Written by Eleanor Formby
Eleanor Formby (she/her) is Professor of Sociology and Youth Studies at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She has 25 years’ experience in (predominantly qualitative) social research and evaluation, and for nearly 20 years her work has focussed on the life experiences of LGBT+ people. Eleanor has written numerous articles in these areas and is the author of Exploring LGBT spaces and communities.
Next month will see Anti-Bullying Week (November 10-14), and Sheffield Hallam University research highlights that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) young people are still at risk of being bullied at school.
The study is the largest of its kind ever conducted in England, with over 61,000 pupils and staff from 853 schools taking part. It focused specifically on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying—i.e. that directed at people because of their actual or assumed sexual or gender identity—and on LGBT inclusion in schools.
It’s often assumed that ‘progress’—thinking particularly about LGBT rights—is a steady march forward, and to be fair, the past 25 years have seen significant changes for LGBT people in the UK. In 2015, the UK was ranked number one on the ILGA-Europe rainbow map, which rates 49 European countries on the basis of laws and policies that directly impact on LGBT people’s human rights. Around the same time, the UK government invested over £6 million in efforts to prevent and respond to HBT bullying in schools, which included our research. The year our research finished, the Government announced that relationships and sex education (RSE) would become compulsory in English secondary schools—and that it should include LGBT content. For a while, there was reason to feel cautiously optimistic.
But things began to change.
Despite commissioning our research, the Conservative government delayed releasing the findings for five years—an unprecedented move. The study was only published after a change in government.
During this period, rhetoric from the government became increasingly hostile, particularly towards trans people. In April 2025, a high-profile supreme court ruling on gender was followed by a controversial ‘interim update’ from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. In the 2025 ILGA-Europe rainbow map the UK dropped to 22nd place—we’re now the second worst country for LGBT-related laws in Western Europe and Scandinavia.
Recently the government has also revised its guidance on RSE, with reduced references to trans people (just once in a subheading). It explicitly states that schools “should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity”, and “should avoid materials that… encourage pupils to question their gender”. This language echoes Section 28—the infamous law that, until 2003, banned local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” and prevented schools from teaching the “acceptability of homosexuality”.
Against this backdrop, a new book demonstrates that HBT (homophobic, biphobic and transphobic) bullying is still happening—but also that schools can make a difference.
Our findings show that many schools respond to bullying after it happens, rather than trying to prevent it in the first place. In primary schools, efforts often focus on educating children about inappropriate language. Fewer schools are embedding HBT bullying prevention within everyday teaching, or in visible displays in school.
Where LGBT inclusion is happening, it often takes place in assemblies, or sometimes in secondary schools during PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) lessons, or in ‘drop-down days’ when normal lessons are suspended. In some primary schools, specific books are used.
There are also barriers, for example a lack of time and staff capacity available in schools, and a lack of funding to invest in resources, facilities or training to help do this work well. Some staff don’t feel supported by school leadership. Others worry about complaints from parents or uncertainty about what’s ‘age appropriate’. In the current context, these concerns and associated lack of confidence are likely to grow.
But when schools get it right, there is real impact, for instance LGBT pupils—and those with LGBT family members—feel safer and more understood. Others feel more able to ask questions about issues that confuse or concern them.
This is why it’s so concerning that the UK seems to be moving backwards. Instead of helping schools create more inclusive environments, recent guidance—and arguably the suppression of important research—risk making things worse for LGBT young people, and those with LGBT family members. Teachers are left uncertain about what they’re allowed to say or teach, and pupils may feel more isolated.
It’s difficult to understand why any government would risk children and young people’s wellbeing in this way.
As we prepare to mark Anti-Bullying Week, it’s important to remember that (to borrow from previous policy, seemingly long-forgotten) every child matters—and deserves to feel safe and included, so schools need to address anti-LGBT bullying. To make that a reality, we need to support schools—not leave them uncertain or under-resourced.
Why Intersectionality is the Future of ERGs
Written by Matthew Page
Intersectionality and Identity Consultant | Trustee at The Fostering Network | Transformative Coach | Speaker | Award Winning Lived Care Experienced Leader | Doggie Dad
In today’s dynamic and sometimes challenging landscape, the conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have never been more critical. We’re seeing a shift, a recalibration, and in some corners, even a fear of engaging with DEI initiatives. Yet, it’s precisely in this environment that the power of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) becomes even more pronounced. However, if ERGs are to truly thrive and deliver on their promise, they must embrace a crucial concept: intersectionality.
For too long, ERGs have often operated in silos. We have a Women’s ERG, a BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) ERG, an LGBTQ+ ERG, a Disability ERG, and so forth. Each group does incredibly important work within its specific remit, advocating for its members and fostering a sense of community. But imagine the amplified impact if these groups, rather than standing alone, could discover their shared struggles and collective strengths.
This is where intersectionality isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the glue. It’s the understanding that individuals hold multiple identities that intersect and overlap, creating unique experiences of both privilege and disadvantage. The term was originally coined by American legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. She used it to highlight the “double discrimination” faced by Black women, who often experienced both racism and sexism but found that the legal system at the time couldn’t address the combined effects of the two.
My work is all about introducing people to this basic, yet profoundly powerful, principle. I help ERGs recognise that while their specific focus is vital, there are countless threads that connect them. When a Women’s ERG and a BAME ERG realise they are both fighting for equitable pay, or when a Disability ERG and an LGBTQ+ ERG discover shared ground in advocating for inclusive language, that’s when the magic happens.
Pulling various ERGs together through the power of intersectionality is something I’m seeing time and time again, and it’s truly powerful in the current climate. We should all be working and fighting the cause in a much more united way, shouldn’t we? This collective approach not only strengthens the impact of each individual ERG but also fosters a more inclusive and understanding workplace culture for everyone. It moves us beyond a ‘them and us’ mentality towards a ‘we’ that is far more resilient and effective.
My journey to understanding the profound importance of identity and belonging began in a very personal way. Growing up in foster care, I had no real sense of my own identity. I was told my father, whom I had never met, was from Jamaica, which was the extent of my knowledge about my roots. It wasn’t until I took part in the TV show DNA Family Secrets that my world truly opened up. The show discovered that my family actually originated from the Seychelles – a revelation that completely shifted my understanding of who I am and where I come from. This personal experience of uncovering my intersecting identities, and the sense of belonging it brought, deeply informs my passion for helping others find theirs within organisations.
I have the privilege of working with fantastic organisations like NatWest, Transport for London, and the British Transport Police, guiding their ERGs through this journey. We explore how to break down those silos, build bridges between groups, and harness the collective power of their diverse members. The results are not just theoretical; they are tangible shifts towards more unified advocacy, greater mutual support, and a more robust, future-proof approach to DEI.
Intersectionality isn’t just the future of ERGs; it’s the pathway to a more inclusive, empathetic, and ultimately, a more effective workplace for all. Let’s unite, understand, and empower one another.
Celebrating ESEA Heritage Month: Building belonging for every student – and why it matters right now
Written by Yasmina Koné
Yasmina is Deputy Lead of Hemisphere Education, a multi award-winning platform improving racial and cultural literacy in schools. She’s spearheading Hemisphere’s adoption in the UK, building partnerships with leading schools, education partnerships and multi academy trusts. Prior to Hemisphere, Yasmina held senior roles at one of London’s top 10 start-ups, Beam, and Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance. Profiled by the BBC and The Lawyer, her work has also led her to speak in Parliament. She combines strategic acumen with a commitment to social justice and is passionate about the education sector’s role in creating a more inclusive society.
Originally shared by Hemisphere in the HMC blog on 18/09/2025.
School shapes our values. They’re places where young people learn how to treat one another, how to build community, how to agree and disagree respectfully, and how to challenge prejudice when they see it. At a time when division dominates the headlines, schools can help to foster understanding and empathy, creating safety and belonging.
With East and South East Asian Heritage Month underway and Black History Month around the corner, this is a timely opportunity to help every student to feel that they belong.
“Having exposure [to cultural celebrations] helps me to see people who are from the same background as me and feel less like the odd one out… [it helps me see] that it’s normal to celebrate these events and that I can be proud of them.” Source: Hemisphere research, 2024
This is what belonging feels like: being seen, celebrated, included and proud of who you are. Research consistently highlights four key areas where belonging makes a measurable difference to outcomes:
- Attainment: Pupils who feel they belong are more motivated, engaged, and achieve stronger grades.
- Wellbeing: Belonging boosts self-esteem and resilience while supporting better mental health.
- Attendance: Pupils with a sense of belonging are less likely to disengage, miss school, or drop out.
- Harm reduction: Belonging protects against bullying and social exclusion, helping pupils feel safe and valued.
Source: “School Belonging: A Literature Review” (March 2024). Commissioned by the National Children’s Bureau and conducted by researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London. A review of international and UK-based evidence on school belonging that synthesises research on how belonging is defined, measured, and influenced.
Belonging isn’t built by policy alone; it comes from understanding the specific experiences of different pupil groups. Small changes in everyday practice can make a powerful difference to pupils’ sense of belonging.
Hemisphere’s latest programme explores how you can support students of Chinese ethnicity to feel that they belong. The British Chinese population encompasses vast cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and generational differences. It includes people descended from mainland China, Hong Kong (‘Hong Kongers’), South East Asia, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. People who were born in the UK, and people who migrated here.
We share key insights from our research – and the simple actions you and your staff can take – below.
Research insights: Chinese heritage
While Chinese children are one of the highest achieving groups in the UK, they also face high levels of racist abuse and stereotyping. 86% of the students we interviewed had experienced racist banter and jokes. 41% told us that they felt overlooked by teachers who they thought assumed they were “fine” because of their ethnicity. “Positive” stereotyping can conceal real issues and result in unmet needs.
Here are three actions every member of staff can take to support Chinese students:
- Challenge assumptions: tackle the “model minority” myth so that no child’s needs are hidden behind stereotypes.
- Get to know the children you teach: take time to understand each child as an individual and recognise the diversity within the UK’s Chinese community.
- Strengthen representation: ensure your curriculum and resources reflect all pupils’ identities positively, so every child can see themselves in the classroom.
To support schools, we’ve created a one-minute clip from our film on the history of Chinese Britons. Understanding how this heritage is woven into our national story makes it easy to see why representation matters – and how recognising it can transform a pupil’s sense of belonging.
Watch this clip, read more about the actions you can take, and download a resource to share with colleagues here.
Schools that invest in belonging are investing in better outcomes both in and outside the classroom: stronger academic results, better wellbeing and relationships, wider opportunities – and a more cohesive, inclusive society.