Curriculum

Diversity in children and young peoples’ reading

Written by Sarah Bagshaw-McCormick

Sarah Bagshaw-McCormick has 25 years experience in schools, professional development and leadership. She has spent the last 5 years working in teacher-education, with a focus on teacher and leader professional development as a learning designer. Over her career, Sarah has developed expertise in literacy, English, and school leadership. Throughout this work, Sarah finds and creates opportunities to embed and champion Social Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.

The global culture wars are busy creating division within and across communities. And, much too close to home, schools are banning books and removing them from the shelves of libraries for questionable reasons. Let’s reflect on why diversity in children’s reading is good.

For some time, following the events of 2020, schools, libraries and the publishing industry were making positive headway in diversifying the representation in books made available to children and young people. But in the last 12 months that has changed. The political landscape and divisive political narratives have had a tangible effect on the proportion of children’s books written by and featuring diverse characters (Inclusive Books for Children, 2025).

It is ironic that, in this national year of reading, I (and others) should have to make a case for considering and championing of diverse representation in texts. In this blog I will invite you to consider the role that diverse representation in texts can play in bringing us together and the benefits of diversity of representation in the texts read by all pupils.

Diversity of authorship and representation means books that are written by, and feature characters, experiences and places that encompass a diversity of experiences, cultures or backgrounds. This can include racially diverse writers and characters. It can include a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, encompassing different homes, such as flats, council houses or temporary accommodation, or it can include characters with disabilities, both learning and physical.

Reflection

Consider your own experiences of the world growing up and now. Is it easy for you to find books that feature characters like you, and experiences that are familiar to you?

Three decades ago, Sims-Bishop (1990) provided us with the analogy of books as mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors to describe the role that books can have in allowing children to see themselves in books, see others in books and enter whole new worlds through books. This is reinforced by more recent evidence, which suggests that narrative fiction has the potential to support young people to understand themselves and others. Let’s start by exploring the ideas of books as mirrors, windows and doors.

Mirrors

There is a power to seeing characters like you in print. Whether the thing you have in common is your age, gender identity, disability, home, or socio-economic status. Reading texts with central characters, events and settings that young readers relate to is important.

Relating to characters in stories make children feel seen, in being seen they feel important and find comfort in knowing that others are experiencing the same things as them (Santi, 2023). This empowers young people, not only allowing them to see themselves in texts, but also to understand themselves more deeply (Santi, 2023). This has a positive impact on young peoples’ self-esteem (Koss 2015; Wopperer, 2011).

In addition to this, books that are representative of young peoples’ lives and interests are beneficial for encouraging volitional reading. Diverse texts enable young people to access books which are personally meaningful by reflecting and representing their identities, lives and experiences (Picton and Clark, 2022).

Windows

In addition to understanding themselves, diverse authorship and representation in texts enables children and young people to understand and experience other people, their lives and experiences, through interacting with texts. In fact, this has the potential to change children and young peoples’ attitudes to people whose identity or points of view differ from their own (Kaufman and Libby, 2012). By reading books which expose children and young people to different cultures, perspectives or experiences than their own, they are enabled to pay closer attention to the needs of others. Reading texts with diverse authors and diverse representation can help children to develop empathy (reference).

Sliding Glass doors

The texts children read offer them opportunities to enter into new worlds, both realistic and magical. Neuroscience has explored how readers experience immersion into these worlds and the benefits of this.

When people read fiction, research suggests that their brain reacts in ways that are very similar to the way it reacts to ‘real life’ experiences. When children and young people are actively engaged in reading, it is thought that reading is a form of neural simulation, which enables them to practice socio-emotional responses in a low-stakes environment (Tamir et al, 2015). This also allows children and young people to experience situations they’ve never experienced themselves, which is beneficial, because of its potential to positively impact their attitudes and behaviours in relation to their peers and others in their communities.

“Children… want to see the world reflected back at them just as much as they want to read about worlds they don’t know” (p.22 Excluded voices report).

Reflection

How do the texts in your library and classroom provide children with mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors?

Where might you improve your offer?

How could you find out whether the children agree with you?

So, we know that in providing children with these mirrors, windows and glass doors is beneficial, but beyond this analogy there are wider benefits of accessing texts with diverse authors, settings, experiences and characters.

Access to diverse texts is inclusive. The presence of texts that reflect the realities of children and young peoples’ lives communicates pupils’ value. This can support belonging, make young people feel welcome and create psychological safety (Bulatowicz, 2017; Lifshitz, 2016).

More than this seeing characters who share their background, identity and experiences (particularly characters who are complex, successful and vibrant) expands young peoples’ sense of what is possible for them (The linking network, 2024). This provides young people inspiration, which informs their future aspirations, and makes concrete the reality of the adage ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’.

Access to and engagement with diverse texts supports readers to build personal connections to characters and stories (Hafflin & Barksdale-Ladd, 2001). These diverse stories are also supportive of young peoples’ autonomy in reading choices (Webber et al., 2024). These positive experiences support their reading motivation (Cremin, 2023 -NATE), which in turn positively impacts children and young peoples’ volitional reading.

The opposite is also true. When books that reflect diverse experiences of the world are not available to young people it excludes them from seeing themselves as readers, can signal a lack of importance and lead young people to conclude the literacy and literature are not for them (Bronson, 2016; short, 2018).

So, it is essential that we choose to surround children with books that are affirming, communicate their value and offer them opportunities to explore their own and others’ identities.

“We know that if children feel invited into the world of books, when they recognise elements of themselves in the pages, they are more likely to form a love of reading”. (P.4 Excluded voices report).

Reflection

What do the books available to children in your setting communicate to them?

Do the texts available support reading motivation and volitional reading?

How could you check with the children and young people?

If you are looking for diverse recommendations for children and young peoples’ literature, please join me at my teachers’ reading club at The House of Books and Friends on the 14th April.

Subscribe to my blog, where I will share reading recommendations following the event. See my previous reading recommendations for children and young people here.

References

Bishop, R. S. (1990, March). Windows and mirrors: Children’s books and parallel cultures. In California State University reading conference: 14th annual conference proceedings (pp. 3-12).

Bulatowicz, D. M. (2017). Diverse Literature in Elementary School Libraries: Who Chooses and Why? (Doctoral dissertation, Montana State University).

Cremin, Teresa (2023). Motivation and reading: Focusing on disengaged readers. Teaching English(32) pp. 32–36.

Hefflin, B. R., & Barksdale-Ladd, M. A. (2001). African American children’s literature that helps students find themselves: Selection guidelines for grades K-3. The Reading Teacher, 54(8), 810-819.

Inclusive Books for Children. (2025). Excluded Voices report. https://www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org/excluded-voices-report

Kaufman, G. F., & Libby, L. K. (2012). Changing beliefs and behavior through experience-taking. Journal of personality and social psychology, 103(1), 1.

Kucirkova, N. (2019). How could children’s storybooks promote empathy? A conceptual framework based on developmental psychology and literary theory. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 121.

Koss, M. D. (2015). Diversity in contemporary picturebooks: A content analysis. Journal of Children’s Literature, 41(1).

Picton, I., & Clark, C. (2022). Seeing yourself in what you read: Diversity and children and young people’s reading in 2022. National Literacy Trust. PISA (2011). Do students today read for pleasure, 1057-1092.

Santi, E. (2023, May 12). Reading and narrative fiction: Understanding ourselves and others. BERA. https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/reading-and-narrative-fiction-understanding-ourselves-and-others

Tamir, D. I., Bricker, A. B., Dodell-Feder, D., & Mitchell, J. P. (2016). Reading fiction and reading minds: The role of simulation in the default network. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11(2), 215–224.

The Linking Network. (2024, December 4). Diversity in children’s books: Why representation matters. https://thelinkingnetwork.org.uk/diversity-in-childrens-books-why-representation-matters/

Webber, C., Wilkinson, K., Duncan, L. G., & McGeown, S. (2025). Motivating book reading during adolescence: qualitative insights from adolescents. Educational Research, 67(1), 79-97.

Wopperer, E. (2011). Inclusive literature in the library and the classroom. Knowledge Quest, 39(3), 26.

This post was originally published on the Research Schools Network through the work that Soofia does with East London Research School.

Closing the Gap by Valuing Multilingualism

Written by Soofia Amin

Soofia Amin is the Multilingual Trust Lead for Tapscott Learning Trust (TTLT). She is also a Specialist Lead in Education for Multilingualism with vast experience in supporting multilingual pupils and their families. Soofia is passionate about developing excellent practice for multilingual pupils whilst promoting their first languages as a resource in both the classroom and the wider school community. She strongly advocates for a whole-school approach to multilingualism and uses her own school’s example to provide effective models of practice for others.

I recently visited a primary school where low writing outcomes for multilingual children had led leaders to search urgently for ways to “close the gap.” For many school leaders, this phrase often leads to discussions about data dashboards, targeted interventions, and heightened accountability measures. These discussions often neglect one key factor: the children’s first languages.

Many children in this school confidently use two or three languages and travel regularly to their countries of origin. Leaders worry that this rich linguistic exposure might be contributing to weaker writing outcomes. While understandable, this view risks misidentifying the problem.

The challenge here is not multilingualism. Rather how much we, as educators, value and use the children’s linguistic proficiency to further their learning, including their writing. If we focus intentionally on using the multilingual children’s rich language skills to support learning, particularly their writing development, outcomes could look very different.

Building Strong Foundations Through Explicit Language Instruction

Language and subject learning develop together. Children do not learn content first and language later; they learn both simultaneously. Evidence from Cummins states that,

“Conceptual knowledge developed in one language helps to make input in the other language comprehensible.” (Cummins, 2000,p.39).

Therefore, embedding spoken language approaches across the curriculum can strengthen literacy and attainment when language is taught explicitly and in context. For multilingual learners, this means making the language demands of lessons visible and teachable.

In practice, this involves modelling how this language is used in speech and writing.

Classroom example: Year 5 science (States of Matter)
The educator explains evaporation using sentences such as:
“When water is heated, it evaporates.”
“As a result, the liquid changes into a gas.”

The educator unpacks key vocabulary like evaporate and evaporation and gives children sentence stems to support their explanations. Alongside the science objective, sits a clear language objective. Children now have the words and sentence structures they need to explain their thinking clearly.

Strengthening Learning Through Cultural and Linguistic Connection

Multilingual children bring a wealth of cultural and linguistic knowledge into the classroom. When educators recognise and build on this, learning becomes more meaningful and inclusive.

Schools that invest in understanding children’s linguistic backgrounds are better placed to design teaching that connects new learning to what children already know.

In practice, this means:

Gathering information about a child’s home language/s and experiences
Using this knowledge to make lessons more relevant and accessible

Classroom example: Year 5 science (States of Matter)
The Educator invites children to share where they see evaporation at home: drying clothes, steaming dumplings, or burning incense. Then explicitly links these examples back to the scientific explanation.

By connecting the abstract concept of ‘evaporation’ to something tangible like ‘incense’ or ‘steaming,’ the child is able to relate to it.

Deepening Understanding by Harnessing Home Languages

Research and classroom practice both show that strong first-language skills are crucial for developing English proficiency and achieving academic success.

“The idea that a multilingual classroom is not only beneficial to EAL students but to non-EAL students (suggests) the need for a strategic whole-school approach to language teaching and integration.” (Arnot et al., 2014,p.7)

In practice, schools should:

Encourage translanguaging as a learning strategy. Translanguaging enables children to first process complex cognitive tasks in their strongest language, before expressing them in English.
Encourage families to use first languages to support key topics and concepts

Classroom example: Year 5 science (States of Matter)
The children use their first language to clarify why the change is happening. Once they have secured the concept, they then describe it in English.

The child is not cognitively overloaded. They use their first language to handle the heavy lifting of thinking, and only then move on to using English to demonstrate their understanding.

Final Thoughts…

Closing the gap for multilingual children requires a clear understanding of how language underpins attainment, a commitment to evidence-informed practice and a shared vision that places language at the heart of curriculum design.

When leaders get this right, the impact is profound – not only for multilingual children, but for all learners. Prioritising language isn’t just an inclusion strategy; it’s a school improvement strategy.

References

Arnot, M., Schneider, C. and Welply, O. (2014) School approaches to the education of EAL students. Cambridge: The Bell Foundation.

Cummins, J. (2000) Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Mirrors and Windows: Rethinking the Curriculum for Inclusive Classrooms

Written by Amy Wilby

I am an experienced senior educational leader, currently serving as an Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Curriculum, as well as a Trust-wide DEIB Champion, edublogger, and proud mum to a 21-year-old son. Since qualifying as a teacher in 2009, I have built a career rooted in both academic excellence and strong pastoral care. I bring extensive experience across middle and senior leadership, including roles as a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) and Associate Assistant Headteacher. I hold an NPQSL and a master’s degree in educational leadership, and I am deeply committed to evidence-informed practice, drawing on educational research to enhance teaching, learning, and curriculum design.

Walk into most classrooms and you’ll see a curriculum that has been carefully planned, structured, and sequenced. In most schools, this planning is grounded in research, designed to support the acquisition and retention of knowledge.

But there’s a deeper question we don’t ask often enough:

Who gets to see themselves in it, and who doesn’t?

This is where the concept of mirrors and windows becomes essential to inclusive education.

The idea is simple, but powerful:

Mirrors: Students see their own identities, experiences, and cultures reflected
Windows: Students gain insight into lives and perspectives different from their own

A truly inclusive curriculum does both, consistently, not occasionally.

Because when students only experience windows, they may feel invisible.
And when they only experience mirrors, they miss the opportunity to understand others.

What do we mean by ‘mirrors and windows’?

If we want genuinely engaging and inclusive classrooms, we need both.

The problem: Representation is often surface, level

Many schools are already working to diversify their curriculum, but often in ways that don’t go far enough, or lack careful consideration of how content is framed.

You might see:

A one-off lesson or assembly, such as during Black History Month
Efforts to diversify reading materials in the library
Occasional references to global perspectives, often framed as ‘meanwhile, elsewhere…’ and confined to specific subjects

These are well-intentioned, but they risk becoming add-ons rather than meaningful integration.

And students notice the difference.

Why this matters for belonging

Students can tell when inclusion is occasional, symbolic, or performative, and this can have the opposite effect to what is intended.

Instead of feeling seen, they can feel outside the main narrative.

Curriculum is not just about knowledge, it’s about belonging.

When students consistently see themselves reflected through the Mirrors of the curriculum:

Their sense of legitimacy increases
Engagement improves (with positive effects on attendance and behaviour)
Confidence grows
Equity becomes something that is lived, not just discussed

At the same time, windows help to build:

Empathy
Cultural understanding
A broader view of the world

This isn’t an ‘extra’ it’s foundational.

What this looks like in practice

Creating an inclusive curriculum doesn’t require starting from scratch. It’s about intentional, thoughtful adjustments over time.

To begin you could consider the following:

Audit what’s already there

Start by asking:

Whose stories are centred?
Whose voices are missing?
Are certain groups only represented through struggle?

This process is often revealing.

Too often, diverse histories are framed primarily through oppression. A more balanced approach:

Includes innovation, leadership, and cultural contributions
Presents individuals as active agents, not just recipients of injustice

This doesn’t ignore difficult histories, it places them within a fuller, more accurate context.

Move beyond ‘add and stir’

Inclusion isn’t about inserting isolated examples, it’s about integration.

For example:

Literature: diversify authors across the year, not just within one unit, include local, national and international texts
History: embed multiple perspectives within the same topic, rather than adding them at the end
Science: highlight contributions from a wider range of scientists and challenge assumptions about who belongs in the field

Avoid single stories

Be careful not to reduce groups to one narrative.

Don’t present marginalised groups only through struggle
Include stories of success, leadership, creativity, and everyday life

Students need multidimensional representations.

They should encounter people as fully human, complex, nuanced, and varied.
This leads to richer learning and a more honest curriculum.

Make it subject, specific

Inclusion is not just a humanities issue, it is a whole, curriculum responsibility.

Maths: use real, world problems that reflect diverse contexts
English: select texts that provide both mirrors and windows
Geography: avoid deficit narratives and explore cultural diversity with depth
Science: challenge narrow perceptions of who can be a scientist.

Every subject has a role to play.

Involve student voice

Ask students directly:

Do you see yourself in what we learn?
What would you like to see more of?

Their responses often highlight gaps that adults may overlook—and involving them builds both agency and belonging.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Even with strong intentions, there are common missteps:

Tokenism: adding one example and considering the work done
Over, correction: forcing representation in ways that feel inauthentic
Stereotyping: simplifying identities rather than showing complexity
Inconsistency: inclusion appearing in isolated moments rather than as a sustained approach

Inclusion works when it is planned, consistent, and authentic.

What you can do tomorrow

If you’re not sure where to start, begin small:

Gather feedback from a class or year group (through a form or discussion) – The Global Equality collective has a fantastic platform for gathering student and staff voice and producing kaleidoscopic data to help to understand where any gaps exist.
Review an upcoming scheme of work and ask: Where are the mirrors and windows?
Identify one meaningful change that improves representation

You don’t need to do everything at once, but you do need to start intentionally.

Final thought

An inclusive curriculum isn’t about ticking boxes or meeting requirements.

It’s about answering a simple but powerful question:

‘Does every student feel seen here, and are they being helped to see others?’

When the answer becomes consistently ‘yes,’
you’re not just delivering content, you’re building belonging.

Further Reading

Bhorkar, S., Campbell, R. and Claro, J. (2025) ‘Beyond the tick-box: diversity in the curriculum’, Impact: Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching. Available at: https://my.chartered.college/impact_article/beyond-the-tick-box-diversity-in-the-curriculum/

Bishop, R. S. (1990) ‘Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors’, Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3). Available at: https://scenicregional.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Mirrors-Windows-and-Sliding-Glass-Doors.pdf

Geographical Association (n.d.) Cultural diversity in geography education. Available at: https://geography.org.uk/ite/initial-teacher-education/geography-support-for-trainees-and-ects/learning-to-teach-secondary-geography/geography-subject-teaching-and-curriculum/teaching-thematic-geography/cultural-diversity-in-geography-education/

Kara, B. (2020) A little guide for teachers: diversity in schools. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

The Global Equality Collective Global Equality Collective KnowHow. Available at: GEC KnowHow

Pearson (2023) Pearson School Report: Diversity and Inclusion. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204193347/https://www.pearson.com/en-gb/schools/insights-and-events/topics/diversity-inclusion/schools-report.html

Teach First (2020) STEMinism: How to encourage more girls to study STEM subjects. Available at: https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-02/teach_first_steminism_report.pdf

Teaching Teens About the U.S. – Iran Conflict: Building Context and Curiosity in the Classroom

Written by Zahara Chowdhury

Zahara leads on equality, diversity and inclusive education in higher education. She has over a decade of experience in middle and senior positions in secondary education. Zahara is author of Creating Belonging in the Classroom: a Practical Guide to Having Brave and Difficult Conversations. She is founder of the School Should Be blog and podcast, a platform that amplifies diverse and current topics that impact secondary school classrooms, students and teachers.

Secondary students today are growing up in a world where global politics shape their lives more than ever before. The ongoing tensions between America and Iran can feel far removed from British classrooms, yet understanding them helps young people make sense of international relations, energy security, and differing systems of governance.

While the conflict between America and Iran is fundamentally connected to wider Gulf States, their politics and history, it is also distinct. The Iran–U.S. relationship centres on power, ideology, and regional influence, shaped by Iran’s changing political regime since the 1979 revolution and America’s strategic interests in energy, trade, and security.

And yes, teachers are already under immense pressure. Here is another topic that society expects teachers and schools to ‘take care of’. It’s a tough and exhausting gig. But also one that our students want and need us to explore with them.

Topics like this require both time and sensitivity to unpack. This blog and lesson outline are designed to offer a way in, curiosity first, expertise second.

Lesson outline: Exploring the Iran–U.S. Relationship

Lesson Objective

To help students understand how different forms of governance, lived experiences, and global relationships shape international conflict and cooperation.

Before the Lesson – Independent Exploration

Some of these curiosity questions can be set as homework, pre-reading and post-research, giving students time to explore, think and come prepared with ideas. Teachers can take the same approach — set aside a couple of hours for a “deep dive” using trusted sources such as:

Empire: World History Podcast
The Conversation (there are various articles that can be searched on this website)
The Steven Bartlett Podcast (March 2026 episode on Iran and America)
Al Jazeera – news perspectives
BBC – news perspectives

Be aware that students will likely use social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube for information. It’s worth pre-empting this and giving advice on how to stay safe and critical online:

Be mindful and present when watching; if anything graphic or distressing appears, mute or report the content immediately.
Remember the task is academic — the goal is to understand, not consume upsetting material.
If students find good, informative videos, encourage them to fact-check using class knowledge about research skills, misinformation and disinformation.

Important!

If you’ve got to this point in this article and realise your students may not yet have a strong grasp of misinformation and disinformation, this is a perfect moment to connect with colleagues through a systems-thinking approach. Work across subject areas — such as PSHE, tutor time, History, Politics, and English — to design a mini integrated curriculum plan. This helps all students develop the confidence to evaluate complex global issues critically and respectfully.

In line with systems thinking, you can also communicate proactively with parents or carers, explaining how the school intends to approach this subject in a politically impartial, research-informed, and curriculum-aligned way. Reassure families that lessons are guided by teacher professionalism and inclusive pedagogy and practice, and that the goal is always to make school a safe space for information, understanding, empathy, and compassion.

Now…back to the plan:

Starter Discussion – “Understanding Perspectives”

Drawing on pre-reading or factual handouts you’ve distributed, design group, pair or a class wide discussion with the following questions:

How is Iran governed? How is America governed?
What might life look like for a teenager growing up in Tehran compared to London or New York?
How does my lived experience in a Western democracy shape how I understand Iran or America?
How can I “decentre” my perspective to appreciate experiences beyond my own?

Main Exploration – “Why the Tensions?”

You could set the following as group based research questions, ask students to prepare mini presentations or use an impactful teaching and learning approach that suits the students sitting in front of you:

Why does America care about Iran? Why does Iran care about America?
What is Israel’s role in this picture? Why is there animosity between Israel and Iran?
What are their main trade or economic interests (oil, security partnerships, military influence)?
What are the key political and sociological issues at play — religion, nationalism, sanctions, regional security?
How does this conflict affect my life now or in the future (energy costs, migration, security, global cooperation)?

More Activity Ideas:

Use a map from Prisoners of Geography to explore how geography shapes power and alliances.
Role-play a UN negotiation between the U.S., Iran, Israel, and neutral nations (if your school has a debate club or a Model the United Nations team and club, draw on this expertise).

Reflection or homework task: write a reflective paragraph on how your perspective changed during the lesson. Give students a phrase bank with compassionate, thoughtful and evaluative language and literacy (knock on the door of your English and History, Philosophy, RE teacher friends…they’ve probably got a document full of these, ready to go).

Teen-Friendly Facts: Understanding the Context

Put the below into a reference crib sheet for students to have to hand during the lesson. Ask them to construct questions based on these facts. If you don’t know the answers, that’s fine! It’s another research project sorted.

In 1979, Iran’s monarchy was overthrown, and the Islamic Republic was established under religious leadership.
The U.S. and Iran were once allies, but relations fractured after the revolution and the embassy hostage crisis.
America worries about Iran’s nuclear programme and regional influence; Iran sees the U.S. as a threat to its sovereignty.
Iran and Israel have longstanding animosity rooted in ideological and regional rivalries.
Energy and oil play a central role in both countries’ interests in the region.
Economic sanctions have shaped everyday life in Iran, affecting trade, inflation, and access to technology.
Conflicts in neighbouring countries often draw in both Iranian and American involvement.
Global politics already impact young people — from energy costs to international study opportunities.

The book, Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall, is absolutely brilliant and when I read it over 5 years ago, it majorly informed my approach to critical thinking and teaching historical context in my subject area – Marshall now has a series and a Prisoners of Geography version for primary school children – I highly recommend it.

And lastly, my book, Creating Belonging in the Classroom by Zahara Chowdhury to support you to navigate difficult conversations and subject matter in the classroom.

By approaching difficult world events with openness, curiosity, clear boundaries and compassion, teachers empower students to manage complexity, not avoid it. Schools can and should be safe spaces for curiosity, evidence-based discussion, and the building of informed, empathetic young citizens. And, we are all more than equipped and able to do it – we just need to trust ourselves – and schools need to trust their staff too.

A Curriculum for Connection: What the 2028 Reforms Mean for Belonging in Schools

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.

The recently announced curriculum reform by the Department for Education (DfE) sets out a refreshed national curriculum for England, to be implemented from September 2028. GOV.UK+1 The changes include clearer structuring of subjects, stronger foundations in oracy, reading, writing, mathematics, inclusion of media/financial literacy, and a new ‘core enrichment entitlement’ (arts, sport, nature, civic engagement). GOV.UK+1

In discussing these changes, the theme of belonging – feeling valued, included, connected and confident in one’s place in school, learning community, and future society – merits explicit attention. When students feel they belong, they are more motivated, resilient, engaged and ready to learn. For learners who may feel marginalised, including those with additional needs (SEND), neurodiversity, gender/ethnicity minority status, or from disadvantaged backgrounds, belonging is especially critical.

Why belonging matters in the curriculum context

Belonging in a school setting means that students feel they are part of the community, their identities and contributions are valued, they have agency and voice, they see themselves reflected in the learning and expectations, and that the pathways ahead feel achievable and meaningful. Research shows that when belonging is strong:

Pupils show higher engagement, better behaviour, more perseverance and stronger outcomes.
Belonging helps mitigate the harmful effects of marginalisation, discrimination, or social isolation.
A curriculum that simply transmits knowledge without fostering connection and relevance may fail to engage those who don’t see themselves in it.

In the context of the new curriculum, which emphasises knowledge, skills for life and work, enrichment in arts/outdoor/civic life, and digital/financial literacy, belonging becomes the lens through which these ambitions must be refracted: how do all pupils feel that this curriculum is for them, they can access it, succeed with it, and feel part of their school’s learning community?

For example, the government’s own press release highlights that enrichment activities and arts broaden confidence, social capital and resilience. (GOV.UK) The blog from the Education Hub emphasises inclusive support for children with SEND and stretching the most able. (Education Hub) Both show levers that can support belonging – but only if consciously leveraged.

How the new curriculum offers opportunities (and challenges) for belonging

Opportunities

Wider access to enrichment
The ‘core enrichment entitlement’, guaranteeing every pupil access to arts/culture, nature/adventure, sport/physical activity, civic engagement and life skills, is a powerful vehicle for belonging. These are contexts where students can engage beyond exam-driven subjects, collaborate, explore identities, build peer connection and feel part of something bigger than school. Schools that deliver this well can foster strong community, inclusive opportunities and shared purpose.
Broader subject choice and removal of restrictive performance measures
The reforms signal the removal of the EBacc as the sole performance metric and encourage breadth (arts, languages, humanities) in student choice. This means more students may find subjects that resonate with their interests and identities, helping them feel ‘in the curriculum’, not excluded by narrow expectations.
Strengthened foundations and structured progression
The reforms emphasise clearer sequencing of knowledge, stronger foundations in oracy/reading/writing/math, and logical structuring of subjects. A well-sequenced curriculum supports all learners to feel they are building, succeeding and belong in the journey, rather than lost or left behind.
Focus on life/skills, digital/media/financial literacy
Recognising children as future citizens, consumers and workers, the curriculum includes media and financial literacy, computing/data science and climate education. When learners see relevance of what they are doing to their world and future, they are more likely to feel the curriculum connects to them, increasing belonging.

Challenges & caveats

Implementation lag and teacher capacity
The final curriculum will be published in spring 2027, with first teaching from September 2028. During this transition period, there is a risk of uneven implementation or confusion, which can lead to pupils feeling disconnected if their experience is patchy.
Risk of ‘token’ enrichment without inclusion
Simply providing enrichment access does not guarantee belonging. If, say, arts or outdoor adventure are offered but some pupils feel they are not for “people like me”, or logistics exclude them (SEND needs, cost, transport, culture), then belonging may not be improved. Schools must ensure inclusive design.
Potential for widening gaps
The reforms point to stretching the most able, but also supporting all, including SEND. If schools focus solely on high-attaining students or areas they excel in, then pupils who previously felt marginalised may continue to feel outside the mainstream. Ensuring belonging means deliberately designing for all.
Balancing knowledge-rich and inclusive culture
A knowledge-rich curriculum is desirable, and sequential structure is important. But if it becomes rigid, high-pressure or alienating for some learners (including neurodiverse pupils, those with ADHD, autism, fibromyalgia etc), belonging may suffer. Teacher professional development, differentiated approaches, and culture matter.

Implications for teachers, schools and learners (with a focus on neurodiversity / SEND)

Given the curriculum changes, how should schools and teachers act to embed belonging and ensure that all pupils, including neurodiverse learners, benefit?

For teachers and curriculum leaders

Audit enrichment and access
Ensure the five enrichment categories (civic, arts, nature/adventure, sport/physical, life skills) are accessible to all learners. Review whether those with additional needs are genuinely included, what barriers exist (physical access, cost, transport, timing, teacher attitudes) and plan accordingly.
Curriculum sequencing with connection
As the curriculum becomes clearer and machine-readable, use its structure to map how learners build their sense of belonging: early success, scaffolded progression, collaborative projects, peer mentoring. For neurodiverse learners, build patterns of success, visible progression, and opportunities for identity building in the community.
Inclusive pedagogy
With the greater emphasis on oracy, reading, writing, financial/media literacy, digital, arts and nature, it is essential to differentiate and scaffold for learners with SEND/ EAL. Flexible formats, multimodal tasks (visual, auditory, experiential), peer support, chunking of tasks and choice all foster belonging.
Student voice and representation
Belonging is strengthened when learners see themselves in the curriculum and have agency. Build in opportunities for pupil voice (which arts projects, which outdoor expeditions, which civic engagements). Ensure neurodiverse and historically excluded pupils are included in planning and leadership of enrichment.
Cross-subject and cultural relevance
The new curriculum emphasises modern issues: fake news, misinformation, media literacy, climate education. Teachers should link learning to real-life contexts that matter to pupils, including those from diverse backgrounds. This helps pupils feel the curriculum is meaningful and they belong in it.

For learners (especially neurodiverse / additional needs)

Visible pathways to success
When a curriculum is new or changing, clarity of “what next” matters. Learners (especially those with neurodiversity) often benefit from knowing how they progress, that they are part of a journey, and what success looks like. Teachers should make progression explicit (e.g., “we’re building our oracy, next we’ll apply it in project X”).
Affirmation of identity and belonging
Schools should affirm that learners’ identities, neurodiversity, mobility/disability, home backgrounds matter and add value. The curriculum enrichment (arts, outdoor, civic) is a chance for learners to engage in ways that connect with them and build confidence, agency and peer connection.
Choice and voice
With the broader subject choice promised (including arts, languages, humanities) there is more opportunity for learners to pick what resonates. Encourage pupils to choose and engage in subjects and enrichment that reflect their interests and strengths, helping bolster belonging.
Support and scaffolding
For neurodiverse learners, the stronger focus on oracy, reading, writing, sequential knowledge, digital/financial literacy means supports must be in place: clear structures, chunked tasks, accessible resources, options for alternative expression (e.g., oral presentations, drama, arts projects). This ensures the curriculum is inclusive rather than exclusionary.

Practical steps for embedding belonging ahead of 2028

Given that the new curriculum will start first teaching in September 2028, schools and teachers have time to prepare. Here are practical steps to embed belonging in the preparation phase:

Whole-school ethos review
Use this period to revisit the school’s vision and ethos: does it emphasise belonging, connection, inclusion, aspiration for all? Use staff CPD to raise awareness of belonging especially for neurodiverse/SEND learners.
Mapping enrichment and equity of access
Create an audit of enrichment across the five domains (arts/culture, sport/physical, nature/adventure, civic engagement, life skills). Analyse participation by pupil subgroup (SEND, disadvantaged, minorities) and plan to remove barriers (costs, transport, timing, support).
Curriculum mapping with identity and progression in mind
As you begin mapping how the new national curriculum will roll out, embed opportunities for student identity expression, cross-curriculum projects, collaborative work, peer mentoring and enrichment that connects to pupil backgrounds and interests. Sequence so early wins build belonging.
Teacher professional learning in inclusive pedagogy
Provide training on how to differentiate, how to scaffold oracy and literacy for diverse learners, how to include neurodiverse and SEND pupils in experiential enrichment (outdoor adventure, arts, civic participation).
Student involvement and voice
Involve students now in shaping how the enriched curriculum will look at your school: what arts/culture projects they would like, which civic activities, how to make outdoor/adventure meaningful. Prioritise voice from pupils who often feel marginalised.
Monitoring belonging outcomes
Develop simple indicators of belonging (student surveys, participation rates in enrichment, cross-group peer relations, retention/attendance of vulnerable groups) and track ahead of and after implementation. Use this data to refine practice.

Conclusion

The new national curriculum announced by the DfE offers a timely opportunity not just to update knowledge and skills for life and work, but to embed a deeper sense of belonging for all pupils. When students feel they belong, that their identities matter, that they are part of a learning community, that the curriculum connects to them and the future, then the ambitions of stronger foundations, broader enrichment and modern life skills become much more likely to succeed.

For teachers, curriculum leaders and school systems, the key will be to move beyond what is taught to how it is taught, who it is for, and how pupils feel as they participate. Schools that intentionally design for belonging- particularly for neurodiverse and disadvantaged learners – will be positioned to get the greatest benefit from the reforms. With the new curriculum rolling out from 2028, there is time now to prepare- to map enrichment, strengthen inclusive practice, and ensure that belonging is not a side benefit, but a core goal.

The Power of Storytelling for Change

Written by Orla McKeating

Entrepreneur, coach and motivational speaker

In Irish tradition, “the gift of the gab” is more than being good with words. It reflects a long-held belief that speech itself is a kind of gift, one with the power to connect, heal and shape the world around us. It’s also a friendly, light-hearted way of saying someone talks a lot and tells stories. Something I’ve been told I have many times throughout my life.

Historically, storytellers and poets held significant social power. Words had the power to heal, inspire, unite, and drive meaningful change. Using our words was not merely a skill, but a responsibility. Culturally, this reflects the role of storytelling as social glue – a tool for connection, a means of using our voices with purpose and power. In the world we live in today, this beautiful, free and powerful tool is needed more than ever to create change.

In my years of working in inclusion, I have been using stories for social change the short-term impact has been huge. The girl in the hijab in an online story session whose face lit up when she saw someone like her in The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad. She lit up, bounced out of the room full of excitement and energy, and brought her mother into the room to show her. Or the deaf girl in a mainstream school who had never once spoke about her disability to her classmates and after a story in sign session, she skipped into school the following day with more books about the deaf experience, so proud of her identity. Representation matters and these tiny shifts in how we share our stories in learning spaces can literally change lives.

Why does Storytelling Matter?

1.Storytelling Builds Connection

Stories can create an emotional bridge, it can build empathy and helps people feel. When we connect emotionally to a topic, we can become more curious, open and engaged. It opens a tool for conversations, especially difficult ones, and it can turn something abstract – like identity, justice or belonging – into something real.

2. Stories help children see themselves and others

Representation matters deeply in education. The concept of mirrors, windows and sliding doors by Dr Rudine Bishop allows children to see their lives, cultures and experiences reflected to them affirming identity and self-worth. Mirrors reflect children’s own lives and identities back to them, helping them feel seen, valued and affirmed. Windows invite children into others’ lives helping them develop empathy, challenge stereotypes and understand perspectives beyond their own. And sliding doors invite children to step into another world, to imagine themselves in different contexts, perspectives and possibilities.

3. Storytelling makes Complex Topics Accessible

Uncomfortable or difficult topics like race, immigration, disability or big emotions can be challenging to navigate. Stories can offer a gentle and powerful entry point to this. Through characters, narratives and lived experiences, children can explore these topics gently, engage in important discussions and critical thinking in an accessible and sustainable way.

4. Storytelling invites Participation not Perfection

Stories open space for conversation as opposed to ‘correct answers. They encourage reflection, questioning and conversation. Through stories we can encourage children to learn that their voices matter, they can disagree and still be friends and that learning is something we do together.

5. Stories can change lives

Every one of us has a story that they heard that changed their lives. Whether it’s a book, a film, history or a family anecdote. Stories create memorable, meaningful and long-lasting change. And we all have a story to tell.

If stories shape how children see themselves and the world, the stories we choose, and how we hold space for them, really matter. How can we build storytelling as a tool into our learning spaces? Whose voices are centred? Whose voices are missing? What stories do we tell ourselves? And how can we use our gift of the gab to ensure that all voices are seen, heard, valued and celebrated?

Still I Rise Stories is a space for adults, educators, teachers and any person who are using stories to open conversations about identity, belonging and justice. If this work resonates, join our community here – a space to reflect, learn and grow through story.

I can teach a diverse curriculum!

Written by Yvonne Eba

Yvonne Eba is a current head of English in a Catholic school and PhD student who is studying Education. She is currently writing a thesis based around race, racism, masculinity within the student experiences of British Nigerian men. Within her role as head of department she has transformed the curriculum by intentionally adding more diverse texts and poems. She is focused on building a rich, ambitious and holistic curriculum in a school which is predominantly black. She has dedicated the last decade developing young people through workshops, fellowships, tuition and mentoring.

At the tender age of 15 I was uniquely passionate about being able to teach kids life transforming lessons within the confinements of a classroom or lecture hall. I found it odd that kids weren’t being taught the purpose behind their subject or life long learning skills attached. i.e Why are kids not taught in Maths the art of saving, investment and tithing or taught in English how to write and compose an effective CV. This passion consistently grew and when I started my company at 21 ( shout out to Life Creations) we created sessions and packages which did exactly that – taught kids things they could use outside the classroom.

But this wasn’t enough.

As I became a Head of English I finally saw this dream come to life again but I had no idea how much work, brain power, focus and buy-in from a team it would take to actually manifest it. I have been watching and reading numerous articles by Dena Eden ( Director of Secondary English curriculum) who states the importance of consistency in curriculum starts with ” texts studied, sequencing of units and lessons and the pace of lessons”

So flash back with me and picture this – I was in a new school, new role and I had heaps of ambition and zeal to:

” transform the lives of young people through the power of challenging , ambitious texts and units which were personal to them“.

I was passionate about:

” ensuring ideas around marginalising black people or the discussions around who can say the N word or not when reading out an extract were no longer normalised or championed through texts like Of Mice and Men. Which were branded outdated yet needed?”

and I wanted students

“to see and read authors and poets from diverse backgrounds within the context of: race, gender and class”

whilst

“still getting them GCSE ready and abiding by the demands of the national curriculum”.

It’s been a journey, tussle and challenging but with some giants and shakers on the team and the never-ending grace of God we have made some shifts and changes. The last HOD I spoke to reassured me that her curriculum changes and the seamless nature of its delivery took five years inclusive of assessments and consistency.

It’s important on this journey that you pace yourself and get feedback from your team and students on how they feel it is going.

Here’s five things I have learnt so far :

Make the curriculum ambitious: it is absolutely imperative regardless of the demographics of students you have that the texts you choose challenge and enrich them. This can be intentionally captured through the tier of language used and the content within the chosen text/ unit and the big ideas and questions which are evoked.
Make it accessible for your team : getting a buy in isn’t always the easiest thing and resistance is inevitable at first. But don’t take it personal; as human beings we are creatures of habit and it’s a natural reaction for people to feel underprepared or scared of change. However ensuring the lessons provided along with the new units, week by week plans and DO NOWs are of a high quality will often make the process swifter for your team. It is important that there is unification of moral purpose as we teach according to our experience, beliefs and morals which could often add to the complexity of running a team. So providing strategic resources would help each teacher feel confident to approach and teach the new text. This is your time as a HOD to overcommunicate, overcommunicate and overcommunicate again. Also be transparent with your team that this is NEW to you too!
Make purposeful assessments : it is important that when building your curriculum you are intentional about what you are testing the students on during your lessons and at the end of the unit. It is imperative that students are being tested on the skills and knowledge you have taught them throughout the set time. i.e If you have been teaching them Frankenstein (play version) and analysing the purpose of language in key extracts the end of unit test will not be an imaginative writing piece from the scientist if these skills haven’t been taught. I always think about what we are assessing the students and how this is preparing them for their greatest assessments in y11 which are their GCSEs. From year 7 we look at language analysis which will help them in the Language Papers and analysis of extracts whilst providing them questions in an exam style layout which helps them for literature
Make it personal : don’t just follow trends ensure your curriculum represents the cohort of your kids you are teaching. Ask yourself genuine questions : can they relate to these characters? Is this personal to them? Will they feel represented? Will they be inspired? What type of learners would you like them to leave as?
Make it literacy and oracy inclusive : ensure you provide space for students to discuss their thoughts and demonstrate their understanding of the new topic at hand. It is good to address misconceptions consistently during DO NOW tasks, live marking and through plenaries however it is even better when the kids can articulate their understanding or lack of it themselves

I still have a long way to go but my word for the year to my team was this will become “seamless” in fact the word for the year is “seamless” ( by fire and force!).

I have taken out a lot of texts, bought new texts, returned some texts, changed some units and its content, revised, redrafted, dipped into the budget, took advice, listened a lot, spoke a lot, asked a lot, vented a lot and finally realised this isn’t about what I want to teach them its about what is best FOR their academic development.

So I am in an honourable position to be able to be part of history – I am currently speaking with other HODs on ways they can get the best English curriculum for their kids.

Do connect with me to see our latest curriculum map and to discuss ways to help shape English together!

“Because it makes us feel more comfortable” – Gender, Bodies, and Elephants in PE Swimming Lessons

Written by Justus Schwenzer

Justus Schwenzer (he/him) is a secondary teacher for PE, music, and English. Dedicated to fostering safe and inclusive learning spaces built on openness, belonging, and acceptance, he is passionate about research on equity, diversity, and inclusion in education.

The new school term has begun, and swimming is the new topic in PE. As a new member of staff, I am surprised to learn that our normally mixed-sex lessons are now split into separate “boys” and “girls” classes for swimming. This immediately raises questions for me, and I am curious to hear how my Year 10 students make sense of it.

“Why do you think our school chooses single-sex swimming lessons over the usual mixed-sex PE lessons?”

One of the students is bold enough to share: “Because it makes us feel more comfortable”. Such an honest response, perhaps hesitant, self-conscious, or even a little presumptuous in speaking for everyone.

But this raises the central question of this blog: Does separating students by sex really create comfort for everyone, or does it mask the deeper issues and avoid the tough questions that make PE feel uncomfortable in the first place?

This blog argues that single-sex swimming lessons are not automatically a solution for creating a truly welcoming and supportive learning environment. Instead, creating comfort, trust, and inclusion requires reflective practice that addresses the underlying issues of visibility, vulnerability, and equity in PE.

Is single-sex swimming more “comfortable” because it caters to innate abilities?

PE is, and probably always will be, a particularly gendered space. In this educational setting, bodies are in the spotlight and the centre of attention. A student saying “comfortable” might be pointing to culturally entrenched ideas about gender, such as the expectation that “strong boys” and “delicate girls” engage in activities thought to match their innate abilities. Historical debris of traditional gendered expectations still echoes through PE curricula and teaching practices, even though such narrow ideas of ‘ideal’ bodies are being critically challenged and perceived as outdated.

Is single-sex swimming more “comfortable” because it makes students feel less exposed and vulnerable?

Swimming differs from other curriculum topics due to heightened visibility of the body and a different dress code. The swimming pool represents a space where questions of respectable dress, visibility, and decency are grounded in the historic development of the sport. Interpreting “comfortable” as feeling protected and less vulnerable is therefore not far-fetched. “Girls” may want to feel protected from unwanted looks and the cisgender, heterosexual, sexualised (“male”) gaze. Additionally, mixed-sex PE may create religious distress for students with religious beliefs that emphasise modesty, making single-sex PE feel more “comfortable” for them. But can a safe and non-judgemental atmosphere not be created in mixed-sex swimming through reflective teaching practices?

When underlying beliefs and struggles that contribute to shame and anxiety in the pool are not addressed, opting for single-sex swimming lessons is more of a band-aid solution. Single-sex PE does not replace the work that has to be done to make this setting a safe, body-positive environment without judgement. Students are still together in a group with other people, tempted to compare and contrast their bodies, still trying to navigate puberty, hormones, and bodily changes. The work to support our students and help them feel “comfortable” in their own bodies does not go away.

Who is “us” in single-sex swimming lessons?

The “us” is still often defined as “boys” and “girls”. Single-sex PE creates binary groupings and potentially confines PE into “traditional” forms that reproduce inequitable sets of gendered power relations. What happens to students who cannot or do not want to say whether they should join the “boys” or the “girls”? Landi (2025) gives an example of how queer and trans students (that is how the youth in this study referred to themselves collectively) are marginalised in these moments, their bodies made to sit at a fault line of the system, creating barriers that leave them feeling erased. Students whose bodies fit neatly into the categories of “male” and “female” are privileged by the system. Heteronormativity is encouraged in those moments, creating a shield of invisibility around other sexual and gender identities. Others are left with the burden of accepting an option that does not represent them, potentially leaving them exposed, unprotected, and threatened.

Towards inclusive and welcoming swimming lessons in PE

I am aware that single-sex PE and mixed-sex PE are highly complex issues deeply entrenched in politics, (sporting) culture, religion, and society. The swimming pool tends to amplify particular issues. Despite these challenges, even long-standing practices in PE can benefit from reflection. Supporting all students means creating space for open, critical dialogue across perspectives. So, ask yourself what life lessons we want to teach our students, the type of world we envision for young people to move through, and who is allowed to move freely within it. Addressing the elephant in the pool might just make everybody feel a little bit more “comfortable”.

Belonging, Empathy, and a Curriculum that Sees Every Child

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.

Belonging is not a bonus; it is a basic human need. Students who feel unseen, misunderstood, or undervalued will never thrive, no matter how carefully a curriculum looks on paper. Too often, belonging is treated as an afterthought- diversity weeks, a handful of posters in corridors, or the occasional themed assembly. These gestures may be well-meaning, but they fall short. True belonging requires more than decoration. It demands integration, empathy, and truth-telling.

Empathy has been stripped from education by a Eurocentric curriculum. When children encounter only one narrative, their own reflected back endlessly, or someone else’s never shown, they are denied the chance to be curious about differences. This absence breeds prejudice, isolation, and a narrow sense of the world. Representation matters, but not as an add-on or a gesture. It matters because it reflects humanity in its full breadth.

Learning outcomes are directly shaped by belonging. Research shows that students who feel they belong are more likely to achieve academically, develop social intelligence, and build resilience. A school that makes children feel like outsiders, whether because of race, culture, gender identity, or ability, unintentionally closes doors. Belonging must be woven into the fabric of school life from the start, not treated as an optional extra. When it is cultivated intentionally, young people gain the freedom to be curious, to trust, and to empathise. Without it, they turn elsewhere for meaning- often online, where they encounter narrow and sometimes toxic narratives about themselves and others.

Our most powerful tool for building empathy is storytelling. Stories act as mirrors, windows, and sliding doors: mirrors so children see themselves reflected; windows so they can look into other lives; and doors so they can step into perspectives far from their own. When children never see themselves in a story, they are told- silently but forcefully- that they are invisible. When they never encounter differences, they are denied the chance to develop empathy. Books, films, oral histories, and local community stories should not be treated as extras outside the ‘real curriculum.’ They are the curriculum.

Narratives that exclude Black contributions to science, art, geography, and literature are not neutral; they are erasure. Inclusive education cannot be about “adding diversity” on top of a whitewashed foundation. It must be about truth-telling. Black histories should be present in every subject, in every classroom, and in everyday conversations. Integration often provokes discomfort, but discomfort is not failure. It is learning. A curriculum rooted in truth will not always feel comfortable, but it will always be necessary.

Grades, too, can be barriers to belonging. Exams reward memorisation under pressure, punishing those who do not thrive in such conditions. For many learners, especially those from marginalised groups, this reinforces inequity rather than reducing it. Success needs to be redefined. Coursework and project-based assessment can value creativity, local histories, and lived experiences. A ‘D grade’ (which, in modern terms, equates to a Grade 3) may reflect extraordinary resilience and achievement in context. True equity means measuring children not against a singular rubric, but against their own journeys.

In classrooms, empathy cannot be demanded without exposure to difference. Curiosity grows when children encounter diverse stories and have safe spaces to talk about identity, race, gender, and belonging. Teachers play a vital role here. Students learn not only from what is said, but from what is modelled. When teachers show curiosity, challenge harmful narratives, and treat difference as opportunity rather than threat, they teach children to do the same.

Next come the practical shifts. Local heroes and community changemakers can be celebrated so that children encounter role models on their own doorstep. Equity, diversity, and inclusion must be reviewed with the same seriousness as safeguarding or attainment. Schools can use existing frameworks, such as the Equality Act and the Gatsby Benchmarks, to embed equity into daily structures rather than treating it as an extra burden. Above all, as discussed, storytelling should sit at the heart of the curriculum across all subjects.

Generations of young people are growing up in a world of polarisation, online radicalisation, and systemic inequality. After years of austerity, many are absorbing harmful narratives from the sources they trust most. They deserve better. They deserve an education that reflects them rather than erases them, and teachers willing to model curiosity and courage. As an Anti-Racism in the Curriculum panellist put it: young people are themselves an oppressed group- no one knows what it is like to be a child in 2025 except the children of 2025. Schools must listen to them, reflect them, and prepare them not only for exams, but for life lived with empathy and justice.

Inherited histories remind us that the curriculum is not abstract. It is rooted in the cultures and communities that shape who we are. My poem (see my article next week) – captures this truth:

“For the ones who carry the world in their veins – and make this island beat.”

This is Britain: a mosaic of footsteps, flavours, languages, and inventions, built by travellers, migrants, and dreamers. It is not a fantasy of purity, but a reality of mixture and connection. A curriculum that denies this truth denies the very heartbeat of the nation.

Now education must prioritise empathy with the same seriousness it gives to literacy and numeracy. Belonging should be woven into every subject, student voice must be valued, and leaders held accountable for equity. Success must be redefined so that growth, creativity, and resilience stand alongside grades. Every child should be able to look at the curriculum and find themselves reflected in it, while also seeing and stepping into the lives of others.

Going forward, if we want to raise a generation capable of compassion, critical thinking, and courage, education must be transformed into a tool for connection, not division.

Belonging is the root. Empathy is the bridge. Truth is the curriculum.