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.
Racism is a Safeguarding Issue: Education as a Safe Haven
Written by Chloe Watterston
Chloe is an educator, athlete, and advocate for inclusive, curiosity-driven learning, dedicated to creating spaces where every young person feels safe, valued, and empowered. Her work across mainstream and SEND education, community projects, and curriculum reform is driven by a passion for amplifying marginalised voices and breaking down barriers to learning.
Schools often pride themselves on being safe spaces, yet for many students, they are anything but. Racism in education is not simply a matter of representation or curriculum – it is a safeguarding issue. Children are being radicalised online, marginalised in classrooms, and silenced when they try to speak out. Ignoring racism doesn’t protect students; it perpetuates harm.
When we talk about safeguarding, we picture child protection protocols, online safety lessons, and anti-bullying strategies. But racism is rarely given the same urgency, often treated as a ‘behavioural’ problem rather than a threat to wellbeing. This omission has consequences. Experiencing racism is traumatic: it damages mental health, erodes self-worth, and disrupts learning. And when schools fail to act, they can become complicit in further harm.
We should be challenged to confront that denial and reframe anti-racism as a fundamental safeguarding duty. Decolonising the curriculum isn’t about adding diverse content – it’s about telling the truth: truth about the roots of white supremacy, about global histories and contributions, and about the systemic barriers that harm marginalised children daily.
When schools silence conversations or refuse to acknowledge racism, they create unsafe spaces. Anti-racist practice must become part of safeguarding training, staff culture, and classroom discussions. Students should never feel their identity is ‘too political’ to discuss or their experiences are ignored.
The Scale of the Problem
The numbers are stark:
- In 2019, the NSPCC reported that incidents of racial abuse and racist bullying of children had risen by a fifth within four years.
- In 2021, the Guardian reported that UK schools recorded 60,177 racist incidents in a five-year period (Anti-bullying Alliance)
- A 2020 World Economic Forum report found 95% of young Black British people have witnessed racist language in education. (Forum)
- According to the Department for Education, Black Caribbean pupils are up to three times more likely to be excluded than their white peers (gov.uk).
Yet, many schools still treat racist incidents as isolated behaviour problems rather than safeguarding red flags.
Why Racism is a Safeguarding Concern
- Radicalisation Risk: Extremism targets isolated, angry, or vulnerable children, grooming them with online narratives that can spread through classrooms.
- Chronic Trauma: Racism’s impact isn’t a one-off bruise – it creates long-term psychological harm, raising rates of anxiety, depression, and physical health issues.
- Unsafe Environments: When students see racism dismissed or ignored, they stop reporting it. Silence doesn’t mean equality; it signals danger.
A child who doesn’t feel safe being themselves is not safeguarded. Schools must explicitly name racism in safeguarding policies and act with urgency.
Moving Beyond Performative Action
Assemblies and diversity displays are not enough. Anti-racist practice must be embedded into school culture. Senior leaders should model vulnerability, showing staff and students that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable when confronting prejudice. Teachers must be empowered to respond to racism confidently, while safeguarding teams must be trained to treat racist abuse with the same seriousness as other forms of harm.
Practical Steps for Schools & Teachers
- Embed Anti-Racism in Safeguarding Training
- Include racist bullying, harassment, and microaggressions in safeguarding protocols.
- Train staff on how to document, escalate, and resolve cases effectively.
- Create Anonymous Reporting Channels
- Allow students to report racism through secure, anonymous forms or ‘trusted adult’ programs.
- Ensure reporting leads to visible action to build trust.
- Audit School Culture and Discipline
- Analyse sanctions, exclusions, and behaviour logs for racial bias.
- Survey students on whether they feel safe and valued.
- Actively Celebrate Identity
- Representation shouldn’t be tokenistic or restricted to a single month. Displays, assemblies, and lessons should celebrate diversity all year round.
- Partner with Communities
- Collaborate with local advocacy groups, parents, and faith leaders to create a united, culturally competent safeguarding network.
Long-Term Steps to Discuss and Implement
- Mandatory Racial Literacy and Trauma-Informed Training
- Establish ongoing professional development for all staff, governors, and leadership teams.
- Include practical anti-bias strategies, restorative approaches, and equity-based leadership skills.
- Curriculum Reform and Decolonisation
- Conduct curriculum audits to identify gaps, Eurocentric bias, and opportunities to embed global histories and diverse voices across all subjects.
- Create working groups that include teachers, students, and parents to co-develop inclusive resources.
- Embed Equity into School Policies
- Ensure behaviour, uniform, and attendance policies are reviewed annually for cultural bias.
- Introduce an anti-racism charter, making equity a measurable school-wide goal.
- Equitable Recruitment and Retention
- Develop strategies to hire and support staff from marginalised backgrounds.
- Introduce mentorship programs and leadership pipelines to diversify senior leadership teams.
- Student Voice and Leadership Structures
- Formalise pupil-led diversity and equity councils with genuine decision-making power.
- Include students in policy discussions, curriculum planning, and cultural initiatives.
- Partnerships with Universities and Cultural Organisations
- Collaborate with museums, archives, and community-led organisations to integrate local and hidden histories into learning.
- Use these partnerships to expand professional development opportunities for staff.
- Data-Driven Accountability
- Track racial disparities in exclusions, attainment, and access to enrichment opportunities.
- Publish anonymised annual reports to maintain transparency and measure progress.
- Wellbeing Infrastructure
- Create a system of proactive pastoral care to address the emotional toll of racism on students and staff.
- Offer external counselling, mentoring, and safe spaces for reflection and healing.
Authors, Poets & Works to Teach
Bringing diverse voices into the curriculum is a powerful anti-racist action. Consider introducing:
- Akala – Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (critical nonfiction for older students).
- Kayo Chingonyi – Kumukanda, a tender and nostalgic collection exploring Black identity, masculinity, and heritage.
- Malorie Blackman – Noughts & Crosses series, a compelling exploration of racism and justice.
- Claudia Rankine – Citizen, poetry that captures microaggressions and systemic inequality.
- Dean Atta – The Black Flamingo, a verse novel celebrating identity and self-expression.
- Benjamin Zephaniah – Poems such as The British, exploring multiculturalism and belonging.
- Patrice Lawrence – Orangeboy, a gripping novel about youth identity, loyalty, and race in the UK.
Did You Know?
Britain’s multicultural history long predates Windrush:
- John Blanke: A Black trumpeter in Henry VIII’s court, documented in royal artwork and paid a musician’s wage in the 1500s.
- Mary Prince: The first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain (1831), a pivotal voice in the abolition movement.
- Walter Tull: One of Britain’s first Black professional footballers and the first Black officer to lead white troops in WWI.
These stories remind us that diversity isn’t new – it is woven into Britain’s history.
Call for Support
Safeguarding means every child feels safe to exist as themselves. Parents, governors, and communities need to be part of this conversation. Anti-racism is not a ‘school initiative’; it goes beyond the gates. Schools should partner with grassroots organisations, listen to marginalised voices, and build trust that extends into families and local communities.
The stakes are too high to ignore. Racism must be treated with the same gravity as abuse or neglect, because its effects can be just as devastating. Schools are in a unique position to interrupt these cycles by becoming proactive, empathetic, and brave. Yet, policymakers must back this with funding, training, and clear frameworks, but every teacher already has the power to make a difference:
- Believe students when they share their experiences.
- Advocate for systemic change.
- Build safe, inclusive spaces where every voice is valued.
Schools are uniquely placed to break cycles of harm, disrupt extremism, and model empathy for the next generation.
A motto to guide your practice after this reading: Safety is not silence; true safeguarding starts with uncomfortable truth.
Belonging in the Classroom: responding to a divided world
Written by Zahara Chowdhury
Zahara is founder and editor of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, a platform that explores a range of topics helping students, teachers and parents on how to ‘adult well’, together. She is a DEI lead across 2 secondary schools and advises schools on how to create positive and progressive cultures for staff and students. Zahara is a previous Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Education and Wellbeing Consultant.
It’s a Sunday morning—my favourite time of the week. Coffee in hand (with collagen and creatine, of course), I wander around the house while the kids are already asking for ice cream, Lego time, and the TV (yes, it’s only 8am). Usually, this part of the day comes with a little doom-scrolling, some memes, and a few oddly satisfying cleaning videos. But today feels different.
As I scroll, I’m pulled into two completely different worlds. On Instagram, images from Tommy Robinson’s Unite The Nation march flood my feed. The night before, I found myself double-checking the doors and windows—just in case. On LinkedIn, meanwhile, notifications are pinging from the brilliant Anti-Racism Conference, hosted by The Black Curriculum and Belonging Effect. Two events. Same time. Same city. Entirely different realities.
It’s hard to put into words what many of us—especially those who are ‘othered’—are carrying right now. When I speak to friends and colleagues, the feelings range from sadness and fear to resilience, resistance, and even indifference. For me, the world feels both tragic and surreal. I’m tired and frustrated. But I’m also hopeful.
One book that always grounds me is The Courage of Compassion by Robin Steinberg. It reminds us that courage means listening deeply, even to those who are different from us—or against us—and meeting that difference with compassion.
And yet, there’s an uncomfortable truth here. Too often, minoritised communities are expected to model empathy and moral “goodness,” as if our belonging depends on it. That expectation is unfair. Still, when I think about it, many of us would still choose courage, compassion, and calm clarity—because that’s who we are.
Yesterday’s conference reaffirmed why education matters so much in moments like this. Now more than ever, educators, schools, and communities need to unite and connect. This isn’t just about curriculum—it’s about safeguarding, wellbeing, and ensuring every student feels safe, included, and able to thrive.
How Schools Can Respond
Address the elephant in the room.
Some students and staff will feel anxious or upset about the march. Others may feel proud. Many won’t have noticed at all. But silence sends the wrong message. Even if only a few people are directly affected, everyone benefits when schools acknowledge what’s happening.
David Hermitt, former MAT CEO, once told me: teachers, at their core, want to do the right thing. They care about their students and about society. That care means opening the conversation.
You might:
- Share a short message with tutors, acknowledging the march and reiterating your school values—respect, inclusion, safety.
- Create space for discussion, whether through tutor time or optional drop-in sessions.
- Adapt to your context—no one knows your students better than you.
Keep parents in the loop
A simple message goes a long way. Reassure families that student safety remains your priority. Remind them of your school values. Invite them to share concerns—listening to parental voice is valuable, even if it feels daunting.
Harness parental representation
Cultural representation in schools makes a lasting difference. Pamela Aculey-Kosminsky recalls her mum coming into school in traditional Ghanaian dress, sharing food and heritage. My own mum did the same, later becoming a governor. These grassroots connections build community in powerful ways.
Connect with community leaders
Reach out to local faith leaders, organisers, and community champions. They can humanise difficult issues, counter misinformation, and build bridges between groups.
Invest in staff confidence
Staff need space to prepare for conversations around race, politics, and inclusion. It’s not always easy to make room for CPD, but it pays off in the long run—both for teachers and students.
Finding Hope in Difficult Times
The world feels overwhelming: the Unite The Nation march, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, violence in Sudan and Congo, the murder of Charlie Kirk, the sexual assault and attack on a Sikh woman told she “does not belong,” ICE raids, the memory of George Floyd and Sarah Everard. It feels dystopian.
But maybe hope isn’t naïve. On a global scale, things feel broken. But on a local scale, in our schools and communities, we still have power. We can create safe, compassionate spaces, even when the world feels anything but.
If you’re wondering where to start, here are a few resources that can help:
- https://amzn.eu/d/2Y6BY9e (The Diverse Curriculum)
- https://amzn.eu/d/adrYCr5 (Creating Belonging in the Classroom)
- https://amzn.eu/d/h35uFpN (what do you think?)
This is an ongoing conversation and work we need to do collaboratively. If you have any resources or best practice examples, please share them. If you have questions or need support, please reach out—we are here to support, advise, or simply to have a chat.
Championing Diversity Through Literature: Our Pioneering Journey with Lit in Colour
Written by Gemma Hathaway
EDI Trust Lead for Inspire Education Trust, Assistant Headteacher at Blue Coat School Coventry.
At Blue Coat School Coventry, our partnership with Penguin and Pearson through the Lit in Colour project has been transformational. It has reimagined how we engage with English literature, ensuring that the stories we teach truly reflect the diversity of the world our students live in.
As the EDI Trust Lead (Inspire Education Trust), I have been privileged to work alongside the English department in this pioneering project. It’s been about more than simply adding new books to the curriculum — it’s been about fostering a deeper, more authentic approach to inclusion. Through this project, we have embraced the belief that literature has the power to validate identities, open minds, and create communities rooted in understanding and empathy.
Choosing The Empress
As part of Lit in Colour, we made the bold decision to teach Tanika Gupta’s powerful book The Empress at GCSE. Set against the backdrop of British colonial history, the play explores the relationships between Queen Victoria, Abdul Karim, and Rani Das, a young ayah from India.
Choosing The Empress was a courageous move — it challenged traditional literary choices and brought forward voices that have too often been marginalised. As a school community, we knew this would be a bold step, but one that was absolutely necessary.
Shaped by Broader Conversations
Our journey has not happened in isolation. The work of organisations like Diverse Educators, Equaliteach, and the ASCL EDI sub-groups has played a huge part in supporting us to approach this work with authenticity and integrity. Through dialogue, training, and collaboration, we’ve deepened our understanding that genuine change requires courage, reflection, and a commitment to ongoing learning. We have proudly embraced the idea that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable at times — because that discomfort signals that something meaningful is shifting.
Recognition and Gratitude
It was an incredible honour when Pearson recognised Blue Coat School as a Bronze Winner in the ‘Making a Difference’ category of their national awards. This accolade celebrates schools that have gone above and beyond in driving positive change — and it felt like a powerful acknowledgement of the journey we have been on.
We are so grateful to Pearson, Penguin, and the Lit in Colour team for their partnership and encouragement. Their support has allowed us to be bold, to innovate, and to centre pupil voice in every aspect of decision making.
Looking Ahead
But this is only the beginning. We are excited about the ripple effect this work is already creating — not just within our own school, but across the wider education community.
We are currently working with Tanika Gupta to explore adapting The Empress for a live stage production, offering students an even richer, more immersive experience. It’s another way to bring these powerful stories to life, allowing young people to step into the characters’ shoes and truly understand their journeys.
In May, we will be attending a national celebration event in London, where schools from across the country will gather to continue raising the voices of authors who deserve a platform within our curriculums. We hope to encourage other Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and schools to review their English curriculums with bravery and vision — to be bold in asking: Whose stories are we telling? And whose voices are we still missing?
At Blue Coat, we believe that every student deserves to see themselves in the stories they study. Through projects like Lit in Colour, we are building a future where every voice matters — and where literature truly belongs to us all.
References:
To Belong Is Not Enough: Why We Must Move Towards Mattering
Written by Mohamed Abdallah
With almost two decades of experience, Mohamed started his journey in youth work and pupil referral units before spearheading groundbreaking inclusive practices and systems as a leader in an 'Outstanding' all-through mainstream school. Driven by a relentless commitment to positive change, Mohamed now dedicates his efforts to collaborating with school leaders across the nation as the Head of the Inclusive Leadership Course at The Difference.
“No one would care if I weren’t here.”
I can remember the words hitting me hard. As Designated Safeguarding Lead there were immediate red flags, but on a human level it broke my heart.
100% attendance, great progress, and never in trouble. On paper he belonged – but in reality he thought nobody cared.
Across the country, I hear the language of belonging increasingly referenced in discussions about student engagement, wellbeing, and success. And I welcome it. It’s a refreshing shift in our narrative about the student experience.
Still, something didn’t feel right. Then, it clicked.
It is not enough to simply belong; you should also matter.
My experience has shown me that a student can belong to a school community without ever feeling that their presence or contributions truly matter. A friend recently shared a US study with me that revealed a surprising finding: a sense of ‘belonging’ to a school community did not significantly affect academic performance. But instead there were other factors that determined success, such as participation and self regulated learning.
Think about it this way: You belong to a gym, but do the regulars know your name? You belong to a workplace, but do your ideas shape the way things are done? You belong to a school, but when you are absent, is there a noticeable void?
Mattering is more than belonging to a place or a community; it is about your significance.
One of the most prominent academic advocates for mattering is the US community psychologist Isaac Prilleltensky. He argues that developing a strong sense of mattering depends on two things: feeling you are valued, and feeling that you add value – whether that be within your workplace, your community, your family, or your friendship group. In the UK, my good friend Luke Billingham has been one of the most influential thinkers and writers on young people and mattering.
The Three Components of Mattering in Schools
After multiple voice notes back and forth, Luke and I sat down to discuss this matter (see what I did there!), and we asked:
If a student stopped coming to school tomorrow, would they feel like their absence was noticed?
Does every student have positive and affirming relationships with peers and at least one adult?
Are students actively shaping the school environment, or are they simply complying with expectations?
These questions helped us think more deeply about mattering. Of course, students should belong. But would we be satisfied as school leaders with 100% attendance, high attainment, and zero suspensions, yet students still told us, “No one would care if I weren’t here”?
They should feel they matter.
Reflecting on our experiences in different schools, Luke and I identified some key factors which we think enable students to develop mattering; Voice, Relationships, and Participation.
- Voice: Too often, schools claim to prioritise student voice while keeping real decision-making at the leadership level. But voice is not just about being heard. Schools must embed student experience and perspectives into decision-making, not just through surveys, but by creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and change. Even when student perspectives challenge us, they offer uncomfortable truths we must engage with. When students see their input shape school culture, they matter.
- Relationships: A student might belong to a school, but do they have relationships that affirm their worth? Schools could cultivate opportunities for positive peer relationships to create strong social bonds, and to ensure every student has at least one trusted adult. Relationships built on trust and recognition, and environments where students feel valued and connected.
- Participation: Mattering isn’t just about feeling noticed, it’s about feeling needed. Students need opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their school communities. This goes beyond enrichment clubs; it means ensuring that students are actively shaping their environments. Whether through student-led campaigns, or engaging with the local community, authentic participation allows students to see their impact.
Why Mattering Matters for Inclusion
I worry that belonging is being used as a catch-all solution for inclusion, or dare I say it, a form of soft inclusion. For many students from marginalised backgrounds, belonging can feel conditional. They may be required to turn up, but do they feel like their presence and identity are essential? Do they see themselves reflected in the curriculum? Are their voices shaping school systems? Are their experiences acknowledged and valued?
Mattering addresses these questions by ensuring that students are not just included, but recognised as integral members of their schools. For students from underrepresented backgrounds, the feeling of mattering can be a protective factor against marginalisation and disengagement.
If we stop at belonging, we risk creating schools where students exist but don’t thrive, they comply but are disengaged, are included but unseen. The real challenge for schools isn’t just inclusion. It’s significance. Instead of asking, ‘Do our students belong?’ ask, ‘Do they know they matter?’
World Book Day 2025
Written by Robert Davies
Rob Davies is Associate Assistant Headteacher at Calderstones School in Liverpool. This role involves leading on anti-racism in education, sharing practical strategies, reflections, and initiatives to create a more inclusive, representative, and equitable school. He shares insights on decolonising the curriculum, diversifying reading materials, and fostering anti-racist practices in schools.
Another year, another World Book Day—same costumes, same characters. Harry and Hermione? Check. Little Red Riding Hood? Of course. The Gruffalo? Naturally. And let’s not forget Mrs. Trunchbull, stomping through the halls. Sound familiar? Thought so.
But here’s the thing—World Book Day can be so much more. It’s time to move beyond the usual suspects and reimagine it through a truly diverse lens. Let’s make it an event where every student sees themselves in the stories we celebrate.
Every year, World Book Day celebrates the magic of stories. But whose stories are we telling? Who do they inspire? When books and characters overwhelmingly reflect white, middle-class experiences, whose voices are missing? Are we selecting a diverse range of books that offer all children equitable opportunities to see themselves?
If not, isn’t it just Book Day?
At its core, World Book Day aims to “promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.” But if we fail to approach it through an anti-racist lens, are we truly serving all students?
The Representation Gap in Children’s Books
In the UK, 33.5% of school-aged children come from ethnic minority backgrounds. Yet, between 2017 and 2019, only 7% of children’s books featured characters from these cultures—and just 5% had a Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic main character.
Research shows that when children see themselves in books, it shapes their sense of identity and possibility.
Despite limited representation, excellent books exist that help students feel seen, foster belonging, and cultivate a love of reading. But do schools actively seek them out?
The issue goes beyond just introducing diverse books. What if teachers haven’t read them, or don’t understand their significance?
Whose culture has capital?
With a predominantly white teaching workforce (Runnymede Trust, 2020), how often is World Book Day shaped through an anti-racist lens? One of the biggest motivators for reading is emotion—how books make us feel (Dungworth et al., 2004). Naturally, educators promote books that resonated with them in childhood, shaped by their own experiences.
If most books being championed reflect the same narrow cultural perspectives, what message does that send? Who do these books inspire—and who gets left out?
Research further supports this. More children from ethnic minority backgrounds than white backgrounds say they don’t see themselves in what they read (40% vs. 30.5%), with Black students feeling this most acutely.
Making It a World Book Day
If World Book Day is to truly reflect all students, schools must take active steps to make it more inclusive. That’s exactly what we did at Calderstones School this year.
As one of Liverpool’s largest secondary comprehensive schools, diversity is our strength. But we recognised that World Book Day needed to reflect that diversity, ensuring all students felt represented and engaged.
So, we embraced the ‘world’ in World Book Day. We focused on books and authors from a variety of cultures and languages, fostering conversations about students’ mother tongues and cultural backgrounds.
We collaborated with Greenbank Primary School and Leeds Beckett University to involve primary school students and Global Ambassadors. Together, they read books from their home countries in their native languages—including Arabic, Basque, Farsi, French, Greek, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Urdu, and more.
By showcasing this linguistic and cultural diversity, we highlighted the vital importance of representation in education. The readings were recorded, edited, and shared on the school’s social media. The response? Overwhelmingly positive. For many in our community, this was the first time their language and heritage were visibly celebrated in school.
How to Rethink World Book Day in Your School
If we are serious about delivering a truly inclusive World Book Day, here’s lets start with the following: 1. Move Beyond the Same Old Costumes
Rather than dressing up as characters from GCSE texts, consider why these books dominate the curriculum. Less than 1% of GCSE students study a book by a writer of colour—so why reproduce that marginalisation on World Book Day?
- Conduct a Student Voice
Ask students:
- What books would you love to explore?
- Do you see your culture and heritage reflected in the school library?
- What stories are missing from the shelves?
- Use these insights to shape book selections and discussions.
- Explore Translated Literature
Many beloved English books originated in other languages—Pinocchio was originally Italian. What other global stories could students discover? World Book Day can be an opportunity to highlight the rich traditions of storytelling from around the world.
Final Thought: A Call to Action
By embracing the ‘world’ in World Book Day, we made it more meaningful for our students. This is a step in the right direction—but it can’t stop here. Schools must challenge traditional reading lists, elevate diverse voices, and ensure that every child sees themselves in the stories they read.
We can’t diversify the teaching workforce overnight, but we can broaden our thinking. We must ensure that we view events like World Book Day through an anti-racist lens.
Because if World Book Day doesn’t include all stories, is it really World Book Day at all?
Inclusive Recruitment: 20 Tips to Consider
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder and Director of the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators).
‘Diversifying Recruitment’ and ‘Inclusive Recruitment’ are two terms that we often hear being mentioned frequently in education circles, but what is the difference in approach?
Diverse or diversifying suggests the focus is on finding diverse candidates. Inclusive or ‘inclusifying’ (phrase coined by Professor Paul Miller which we have adopted) suggests the focus is instead on including diverse candidates. A subtle and nuanced difference which makes the commitment more authentic and meaningful for all parties.
As fans of Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ from his TED Talk: ‘Start With Why’, we would suggest that you start in your thinking and in your discussions as an educational employer, by using the model (Golden Circle = Why > How > What) to map out and align the purpose of recruiting differently.
Example 1:
- Why do we want to diversify our staff body?
- How diverse is our community and how does this compare to our various stakeholder groups?
- What impact/ legacy are we striving for by diversifying our staff?
Example 2:
- Why do we want to make our recruitment process more inclusive?
- How inclusive are our existing policies, processes and practices?
- What is the impact of a more inclusive approach to our recruitment and to our workplace?
The clarity of understanding what we are trying to change and why we are trying to change it, is an important starting point in transforming how we do things. Moreover, becoming more conscious, confident and competent in identifying and removing/ reducing existing barriers facing candidates in the recruitment process is an ongoing training priority.
A shared understanding, a shared language and a shared approach will lead to a greater consistency in experience for all.
Some key language to consider and explore:
- ‘Unconscious bias’ – have we discussed this in advance of starting a recruitment process and have key stakeholders had training?
- ‘Glass ceiling’ – are we aware of where this sits above the women in education in the system and in our own organisation?
- ‘Concrete ceiling’ – are we aware of where this sits about the people of colour in education in the system and in our own organisation?
Moreover, have we discussed, are we values-aligned and do we have a strategic approach when it comes to topics such as flexible working and the pay gap?
We get asked a lot to support schools, colleges and trusts in their approach to recruitment, but the request is often too late in the process to make a real difference and to make changes meaningful. There are some quick wins you can make in the short term to create a more inclusive recruitment process and experience, but really this needs to be a medium to long term project and we need to be planning for Summer 2025 and Autumn 2025 activities to get us better prepared for the Spring 2026 recruitment.
Here are 20 tips to reflect on and discuss with colleagues:
Tip 1: Review the JD & PS – particularly look at what is down as being ‘desirable’ v ‘essential’ as some people will not apply if they do not meet all of the criteria. We are creating false barriers e.g. you must have the NASENCO or NPQH award to apply for this job is incorrect – they can be working towards it or start it once appointed.
Tip 2: Review the Job Advert – screen the wording for bias and especially review any gendered language. Some language choices will suggest only a certain type of candidate should apply e.g. for headship a leader ‘with gravitas’ might lead to more male candidates applying.
Tip 3: Articulate your DEIB Commitment – consider where in the initial documentation would a candidate know that you are on a DEIB journey and truly committed to change as an organisation. Do you have a DEIB statement that can be lifted and included? A policy and/ or a DEIB action plan that can be hyperlinked?
Tip 4: Share your Commitment to Flexible Working – research shows us that by mentioning an openness to flexible working you get an increase in applicants. Since the Flexible Working Bill was passed the system has had to consider flexible working as a recruitment tool as well as a retention tool. Make it explicit from the beginning of the process what might be possible so candidates do not waste your time and you do not waste their time either!
Tip 5: Consider where to Advertise – if we keep doing the same we will keep getting the same. Some Jobs Boards are very expensive and draw a certain audience. Diversifying where you are advertising can also lead to you finding more diverse candidates. E.g. for governance you can post adverts in special interest Linkedin groups and networks such as Black Governors Network.
Tip 6: Consider who is Sharing the Advert and where / to who – recruitment needs to become a team sport and not just the work of HR. If your staff are outward facing and are on socials, ask them to share opportunities with their networks. Push it beyond the immediate network around the organisation to find people beyond that.
Tip 7: Review the Application Form – you might already be doing all of the above and wondering why it is not working, but have you looked at the fields the candidate has to complete at application level and the information they have to read as often forms are out of date and undermine the DEIB work that is happening e.g. asking a question like What is your gender? With binary answers like M/F. How would someone trans or non-binary complete this question? How might this put off trans allies from applying too?
Tip 8: Review your ‘Shop Window’ – your organisation’s website and your social media accounts also need reviewing and updating so everything is harmonised. If you are saying in the call to action you are interested in hearing from diverse candidates who reflect the diversity of the local community, but your website imagery does not reflect this it creates dissonance. If the person running the social media accounts has not been briefed and is only amplifying white, male thought leaders and people who share exclusionary content online, this will contradict the DEIB commitment you have articulated and this will lead to further self deselection.
Tip 9: Create a ‘Blank’ Selection Process – lots of organisations pride themselves on running ‘blind’ recruitment processes. Consider how ableist this language is and how it might undermine your commitment to DEIB. Is there another way of sharing what you are doing to try to remove bias in the process from blanking out names, race, age, salaries and institutions candidates have worked/ studied at?
Tip 10: Diversify who is Involved in the Long and Short Listing Process – bias creeps in as soon as applicants start arriving. Different people reviewing and handling the applications will have their own biases around spelling, punctuation and grammar, around font choice and formatting, around language choices before you even start digging into the details. Consider who is involved in creating and applying the selection criteria and how you score the application.
Tip 11: Articulate in the Invitation to Interview what Support is Available – instead of waiting for diversity to wave at you and say ‘hey, I am different and need this from you…’ consider leading with what you can offer as adjustments and support, and share this with all candidates. E.g. On the day you will have access to allocated parking, a lift, a quiet room, a prayer room… we serve Halal food in our school kitchen. People will feel more comfortable confirming what they need to thrive at the interview, but this will also show all candidates that you are fully committed to inclusion.
Tip 12: Send out Interview Questions out in Advance – many institutions are now sending questions out in advance to support neurodivergent applicants with processing time. But this approach also benefits other candidates including those who are less confident, introverted or who have had some time out of the system. Everyone will perform better! There are concerns that people will cheat and use ChatGTP to craft responses but we will be able to identify a contrived response and interrogate further.
Tip 13: Create an Accessible and Inclusive Interview Experience – ensure the interview format, tasks and briefing documents are accessible for all candidates, thus removing any barriers. Build in a task or a question to check for values alignment to your organisational commitment to DEIB. Values tasks can be scenario-based but can also be sent out in advance to reflect on and prepare as a pre-task to share at the interview.
Tip 14: Consider all of the Candidate Touchstones – curate the range of people that the candidates will interact with at each point of the process from ringing up to book a visit, coming for a pre-interview tour, to the day itself and communications from the HR lead before, during and after. Where are the opportunities for candidates to see themselves and other diverse identities in the process?
Tip 15: Be Authentic and Honest, Avoid Being Performative – we get regular feedback from candidates that they appreciate transparency from prospective employers. If an organisation can identify and articulate their gaps/ shortcomings this acknowledges that they are aware of their gaps and they want to do better in representing the diversity of their community in the diversity of the staff body. We are also aware that some organisations use stock images of diverse staff and center a couple of children from marginalised identities in all of their marketing materials.
Tip 16: Close the Training Gaps for HR, SLT, Governors and Administrative Staff – creating a more inclusive approach to recruitment to diversify the staff, takes a lot of time and energy. This starts with identifying the training needs of all of the stakeholders potentially involved in recruitment. The DEIB training needs to be scheduled, in advance and form part of an ongoing commitment to upskilling all managers and leaders in HR matters to bring the people strategy to life. We know that we need Safer Recruitment training in place, wrap the DEIB and unconscious bias training around it.
Tip 17: Plan for Induction – finding and securing candidates is the start of the journey of onboarding new staff into your team to ensure they are included. As new staff are oriented into your ways of working, ensure that DEIB is a golden thread. Have a standardised DEIB session for line managers to deliver to all new staff at the start of each term, or get your DEIB lead to deliver it or pre-record it so everyone gets a consistent message.
Tip 18: Outline Development Opportunities – see the vacancy as an opportunity to showcase how you develop and nurture your staff. Find an opportunity at interview or in the interview documentation to share the talent management strategy and what CPD is on offer. This will inspire and motivate staff, and affirm that you invest in your staff including offering coaching and mentoring to empower them to have impact in their roles.
Tip 19: Focus on Retention as much as Recruitment – efforts are often focused on recruitment, but we also need to pay attention to staff retention. We need to regularly scrutinise and share our attrition data, identifying patterns and trends. If we are losing our mothers, how family-friendly is our school? If we are losing our neurodivergent staff, how neuro-inclusive are we? Exit interviews are too late to find out what is going on and what is going wrong, create feedback loops to listen and learn from staff surveys/ staff voice around levels of inclusion and belonging to make regular tweaks to the approach.
Tip 20: Give and Get Feedback from all of the Candidates – we hear from so many candidates who are not offered feedback following an interview, or who receive feedback that is not specific, constructive nor helpful for their development. Build into the process how feedback will be harvested and cascaded, see this as part of the value-add to all candidates but also as an opportunity to show your commitment to staff development. Also ask for feedback, be open to what worked and did not work to consider changes in future interview activities.
Our biggest advice is plan ahead and design for inclusion. These tips can all feed into a longer term piece of strategic work around your talent management process and people strategy. A strategic approach to inclusive recruitment and diversifying the workforce means we are focused on being proactive, preemptive and preventive instead of being reactive.
We have worked with some trusts where the training starts in May, the summer term is spent mapping milestones out with key stakeholders. The HR and recruitment team spend the summer period whilst schools are closed to review and update documentation. Then in the Autumn updates can be shared through meetings and training sessions for all stakeholders involved in recruitment. This means that our processes, policies, practices and people will be ready for the big push on recruitment from the Winter/ early Spring.
Our call to action is to be brave and to commit to doing things differently. This might include:
- Becoming more outward-facing as an organisation
- Creating a campaign about what it is like to work/ why you should consider working at the organisation
- Articulating your Employer’s Promise in multiple ways on your socials
- Growing the network around the organisation
- Holding recruitment days and open events for the organisation
- Hosting events and training to create a buzz around the organisation
- Keeping a pipeline of talent warm and informed about opportunities
For more information check out the following support and resources:
- Our Inclusive Recruitment Toolkit
- Our Inclusive Recruitment Training
- Our session on Inclusive Recruitment at the ASCL national conference
- Our #DiverseEd Jobs Board in partnership with Teacheroo
If you are an organisation who has already committed to using our #DiverseEd Jobs Board throughout 2025, we will be in touch regarding a free webinar to support you all in your inclusive recruitment efforts.
How we Made our School More Inclusive
Written by Kate Williamson
Kate (she/her) is a year 3 class teacher at Darras Hall Primary School. She founded and now leads the Diversity Council at the school where students from reception to year 6 come together to celebrate, support and even make recommendations for how the school can be more inclusive for all pupils.
Darras Hall Primary in Northumberland, England, won the Primary School Diversity Award from Just Like Us earlier this year. In the past two years, the school has been on a journey to transform its curriculum and provision to make it an inclusive and nurturing environment for children to celebrate their individuality and diversity. I’m Kate Williamson, Year 3 teacher and Diversity Council Lead, and I wanted to tell you how we used and incorporated Pop’n’Olly resources to support this.
Two years ago, at the beginning of our journey, we identified three main areas that we wanted to develop:
- Our staff’s knowledge
- Our children’s knowledge
- Our parents’ knowledge
Initially, we audited what the staff at Darras Hall already knew about the Equality Act and how to support diversity and inclusion. We also had very open and honest discussions about what training and support staff needed in order to feel more comfortable tackling issues regarding inequality, discrimination and prejudice and consequently, support our children and families.
The Pop’n’Olly resources, under the Teacher Training tab, provided a great starting point for having these discussions, making staff aware of negative/anti-LGBT+ language and introducing the Equality Act. They can be used for whole-staff training or you can nominate one member of your staff team to be your Diversity Champion and relay information to others. In our school, we opted to have two champions, in different key stages, so staff felt as though they could come and ask questions without fear or judgement.
We then created our Diversity Council. Children met every week where they discussed issues that had arisen, planned whole school assemblies around diverse topics and created helpful videos that were shared via the school’s social media. We used videos from the Pop’n’Olly YouTube channel to introduce big topics such as discrimination, inequality and gender expression in a child-appropriate way. Finally, the children took part in live assemblies and workshops to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support their peers.
More recently in our Diversity Council meetings, we have used the new book ‘Have You Ever Seen A Normal?’ to promote discussion around celebrating diversity and our differences, as well as introducing neurodivergent thinking (a short video on how we have used this text for children from Year 1 to Year 6 is coming soon!)
Books are a great way of opening up discussions and are a valuable resource when introducing topics to children. In our school library, we have an area that is dedicated to celebrating diversity and introducing the Protected Characteristics covered by The Equality Act 2010. These books are labelled with a rainbow sticker and we encourage children to take them home to share with parents and promote positive discussions around LGBT+ and other topics. The Pop’n’Olly books are fantastic at opening up these discussions and allowing children to see different people being represented.
We introduced Class Heroes where each class selected someone who they felt celebrated and overcame challenges and inspired them to do the same. This allowed children to learn about other individuals outside the parameters of the curriculum. Classes made posters and displayed them on their doors for other children to read and every few weeks a class created a whole school assembly about their individual. The Pop’n’Olly posters are a great starting point for choosing your hero!
Then, we included the parents in our work and the responses were only positive and supportive. Pop’n’Olly has a really useful free resource called ‘Discussions with Parents’ that details themes, the legal framework and the impact it has on children’s mental health which can help you when having those tricky conversations. Including some of these in your weekly newsletters or updating parents through your school’s social media can help make this part of a wider school ethos.
The impact this work has had on our children and families can be recognised through their ability to challenge, support and celebrate each other; they are able to confidently articulate their rights and call out negative behaviours that challenge our inclusive ethos. I attribute this to the work we have done as a school around Protected Characteristics and ensuring everyone has the right to belong. All staff have received training around the Protected Characteristics and inclusive language so are empowered to spot, report and support students. There is a shared responsibility, between staff and students, to maintain our ethos and that every individual at Darras Hall Primary School has the right to be their authentic self.
OUR TOP TIPS:
- Ensure that staff have been trained and everyone is on board with the work.
- Form a Diversity Council to ensure children’s voices are heard.
- Use books (marked with a rainbow sticker) to introduce the Protected Characteristics.
- Inspire children with Class Heroes who have overcome challenges.
- Involve parents through regular updates, newsletters and celebrations.