Education

What Inclusion means depends on where you are standing…

Michelle Sakande portrait

Written by Michelle Sakande

Michelle Sakande is an Inclusion Specialist, consultant, speaker and the author of Jude the Giant. She is currently the SENDCo at the Arbor School, Dubai. Michelle works across the UAE and Africa to support schools, communities, and policymakers in building equitable education systems. With expertise in special educational needs, assistive technology and inclusive literacy, she blends research-driven strategies with authentic storytelling to inspire change.

Inclusion is one of those words we all use, but we rarely define it the same way. In some parts of the world, inclusion means a child with autism sits in the same classroom as their peers. In others, it means a child simply has access to any education, regardless of ability. For some, it means policy. For others, it’s a prayer or a wish. 

The truth? Inclusion isn’t a checklist; it’s a cultural conversation. But depending on where the soil, sand, grass or pavement you’re standing on is, that conversation sounds very different. 

Inclusion in Context, A Global Mosaic

In Ghana, a child with learning differences may never be assessed or diagnosed. According to UNICEF, only 8% of children with disabilities attend school regularly and most teachers receive little to no training on neurodiversity. Cultural stigma plays a role too, especially as some families still hide their children due to fear or shame. Here, inclusion often starts not in the classroom, but in the mindset of the community. Across Africa, resources can be stretched, but innovation thrives. In Kenya, low-cost assistive tech is reforming access. In Nigeria, mother led advocacy groups are raising awareness. Still, inclusion is often treated as a charitable act, not a right.

Contrast that with Finland, which is consistently ranked one of the most inclusive education systems in the world. There, early screening, flexible curricula and a zero-stigma approach allows students to receive support before they fall behind. Around 32% of Finnish students receive special education services at some point, not because they’re failing, but because the system adapts to them.

In Singapore, inclusion is more structured, but highly academic. Neurodivergent students may attend special schools or units within mainstream ones. There’s investment, but still a strong cultural preference for high performance, which can leave some children feeling excluded within an ‘inclusive’ system. And in Japan, progress is slow but steady. A 2022 survey showed that only 13% of schools had fulltime special needs support teachers, although social awareness is rising because of advocacy by parents and NGOs.

Even in the UAE, where huge strides have been made in inclusive policy, implementation varies drastically from one school to another. There’s an appetite for change, but real inclusion can’t thrive without systemic accountability and sustained cultural sensitivity.

What does this mean for neurodivergent students?

For neurodivergent students, the definition of inclusion is often felt in small moments:

Is my difference seen as a deficit or a gift?

Am I supported to thrive, or just to survive?

Do I belong here or am I being tolerated?

What is inclusive in Finland may feel isolating in Ghana. What is normalized in Tokyo may be stigmatized in Accra. There is no one size fits all. But there is a shared goal: dignity, access and belonging.

So… What is Inclusion?

Inclusion is the right to participate fully in life at your own pace, with the support you need and the freedom to be your full self. It must be rooted in context, culture and care. It must be flexible enough to honour difference and firm enough to insist on equity. It’s important not to export models that don’t translate… Listen deeply, learn locally and lead with humanity. Because true inclusion doesn’t start with policy. It starts with people.

by Hannah Wilson

Fostering Hope and Resilience through Third-Wave Positive Psychology in Schools

Melanie Gentles portrait

Written by Melanie Gentles

Melanie Gentles is a Positive Psychology Practitioner and School Leader with a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from Buckinghamshire New University, UK. Her work bridges research and practice, focusing on how psychological resources such as hope can foster resilience, wellbeing and personal growth—particularly within Black communities and culturally diverse contexts.

As a co-author of the recent study Exploring the Experiences of Hope among Young Black British Female Adult Racial Justice Activists, published in the European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, I’m deeply passionate about how our findings can illuminate the path forward for educational spaces. Our research explores hope not as a vague ideal, but as a powerful mechanism for recovery, action and growth. It captures the emotional complexity of activism and the vital role education plays in nurturing and sustaining hope. 

This work resonates strongly with the principles of Third-Wave Positive Psychology (TWPP), which brings a more holistic, socially aware perspective to understanding human wellbeing. In this framework, schools are not just places of academic instruction but can become incubators of resilience, justice and community. They can offer students the tools to navigate the realities of racial discrimination with strength and purpose.  

Looking Beyond the Individual to Understand Hope 

Our study centered on the lived experiences of young Black British female racial justice activists and reflects the core values of TWPP. Unlike earlier approaches in positive psychology that often emphasised individual traits or isolated wellbeing, this third wave emphasises complexity. It recognises that wellbeing exists within cultural contexts, social systems and historical structures. 

The hope we examined in our research did not emerge in spite of adversity, nor was it separate from feelings of pain, anger or exhaustion. Instead, it existed alongside them. These activists demonstrated a hope that was deeply rooted in a collective struggle. It was practical, forward-looking and responsive to the realities of racial injustice. Rather than denying hardship, it acknowledged it and used it as fuel for action. 

This orientation toward action is a hallmark of TWPP. It moves beyond personal optimism to ask how individuals and communities can create meaningful change. In this way, our findings challenge schools to see hope not as a soft or sentimental emotion, but as a powerful, transformative force—especially for students facing systemic adversity.  

Supporting Students Through a TWPP-Informed Lens 

The implications of this work for schools are profound. When educators understand hope through the TWPP perspective, they gain new tools for supporting pupils who are grappling with the effects of racial discrimination. This begins with the recognition that healing and empowerment are inseparable from justice and agency. 

Creating Space for Real Emotions 

Students need to feel that their experiences are seen and taken seriously. TWPP urges us to validate young people’s emotional responses to discrimination. This includes acknowledging anger, grief and frustration, as well as celebrating their strength and defiance. By offering safe, respectful spaces for students to express themselves, schools help lay the groundwork for hope to take root. 

Empowering Students to Act 

Hope is more than a feeling—it’s a belief that change is possible and that one has the tools to pursue it. Schools can foster this belief by helping pupils recognise their own agency and develop strategies to navigate challenges. Some ways to do this include: 

  • Giving students meaningful opportunities to share their experiences and advocate for change within the school 
  • Teaching practical problem-solving and self-advocacy skills, including how to report discrimination and seek support 
  • Introducing students to role models—past and present—who have confronted injustice and inspired progress 

Supporting Growth After Trauma 

Our study also showed that hope can be a pathway to resilience and post-traumatic growth. For students who have experienced racism, recovery is not about erasing the trauma but about transforming it. Schools can play a vital role in this process by offering support that is both culturally aware and trauma informed. This includes mental health resources, mentorship and community connections that affirm students’ identities and experiences.  

Reimagining Education as a Catalyst for Hope 

Education, when approached intentionally, can be a powerful vehicle for hope. This means going beyond curriculum reform and embedding justice, dignity and belonging into the entire educational environment. 

Developing Anti-Racist Curricula 

Schools must commit to challenging dominant narratives and offering diverse, inclusive content. This helps students make sense of systemic injustice and strengthens their understanding of the broader world. An anti-racist curriculum celebrates marginalised voices and equips students with critical tools for analysis and empathy. 

Building Advocacy Skills 

Equipping pupils with the skills to advocate for themselves and their communities reinforces their sense of agency. This includes communication, critical thinking, civic engagement and organising skills. These are not extracurricular—they are essential for meaningful citizenship and long-term wellbeing. 

Fostering a Sense of Belonging 

Perhaps most crucially, schools must create environments where all students feel seen, valued and safe. Belonging is not a luxury; it is foundational for learning and thriving. When students know they matter, they are more likely to believe in their future and to act with purpose and confidence. 

Hope as a Pathway to Justice and Flourishing 

Through the lens of Third-Wave Positive Psychology, hope emerges as a deeply grounded and pragmatic force. It helps students navigate real challenges—not by ignoring injustice but by actively responding to it. Our study highlights how hope can support pupils in reclaiming power, building community and imagining new possibilities, even in the face of adversity. 

In today’s schools, cultivating hope is not optional. It is a necessary part of helping all young people—especially those confronting systemic racism—find their voice, resilience and capacity for change.  

Reference 

Gentles, M. J., & Sims, C. (2025). Exploring the Experiences of Hope among Young Black British Female Adult Racial Justice Activists. European Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9(4). 

by Hannah Wilson

Beyond the Binary: What would happen if every staffroom heard my trans kids speak?

Matthew Savage portrait

Written by Matthew Savage

A global education leader, Matthew supports schools worldwide with radical, fresh ways of knowing, helping everyone to be seen, heard, known and belong. A disabled wheelchair user, and parent to two, neuroqueer, adult children, he, his wife and their dingowolf live on the Isle of Skye.

Back in 2021, I wrote for this blog a post entitled, ‘Gender is “wibbly-wobbly” and “timey-wimey”, and gloriously so’. How the world has changed since then!

Then, we lived in a world which was ignorant about, fearful of, and discriminatory towards the trans community. However, today, this ignorance, fear and discrimination have been multiplied a thousandfold.

As life has become tougher for most people, populist, and simply wannabe-popular, governments have sought somehow to blame the situation on the marginalised and minoritised groups most negatively impacted by it: refugees, for example; the disabled; and, of course, trans people.

However, the purpose of this post is not to amplify the critical work of the Good Law Project to rehumanise trans identity in the wake of the EHRC’s misinterpretation of the UK Supreme Court’s recent judgment, or to amplify the efforts of Transactual, and other organisations within the UK’s trans and LGBTQ+ communities, to develop a co-ordinated response to the subsequent public consultation.

As a disabled, wheelchair user myself, I am tired of trying to navigate a world designed through an ableist lens uninformed by the experience of the disabled community itself. And one of the things that angers me most about the offensively called ‘trans debate’ is that it never centres trans voices.

And so this post seeks to share some of those voices, namely those of my two, beautiful, kind, adult, trans children, with whom I recorded a lengthy conversation last August, with the intention of turning it into a published article about the publication of which I am now sufficiently scared to postpone.

For the time being, then, instead, please let these snippets speak for themselves:

  • “Like with queer identity in the 1980s, even mentioning it was framed as a bad influence on kids… Section 28 came from that mindset. Today the same fear – ‘talk about it and you’ll turn children trans’ – drives the panic around schools.”
  • “Trans Day of Visibility is supposed to be positive, yet the very act of being seen now brings more danger: headlines, hostile laws, threats. Sometimes hiding feels safer than visibility that paints a target on your back.”
  • “Adults are so far behind. Some still stumble over ‘trans man’ or ‘trans woman’, let alone neopronouns. Children already use that language confidently, but teachers keep circling around the terminology instead of choosing to learn it.”
  • “Our existence gets politicised; we’re not allowed simply to live without becoming a talking point. ‘What about the children?’ is rolled out, yet the outrage is profitable fear-mongering, not genuine concern for young people’s wellbeing.”
  • “Bullies know that strangers – and even politicians – repeat the same slurs, so their abuse feels legitimised. It isn’t only hatred of who you are; it’s a constant challenge to whether you even are who you say you are.”
  • “Trans kids are treated like pawns in a culture war. Nobody is talking to them; everyone talks about them. Policies get drafted, panels convene, yet the voices most affected are left outside the room.”
  • “Breaking down gender stereotypes liberates everyone – cis students included – who doesn’t fit a rigid mould. When a classroom loosens those constraints, more young people can breathe and learn as their authentic selves.”

I firmly believe that in a world where to come out as trans has never been more terrifying, what we need most is for trans allies to come out instead – with your families, your friends, your colleagues and the world at large. Because I firmly believe that, at times like these, silence is complicity.

Will you come out as the ally my children, and their trans siblings nationwide, need now more than ever?

by Hannah Wilson

Flags: When Patriotism Becomes Politics

Hannah Wilson portrait

Written by Hannah Wilson

Founder and Director of the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators).

We have all seen them. Driving up the motorway, crossing a roundabout in town, suddenly there it is: the Union Jack, or the red-and-white St George’s Cross, flapping over a bridge or painted over the crossing. No football tournament, no royal celebration – just flags, bolted into the landscape.

Let’s be clear – they are not innocent festive decorations (although some people are pretending/ or are naively thinking that they are in support of the World Cup Rugby and the UK Women’s team, the Roses). They are bold political statements.

 

On a Personal Note

I was back on the road for the start of term INSETs this week and as I drove from Bath to Worcester to Manchester to Matlock back to Bristol and then home to Bath, I lost count of how many flags I saw. I would guess 150-200 flags heading North and the same again heading South. It was noticeable which regions had a higher density and where they felt angrier in their positioning.

As I drove to a school in Manchester on Friday morning to join a MAT’s new staff induction day I felt sick to the pit of my stomach as I approached the school – they were everywhere, on every lamppost, gate and fence.

The sense of unease did not leave me all day. It felt hostile and threatening, despite them not being aimed directly at me. So, I asked the CEO and Executive Team of the MAT if I could speak to the elephant in the room, as I was concerned for the psychological safety of the staff who were gathered in the theatre, a visibly diverse workforce, many of whom had travelled from out of region. They agreed. They later asked me for some advice on how to navigate the start of term with the increasing tensions. I have been thinking about it ever since and what I would do if I was going back to being a school/ trust leader this week.

 

From Bunting to Battle Lines

In the past, flags have been raised for a coronation, for the Jubilee, or when England is playing in a World Cup match. The flags meant celebration, collective cheer, and coming together as a community, united through the event or the love of the game.

Now? The flags have become a different sort of shorthand. Reform UK supporters and far-right groups have learned that flags are cheap, visible, and impossible to ignore. Hang a Union Jack on a motorway bridge and the daily commute has been turned into a stage for politics.

My fear? How long will it be until the flags become bolder and braver, until the swastikas appear, until the ‘whites-only’ narratives of racially segregated nations get scrawled as graffiti beside them?

 

Why Roundabouts and Bridges?

Because they are public, they are prominent, and they belong to no one in particular. A roundabout or a bridge or a lamp post does not in theory need permission. It is ultimately a free billboard – one dressed up as patriotism but actually conveying hate.

In conversations with others about the growing campaign and visibility, I have heard two new phrases in the last week:

“Going roundabouting” has become a new hobby – people are taking their partners and their families out on the weekends to support the campaign and spend the day painting the flag on empty canvases.

“Your xxx looks like they go roundabouting” has become a new slur – playgrounds and classrooms will be divided by those who support and those who oppose these territorial and divisive behaviours.

 

Start of Term

As most UK schools re-open for INSETs, induction days and start of term this week, this cultural shift across the nation matters for educators. Symbols carry lessons. The flag on a bridge is far from neutral. It is an explicit message: “This is ours.”

Depending on who sees it, it can feel like pride… or it can feel like a warning.

It might as well say: “We belong here. You do not”.

What does this mean for schools?

  • Our Senior Leaders will need to be visible – out on the gates, being the gatekeepers to the school’s boundaries.
  • Our Safeguarding leads need to be anchoring this in the start of term KCSIE updates.
  • Our Site Teams need to be vigilant and see if they begin to appear as graffiti on tables, on walls in our schools.
  • As educators we need to be checking in on the welfare of our pupils and their parents/ carers.
  • As employers we need to be checking in on the welfare of our employees.

 

Patriotism or Exclusion?

This is the heart of the issue. For some, these flags are a rallying cry for “taking the country back.” For others, they are an unsettling reminder that national identity is being policed in plain sight.

Educators need to help young people ask:

  • Who is claiming the flag?
  • Who is being included, and who is being left out?
  • When does pride tip into nationalism?
  • Why do some groups use symbols instead of words?
  • How do different flags make different groups of people feel uncomfortable?

We also need to acknowledge that it is difficult to talk about one flag without considering other flags. People will ask why it is okay to fly the Pride flag and not the St George’s flag. Or why the Pro-Palestine flags have been vetoed but the St George’s flag has been supported and stays up.

Pulling flags down is also not the answer, if anything it is the reaction some are looking for to then escalate things. As schools, colleges and MATs, we thus need to consider our approach and our standpoint to flags and we need to apply it consistently for all flags, for all groups.

 

Why It Matters in Classrooms

What is important to remember is that all students will see these flags – on the way to school, on TikTok, in the news. If we ignore them, we leave the interpretation to whoever shouts the loudest. By unpacking the symbolism, we show students how politics works in the everyday: not just in Parliament, but in the quiet tying of a flag to a lamppost.

Flags are not the problem. The problem is when they stop being about unity and become markers of division.

Last September, we started term with a sense of unease post the faith and race riots of the summer. This September, we start the new term with a sense of unease about flags being weaponised. Both make our school communities feel unsafe, excluded and leads to people questioning their place and sense of belonging.

Final Thoughts

If we ignore it and we do not speak up, we feed the problem.

Check out a blog by Bennie Kara called ‘Flying the Flag’ and a No Outsiders Assembly on flags by Andy Moffat.

You may also want to speak up by signing the Hope Not Hate petition against the biggest Neo-Nazi music festival in Europe being held in Great Yarmouth this weekend.

Teaching Ideas for: Flags, Symbols, and Meaning

1. Spot the Symbol

  • Show images of flags in different contexts:
    A street party with bunting
    A football stadium
    A motorway bridge with political slogans nearby
  • Ask: “What’s the difference between these uses? How does the same flag carry different meanings in each place?”

2. Timeline of the Union Jack

  • Research the history of the Union Jack and St George’s Cross.
  • Students create a visual timeline: how has the meaning shifted from empire, to WWII, to the 1960s mod culture, to football, to today’s political movements?
  • Prompt: “Does a symbol’s meaning change with time, or do we change how we read it?”

3. Bridge or Billboard?

  • Debate exercise:
    Group A argues that putting flags on roundabouts/bridges is legitimate free expression.
    Group B argues it is intimidation or exclusionary.
    Group C acts as judges, deciding which arguments were strongest.
  • Reflect afterwards: “How do we balance free speech with community impact?”

4. Flags Without Words

  • Discuss why groups use flags instead of leaflets, speeches, or adverts.
  • Activity: students design a non-verbal symbol or image to represent a cause they care about.
  • Prompt: “What does your design say, and how might others read it differently?”

5. Critical Media Watch

  • Collect recent headlines or social media posts about flags and patriotism.
  • Analyse language: is the coverage celebratory, critical, neutral?
  • Prompt: “How does the media shape whether we see flags as pride or protest?”

6. Personal Reflection

  • Journal exercise: “When have you seen a flag displayed in public? How did it make you feel? Did you feel included, excluded, or indifferent?”
  • Emphasise that different reactions are valid — it’s about recognising diversity of perception.

These activities help young people see that symbols are never neutral. They are tools of communication, belonging, and sometimes exclusion. The aim is not to tell students what to think, but to give them the vocabulary to analyse and question what they see.

 

Recommended Reading & Resource List

Articles & Commentary:

  • The Guardian – “The strange politics of flags” (2021) – Explores how Union Jacks have been co-opted into culture wars in the UK.
  • BBC News – “Why England’s flag is so divisive” – A short explainer on the St George’s Cross, from football pride to far-right appropriation.
  • The Conversation – “Flags and nationhood: who gets to own national symbols?” – Academic but accessible, good for educators to unpack.

Books:

  • Michael Billig – Banal Nationalism (1995)
    Classic text on how everyday symbols (flags, weather forecasts, sports) quietly reinforce nationalism without us noticing.
  • David Olusoga – Black and British: A Forgotten History. Not about flags specifically, but brilliant for context on who “belongs” in British identity, and how that story gets told.
  • Eric Hobsbawm & Terence Ranger – The Invention of Tradition (1983). Explains how many “ancient” national symbols are surprisingly modern constructions.
  • Khalid Koser – International Migration: A Very Short Introduction. Short and sharp, useful for helping students understand the backdrop to debates about identity and belonging.

Reports & Teaching Resources:

  • British Future: “How to talk about immigration and integration” – Practical, non-partisan strategies for teachers and facilitators.
  • Hope Not Hate: “State of Hate” reports – Annual overviews of far-right movements in the UK, including use of symbols and flags.
  • Facing History & Ourselves – Lesson plans on symbols, propaganda, and identity that can be adapted for UK classrooms.

Multimedia:

  • Podcast: Talking Politics – History of Ideas (episodes on nationalism and identity).
  • BBC iPlayer: Who Owns the Flag? (documentary on the contested meanings of the Union Jack).
  • YouTube: Vox – “The surprising history of the American flag” (useful comparison point; shows how symbols shift with politics).

These resources and readings can help educators:

  • Ground classroom discussion in research and history.
  • Show that debates about flags are not new, but part of long struggles over identity.
  • Give students a bigger toolkit for thinking critically about the symbols they see every day.

 

by wpadminuser

Leading the Diverse Curriculum: How do we do this meaningfully, without crashing and burning?

Bennie Kara portrait

Written by Bennie Kara

Co-Founder of Diverse Educators

There has never been a more urgent time for schools to reconsider what and who our curricula are for. In a world that is increasingly complex, diverse and interconnected, the curriculum must be more than a list of knowledge to be delivered. It must be a living, breathing framework for belonging, identity and justice. Leading the Diverse Curriculum (a 6 part training programme delivered over the course of the year) invites school leaders and educators to step back from the pace of everyday delivery and ask a foundational question: What does our curriculum say about the world and about the children in front of us?

Many schools are already aware that diversity and inclusion cannot be confined to a calendar event or a themed display board. The desire for a more equitable curriculum is present, but the path forward is often unclear. What this training offers is not a prescription, but a set of tools, questions and frameworks to help schools develop a curriculum that is thoughtful, principled and inclusive in both design and impact.

This work begins with vision as a guiding principle. Schools are encouraged to interrogate what it really means to have a diverse and inclusive curriculum. What values underpin our curriculum choices? How are these reflected in the lived experience of students across different subjects? These questions are not abstract. They demand honest dialogue among staff and between schools and their communities. By rooting curriculum development in a shared vision, the programme fosters a collective sense of purpose. 

But clarity of vision must be matched by curriculum integrity. Diversity is not achieved through surface-level representation. It is not enough to add a new text to the reading list or a new historical figure to a lesson. A curriculum that serves all students must be rooted in sound curriculum thinking. This means understanding the principles of sequencing, coherence, and progression — and then asking, “Who is this for?” and “Whose knowledge is being centred?”

Throughout the programme, schools are supported to reflect critically on the content they teach and the underlying messages it conveys. There is space for genuine professional introspection, not just about what we teach, but why we teach it in the way we do. Educators are invited to hold up a mirror to their curriculum, to see whose voices are included and whose are absent. This is not about blame; it’s about building the confidence and competence to lead change in a meaningful, sustained way.

This work is not confined to theoretical ideals. The training is grounded in practical strategies and real-world application. Schools are encouraged to examine their current curriculum policies, subject intentions, and implementation models with new eyes — through the lenses of equity, identity, and justice. They are the lived experiences of our students. When schools begin to map the curriculum through these lenses, the gaps and opportunities become clearer, and the work begins to feel possible.

A particularly powerful aspect of this training is its emphasis on evaluation. Too often, curriculum changes are made without a clear sense of how success will be measured or what the impact should be. This programme supports leaders to think strategically and to consider change models and implementation strategies that go beyond intent and move towards sustainable, embedded practice. 

This requires courage. It requires schools to look inward and confront the emotional realities of leading this work. There will be discomfort. There may be resistance. But this training does not shy away from that: it acknowledges that curriculum change is emotionally charged because it speaks to identity, belief, and culture. The programme offers space for staff to explore these emotions safely, while building the emotional literacy required to lead through discomfort and challenge.

Another vital strand of the training is the role of student and community voice. An inclusive curriculum cannot be created in isolation from the people it is designed to serve. Too often, students are passive recipients of curriculum decisions. This programme challenges that norm, encouraging schools to create authentic, safe spaces for students and families to share how the curriculum lands with them. 

This is not easy work. It is demanding, nuanced, and often personal. But it is also deeply hopeful. At a time when education is increasingly shaped by outcomes and data, this training reminds us of the transformative power of the curriculum. It reminds us that the stories we tell in our classrooms — through literature, history, science, art — shape the self-worth, aspirations and worldviews of our students.

Sign up to join the next cohort of Leading the Diverse Curriculum here: 

Book Now

by Hannah Wilson

26,000 Voices Reveal the True State of Inclusion in Schools

Dr Nicole Ponsford portrait

Written by Dr Nicole Ponsford

Dr Nicole Ponsford is an award-winning teacher, EdTech innovator, and doctoral researcher focused on equity and inclusion. She is the Founder and CEO of the GEC (Global Equality Collective)—a global movement of 20,000+ changemakers and 400+ DEI experts. Her research has informed GEC’s survey of 26,000+ students and staff (to date) on intersectional inclusion, shaping policy and practice. Recognised as one of Europe’s Top 50 Women in Tech, a National Diversity Awards 2024 finalist, and Computing Magazine’s Role Model of the Year, Nic also serves as Co-Head of Education at Microlink, championing inclusive learning through innovative design.

For the first time, 26,000 students and staff from over 350 schools and trusts have shared what inclusion really feels like—from corridors and classrooms to leadership, policy, and curriculum.

Published by the GEC, 26,000 Voices is the world’s largest and most intersectional study of inclusion in education. This report does more than highlight gaps—it hands leaders a blueprint for systemic change. At a time when education is at a crossroads, it offers something we’ve not had before: a real-world picture of how students and staff experience school—and what we can do to make things better.

More Than a Report: A Framework Built From the Inside Out

Inclusion is often treated as either a reporting requirement or a pastoral initiative—rarely both. That binary is holding schools back. Inclusion isn’t about box-ticking or reactive interventions. It’s about culture, systems, and leadership.

That’s why the GEC Platform was created. Developed by teachers, researchers, and inclusion experts—alongside five UK universities—it enables schools and trusts to see the full picture and act on it. At the heart of this approach is a new methodology: Kaleidoscopic Data.

Kaleidoscopic Data captures the intersectional, lived experiences of people in schools, revealing what traditional metrics can’t. By combining quantitative trends with qualitative depth, it ensures the voices of marginalised students and staff are no longer invisible—and that interventions are designed with, not for, those communities.

What the Data Reveals: Students

The student voice in this report is clear: many young people do not feel safe, seen, or supported in school.

  • 64% of students say they don’t feel safe at school
  • 30% of students from single-parent families have missed school due to safety concerns
  • Just 18% of students with mental health needs feel supported to achieve
  • 1 in 3 (33%) students with invisible disabilities say their needs are not understood in class
  • Only 21% of LGBTQ+ students feel their gender identity is respected

What Helps: GEC Inclusion Actions for Students

  • Collect anonymous student voice data to understand the needs of underserved groups. This should include how relationships and physical spaces affect students’ sense of safety and belonging.
  • Use coaching circles and peer mentoring to rebuild trust and empower students to lead inclusively within their own communities.
  • Equip staff with identity-informed coaching skills so they can support students with invisible disabilities or mental health needs more effectively.
  • Use staff surveys to identify bias across the organisation. Provide LGBTQ+ inclusive training through structured, reflective CPD that centres student voice.
  • Co-design safe spaces and coaching frameworks with students from single-parent households and marginalised groups to ensure solutions are rooted in lived reality.
  • Adopt a trauma-informed, relational coaching model across all year groups—so inclusion becomes part of how teaching and support are delivered every day.

What the Data Reveals: Staff

Staff voices also reveal urgent inclusion challenges:

  • Only 60% of staff feel they can be their authentic selves at work
  • 62% of parent/carer staff feel excluded due to caregiving responsibilities
  • Only 46% feel represented in school leadership
  • 41% of staff with mental health or neurodivergent needs do not feel safe reporting issues
  • Two in five staff say they need flexible working—or will consider leaving

What Helps: GEC Inclusion Actions for Staff

  • Use anonymous staff surveys to surface the full spectrum of lived experiences, especially around identity, flexibility, and psychological safety.
  • Create ‘safe spaces’ —both 1:1 and group, both anonymous and identified —where staff can reflect, share, and build self-advocacy skills.
  • Offer inclusive leadership coaching to all line managers and management, focusing on belonging, identity, and equitable career routes and decision-making.
  • Train all staff through structured CPD and coaching on flexible working, reasonable adjustments, and inclusive communication, especially for working parents and carers.
  • Review representation in leadership pipelines through an intersectional and equity lens. Coaching can be used to build visibility, confidence, and sponsorship for underrepresented staff.
  • Normalise mental health and neurodiversity conversations through coaching-led supervision, reflective practice, and wellbeing frameworks that go beyond tokenism.

Report and Support, Not Either/Or

The 26,000 Voices report offers:

  • National benchmarks on inclusion
  • Clear, actionable priorities for school and trust leaders
  • Sector-specific recommendations for primary, secondary, FE, MATs, and AP settings
  • A research-informed model for identifying and closing inclusion gaps

The GEC Platform builds on this by providing:

  • Real-time dashboards showing inclusion patterns
  • Contextualised reporting aligned to Ofsted and DfE frameworks
  • Co-designed surveys developed with researchers and school leaders
  • Action planning tools, CPD pathways, and measurable progress tracking

This isn’t about being told what to do. It’s about being supported to lead meaningful, sustainable change—ethically, strategically, and systemically.

Built by the Profession, for the Profession

This work comes from inside the system. As a former English teacher, senior leader, and now inclusion researcher and EdTech founder, I know how hard it is to turn good intentions into lasting impact. That’s why the GEC Platform doesn’t add to workload—it reframes it. With the right insight and support, inclusion becomes the foundation for improvement, not an add-on.

Start Next Term as You Mean to Go On

Want to see how the GEC Platform can support your setting?

Let’s turn these 26,000 voices into lasting, inclusive change.

by Hannah Wilson

What I’ve Learned About DEI and Education Since Founding Inclusion Labs

Temi Akindele Barker portrait

Written by Temi Akindele Barker

Temi Akindele Barker is the founder of Inclusion Labs, an organisation dedicated to amplifying every voice and co-creating a more inclusive future by using data as a foundation for change. Inclusion Labs partners with schools to gather, share, and activate insights from DEI surveys, driving meaningful and measurable change. Temi began her career as a consultant in Legal Executive Search, working in both the UK and internationally. She led senior teams serving US and UK law firms as well as financial institutions, helping local and multinational clients achieve their strategic goals.

Over the past few years, I’ve worked with schools across the UK (and beyond), collecting unfiltered experiences from every stakeholder – students, parents, staff, and leadership. We gather data across race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, socio-economic status, disability, and more. No shortcuts. No hierarchy of oppression. It’s been eye-opening. Often heartbreaking. Occasionally enraging. Frequently hopeful. Always necessary.

Here’s some of what I’ve learned:

  1. Truth hurts. But it’s the only way forward
    The flurry of statements after BLM and Everyone’s Invited felt urgent, but many faded fast. I’ve seen the sector swing from apathy to panic to action and back again. DEI work can’t solely be reactive. It must be rooted in truth, which is uncomfortable but essential. You can’t solve what you don’t understand. You can’t challenge what you don’t even know to question. You have to invite the conversations in (especially when uncomfortable) and create space to listen and learn. If you’re afraid to know the truth about your school’s culture, you’re not really being inclusive.
  2. Passion > £££
    Most school DEI leads have no budget. Many don’t even have ring-fenced time. What they do have in spades is passion and purpose. Some come from marginalised backgrounds, and most carry a personal “why.” It’s often a lonely, thankless task, yet they keep going. In our recent report, 20,000+ voices were gathered, supported by fewer than 30 DEI leads. Let that sink in. This work is fraught with differing opinions, often delivered unkindly. Yet these leads show up, time after time, with care and courage. They embody: it doesn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.
  3. There’s joy and pain in having inclusion in your name
    I named our organisation Inclusion Labs, and meant it. But it carries weight and expectations. “You call yourselves Inclusion Labs; you should have X as an option.” People assume your politics, your beliefs. Sometimes, you’re the only one in the room who sees the full picture. This work means accepting that you can never fully capture all the ways in which communities are diverse. And more importantly, it is not our job to decide whether someone’s identity is valid.
    We are not here to judge or politicise – our role is to reflect back to schools who their community says they are right now. That comes with challenges. We might exclude someone by not including a category they feel represents them. Or offend someone else who believes listing too many categories is fundamentally wrong (“Why does sexual orientation have eight options?”)
    But our job isn’t to gatekeep identity. It’s to hold space for both. And yes, that might mean someone gets offended.
  4. Everyone must have a say. Even the ones you wish wouldn’t
    DEI isn’t about echo chambers, so we don’t censor. We share every insight with schools – good, bad, ugly, bigoted. We’ve heard testimonies that are beautiful, funny, painful, hopeful, and some that are outright offensive. Everyone having a say means… everyone has a say. Some comments I’ll carry with me for life. Some made me laugh out loud (high five to primary students). Others made me cry with heartbreak. Doing this work has made me cry more in the past few years than in all the previous ones combined. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again – doing this work, you see the best and worst of humanity.
  5. Yes, there are (racist, homophobic, ableist…) teachers
    Let’s just name it. Schools are a microcosm of society – they hold its brilliance and its bias. So yes, there are bigots in schools. It’s uncomfortable to admit. And yes, it’s disorienting to realise these individuals are tasked with teaching and supporting children. Sometimes you wonder: who among us is that person? But often the worst attitude comes from parents (who also choose to share views that are racist, homophobic, ableist…). Even inclusion surveys spark outrage – “Are you indoctrinating our children?” What they – in fact all of us – need to accept is that at any given moment, there might be one person that needs this work to be done – whether it’s for support, for correction, or for education (staff and parents included).
  6. You will fail. You’re allowed to fail.
    We need to stop demanding perfection. Schools aren’t DEI think tanks. They are made up of teachers trying to do their best with limited time, budget, and under incredible pressure. They will get it wrong. And that’s okay. We shouldn’t demand perfection – just passion and determination. Effort. Commitment. Willingness. That’s all we should ask. This work isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. And mistakes will happen. We need to stop weaponising mistakes and start using them to fuel better choices. Because when a school gets it right, the wins feel that much better.
  7. Same same, but different
    Are the issues really that different from school to school? No – and yes. Same issues, different proportions. Every school has racism. Every school has sexism. Every school has kids struggling with identity, belonging, being “othered.” The difference lies in what schools do or have done with those truths. Our recent report highlighted the 15 most pressing themes from stakeholders themselves (what mattered most to them). Most schools will attempt to address some or all of them, but to varying degrees and success.
  8. Sometimes you need to get out of the way
    Those with lived experience: your voice matters. But anger (while valid) can create fear. And fear kills progress. If everyone’s too afraid to speak or try, if no one’s willing to step forward or take a risk, nothing changes and no one moves forward. Sometimes, we need to turn our pain into possibility and let clarity, not chaos, lead the way.
  9. Sometimes it’s just a distraction tactic
    Once at a school session, I told an anecdote about a maths teacher who asked if DEI work applied to them. They felt that certain subjects naturally fell under this area (English, History, PSHE) but they could not see this so clearly for their subject. I will not bore you with the details of our conversation, but needless to say, I shared this story to make the point that DEI is not reserved for English or PSHE. But I later heard that some maths teachers felt personally attacked, as they felt it positioned them as lacking empathy. A landmine I didn’t see coming. Dare I say, ridiculous to the fullest extent – and designed to be just that: a distraction. (And for clarification – maths teachers have empathy).
  10. DEI awards are (mostly) nonsense
    Let’s be honest: a lot of DEI awards are performative. Some are paid-for nonsense. I’ve had countless offers with no real understanding of our work – for a small fee, of course! If you want validation as a school? If you need to know who you can trust to do the work and do it well? Then word of mouth, every time.

Finally…
Inclusion is never about just schools. It’s always been about society. If we can embed inclusive values, attitudes and behaviours in our school communities – from 5-year-olds through to governors – then we stand a chance at changing the wider world. This sector has more work to do. So, continue listening. Continue telling the truth. Refuse to shut up. Keep calm and carry on.

by Hannah Wilson

BLAM UK BOOK: Global Black Narratives for the classroom: Vol 1 & 2

Bettina Ogbomoide portrait

Written by Bettina Ogbomoide

Project Coordinator at BLAM UK (Black Learning Achievement and Mental Health UK). Passionate about Black studies, and dedicated to educating and exploring the cultures and histories of the African diaspora.

Too often, Black history is limited to the margins of the school calendar, and only acknowledged during Black History Month, which also normally tends to focus on specific narratives i.e. the transatlantic slave trade or the civil rights movement in America. This approach not only restricts the richness and diversity of Black experience, often excluding Black Britain altogether, but also squanders the opportunity to engage students with a fuller, more accurate version of global and British history.

At BLAM UK, we believe that Black history is not an add-on, but rather it is an integral part of understanding the world we live in. This is why we developed Global Black Narratives for the Classroom, a two-volume educational resource designed to facilitate primary school teachers to embed Black history, including British and global narratives throughout the academic year. Rooted in England’s National Curriculum, the books aim to save teacher’s time, boost their confidence and subject knowledge, and make it easy to teach global Black histories in a way that is accessible and inclusive.

Volume 1: Black Britain and Europe
The first volume focuses on the histories of Black communities in Britain and across Europe. It offers creative lesson plans for themes ranging from early Black presence in Tudor England to 20th-century activism and cultural movements. By highlighting figures such as Claudia Jones, Olive Morris, and Josephine Baker, the book challenges educators to expand their understanding of British and European history beyond narrow Eurocentric, male-domoinated, traditional narratives.

Volume 2: Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean
The second volume provides a broader global context. It provides a deep dive into African histories before colonialism, the cultural traditions of the Caribbean, and the layered experiences of Afro-descendant communities across the Americas. Through guided activities and thought-provoking content, students are encouraged to explore the global interconnectedness of Black narratives and resistance.

Both volumes are filled with practical tools which include lesson plans, engaging worksheets and creative activities, making it easier for teachers to deliver high-quality lessons with confidence and cultural sensitivity.

At its core, Global Black Narratives for the Classroom equips educators with the toolkit they need to centre Black perspectives in the curriculum, not just occasionally or tokenistically, but consistently and meaningfully. By doing so, we not only enhance the learning experience for all students, but we also create a more inclusive and culturally relevant and responsive educational environment.

Teachers who are seeking to counter the narrow, divisive rhetoric we are seeing increase, or are committed to anti-racist pedagogy will find in these books an invitation for reflection and the opportunity to increase your subject knowledge. All whilst encouraging critical thinking, and opening up space for alternative perspectives and more diverse stories to be told in the classroom.

You can purchase Global Black Narratives Volumes 1 & 2 from independent, Black-owned bookstores Book Love and Afrori Books, as well as Amazon, and Routledge. 

Please see the links below to purchase:

Book Love (Black-owned anti-racist bookseller) 

Vol 1: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean

Vol 2: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Britain and Europe

Afrori Books (Black-owned independent book shop)

Brighthelm Church & Community Centre, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1YD

Vol 1: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Black Britain and Europe – 

Vol 2: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean

Routledge

Vol 1: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Black Britain and Europe

Vol 2: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean

Amazon

Vol 1: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Black Britain and Europe

Vol 2: Global Black Narratives for the Classroom: Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean

Order our book and spread the word! 

BLAM UK is here to transform the way we think about Black narratives, one classroom at a time!

by Hannah Wilson

“When they try to deny us, resist with Shades of Bias!”

Wayne Reid portrait

Written by Wayne Reid

Professional Officer & Social Worker

In recent years, the social work profession has made declarations of support for anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice.  However, circular conversations, intensive dialogue, never-ending searches for ‘evidence’ and performative actions ensure that a critical gap persists: a lack of tangible reforms and person-centred support in real-world professional settings.  This is the void in which Shades of Bias was conceived – to help move us beyond repetitive rhetoric and towards meaningful action.

In a profession built on values and ethics, social workers often find themselves navigating the culture war minefields of bias – sometimes as victims/survivors, sometimes as observers/witnesses and sometimes (albeit unintentionally), as perpetrators or people responsible.  Shades of Bias emerges not as a blunt instrument of blame or guilt, but as a structured, compassionate and forward-thinking innovation for critical thinking and scalable change.

What is Shades of Bias?

Shades of Bias is a pioneering and universal case study framework designed to enable critical reflection on how discrimination, oppression and racism manifests in social work and beyond.  It is a simple process for documenting, analysing and addressing instances of bias, whether it is experienced directly, observed/witnessed or perpetrated (by the person/people responsible).  Shades of Bias can be used by: 

  • Victims/survivors of discrimination, to articulate their experiences in a therapeutic and structured way
  • Witnesses and observers, to reflect on incidents of bias they encounter and contribute to ethical practice
  • Those responsible for bias, to engage in non-punitive reflection, learning, and personal growth

The framework has 3 pathways and one vision.  It embraces intersectionality and is underpinned by the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.  Based on anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and anti-racist values and ethics, Shades of Bias helps to create a culture of accountability, inclusion, self-expression and systemic change. 

Whether you are a victim/survivor, witness/observer, or person responsible for bias, Shades of Bias provides a psychologically safe structure to:

  • Reveal the event or issue
  • Reflect on its dynamics and impact
  • Repair through learning, growth and accountability

A philosophical framework for reflection

At its core, Shades of Bias is a conscious rejection of ‘tick-box EDI’ and a bold call for social work to live up to its ethical mandate.  It is grounded in anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and anti-racist values.  However, it reaches beyond these to promote dignified empowerment and restorative learning.  Shades of Bias is intentionally non-punitive – designed not to shame, but to enable growth, positive change and cultural competence.  It recognises that progress depends not just on systems changing, but on individuals reflecting, learning and being brave enough to do better. 

Shades of Bias is an adaptable, expansive and multidimensional framework for healing, self-examination and transformation across policy, practice and education.  It provides:

  • A safe space to document injustices and validate lived experiences
  • A professional development tool that promotes ethical decision-making and inclusive practice
  • A resource for institutions to use anonymised case studies to promote collective learning and inform organisational change

It is intended for Shades of Bias to become the standardised framework for documenting discrimination and exposing harmful systemic patterns that are often ignored.  

Shades of Bias has the following self-explanatory sections: 

  • Case study title
  • Background and context
  • Nature of the incident
  • How was the situation handled?
  • Reflection and learning
  • Reflection and learning (for the person/people responsible for bias)

Shades of Bias is available in multiple formats – PDF, Word, and as an online Microsoft Form – and is supported by detailed guidance.

Shades of Bias does not aim to replace regulation or formal policies/procedures – it offers an accessible middle space between silence and escalation.  Its aim is to document harm, cultivate learning and disrupt harmful patterns – especially when more formal channels may be unresponsive.

Unlike many reports that merely outline problems or recommend solutions that are not implemented, Shades of Bias is a universal template developed by BASW England members and staff to document, analyse and support people in real-world scenarios. 

Origins rooted in lived reality

Shades of Bias was co-developed and co-produced in response to a groundswell of concerns from Black and Global Majority BASW England members.  It is the culmination of collective contributions from frontline practitioners and thought leaders from the Black and Ethnic Minority Professionals Symposium (BPS), Professional Capabilities and Development (PC & D) group, Anti Racist Movement (A.R.M), School of Shabs, BASW England and myself.  The concerns raised include:

  • Students facing racism during placements and academic experiences
  • Practice educators encountering bias in assessment and supervisory contexts
  • Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) struggling against institutional racism in recruitment, progression, and workplace culture

These concerns were escalated through BASW (British Association of Social Workers) and representations made to key stakeholders and partners, highlighting systemic racism in social work education, early career pathways and relevant regulatory frameworks.

Shades of Bias’s launch is timely.  Its development coincided with the publication of The Child Safeguarding Review Panel “It’s Silent”: Race, racism and safeguarding children report, which highlighted a lack of accountability in addressing racism in safeguarding practices.

Importantly, Shades of Bias is informed by BASW’s Code of Ethics; Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF);  the Local Government Association’s Standards for employers of social workers in England; Social Work England’s professional standards and the Social Care Workforce Race and Equality Standards (SC WRES).  Also, it is a logical progression from the BASW England ‘Anti-racism in Social Work’ activities across the UK (between 27/05/20 – 26/09/21) report.

Shantel Thomas, founder of the award winning Anti-Racist Movement (A.R.M.), BPS member and key partner said: “Shades of Bias is more than a tool – it’s a bold declaration that lived experience matters, and that reflection is the first step towards action.  As the A.R.M. collective, we are proud to stand behind this transformative framework, which empowers practitioners not only to reveal and reflect on harm, but to repair and rebuild with integrity.  This is how we dismantle racism – from the inside out.” 

Shabnam Ahmed MBE, founder of School of Shabs, BPS member and key partner said: “Shades of Bias is a transformative tool, powerful for both deep reflection and bold action. It empowers self-agency by giving voice to silenced experiences and challenging the minimisation of racism. True change demands bravery: to recognise that both courage and vulnerability can sit side by side.  The discomfort is necessary for accountability. When we face these truths together, change and anti-racism becomes possible.”  

More than just a template 

Shades of Bias can be used to inform policy, practice and education, as follows:

  • In policy, it can inform consultation responses and track systemic patterns of discrimination
  • In practice, it serves as a supervision tool, a CPD mechanism and a reflective journal
  • In education, it supports students and educators to explore bias meaningfully and sensitively
  • It encourages multi-level perspectives and multi-disciplinary dialogue

Shades of Bias can be used:

  • Individually for personal reflection, CPD or supervision
  • Within teams to address group dynamics and organisational culture
  • Across institutions as part of safeguarding, HR processes, whistleblowing or reflective learning 

The section for people responsible for the bias supports individuals who have engaged in discriminatory, oppressive or racist actions/behaviours whether knowingly or unwittingly.  It has a structured, non-punitive approach to reflection, helping individuals to take responsibility, learn and commit to anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and anti-racist practices.

The template encourages people responsible for bias to:

  • Recognise and understand personal biases
  • Acknowledge and address the harm they have caused
  • Align themselves with professional ethics and regulatory expectations
  • Contribute to a culture of self-honesty and transformative change

From seed to systemic

Social workers have shared the benefits of implementing and applying Shades of Bias:

  • “We all have biases. It’s the human condition. Recognising them is what makes the difference.”
  • “I love the guidance questions under each section because it helps me think and probe further into the situation. By the time I get to the reflection at the end, I have literally torn apart the entire situation and now, allows me to think beyond the situation.  The fact that the case study is going to be used to “repair” gives me the motivation to complete this.”
  • “The ideas are innovative and a pragmatic approach to seeking to achieve change.  I can see how I could use it either in my role as a Practice Educator and/or when I take on Anti-Racism within the organisation.  The Reveal>Reflect>Repair part is easily relatable too.”  
  • “I do feel it’s really positive and I could completely relate as a neuro diverse Black woman.  Thank you I feel it’s a great resource and is easy to understand.”  
  • “I just wanted to say that Shades of Bias is a fantastic and ingenious idea!  I am genuinely impressed with the depth and thoughtfulness that has gone into developing this framework.”
  • “Shades of Bias is a fantastic initiative. This addresses an area often overlooked, as many instances of discrimination, particularly from managers towards social workers, result in disciplinary action but rarely focus on the underlying bias. The burden of proof unfortunately falls on the aggrieved party, who often belongs to the global majority.  While this is a positive step, I still believe we need stronger action at the policy level.”

Shades of Bias helps to foster a culture of honesty, humility and hope – centred on the belief that accountability is not an accusation, but a duty of care and professionalism.  It is a framework for all levels of the profession – from students and practitioners to senior leaders, from academics to policy influencers.  Shades of Bias supports the profession’s evolving need for brave, psychologically safe spaces that honour complexity, intersectionality and human emotions.

What distinguishes Shades of Bias is its belief that transformation starts within.  By confronting our blind spots, we move towards integrity and self-awareness.  By documenting injustice, we can seed change.  By embracing our discomfort, we honour the dignity of others.

Shades of Bias is not a one-off resource.  It is a philosophy, a practice and a call to action.  If widely adopted, it has the power to humanise systems, reimagine accountability and hardwire social justice into the fabric of social work and beyond.  When bias is revealed and reflection is authentic, repair becomes possible.

“When they try to deny us, resist with Shades of Bias!”

‘One world, one race… the human race!’

Download the Shades of Bias case study template and the full suite of materials and templates today at: https://basw.co.uk/shades-bias.

by Hannah Wilson

Ten years of ‘No Outsiders’ assemblies: driving inclusion at a whole school level

Andrew Moffat portrait

Written by Andrew Moffat

Andrew Moffat has been teaching for 25 years and is currently PD Lead at Excelsior MAT. He is the author of “No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools” and “No Outsiders: everyone different, everyone welcome”. In 2017 Andrew was awarded a MBE for services to equality and diversity in education and in 2019 he was listed as a top ten finalist in the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize.

No Outsiders assemblies are 10 years old this month! Hooray! This is amazing – it’s gone by in a flash and I can remember each one like it was only yesterday … all 693 of them and with over 300,000 views.

The point of a No Outsiders assembly is to make the ethos real. The No Outsiders scheme is based on 43 picture books with a progression of lesson plans written for children in Reception to Year 6. The picture books are great; I’m using some wonderful authors and classic reads in there. Some of the picture books are based on real life stories, but it’s still different to discussing a photo taken of a real person in the last week. 

I realized in the early days of introducing the scheme in my school, that the lesson plans were not enough. You can’t build a whole school ethos on 6 lesson plans in each year group spread over the year; you need a weekly inclusion injection. Assemblies are the way to do this – everyone together discussing and driving the inclusive narrative. My aim was to find interesting current pictures to discuss with children and find ways to reach a ‘No Outsiders’ conclusion: “That’s why we say there are no outsiders here- everyone is welcome.” The assemblies became a key driver in our effort to develop the inclusive language and understanding. Everyone attended the weekly assemblies, and I encouraged staff to comment and relate to their own experiences in front of the children. Furthermore, as all the teachers were in the assembly, they would be referencing it throughout the week with their class.

I was worried when I first started doing the assemblies that we were summarising with the same sort of conclusion every week and I was reflecting whether children might get bored and start blandly replying, “No Outsiders” to every question, but it never happened. Even so, I started thinking about better questions and discussions; foster empathy skills and critical thinking; get a debate going with the children- ‘why does that person think that?’ and give them space to consider new and different ideas to their own. 

Oracy changed everything. I remember attending an oracy inset at my school in about 2021 and it was a game changer. The oracy lead at the time suggested we worked together and used No Outsiders assemblies to teach oracy and it was a perfect solution to both our aims. 

The aim in oracy is to teach children to speak; to use sentence stems and articulate their feelings; to agree and disagree. Disagreeing is ok as long as you disagree respectfully. This was key for No Outsiders because I could put in to practice this idea that different opinions were ok as long as you voiced them with respect and non-judgement. The ability to hold two points of view and balance opinions has always been central to a no outsiders ethos- I’m not teaching children what to think; rather I am teaching children to think. Now, using oracy, I had strategies and literally scripts (sentence stems) that I could use to encourage children to see other points of view and articulate those points of view in a reasoned manner, without necessarily agreeing with those points of view.

The first No Outsiders assembly was published on June 27th 2015. Looking back at my first attempt., it’s very different to the No Outsiders assemblies I am publishing today. It’s short, there are few questions and there is no attempt at recognising different points of view. Still, it’s a good first attempt and interesting to see how far we have come since June 2015.

Here it is (June 27th 2015): https://no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com/2015/06/assembly-picture-1-british-values.html

The picture shows a hand holding an old photo at chest height of an army squad. The focus is on the photo and the medals pinned to the jacket of the person holding up the photo. We can’t see their face.

Our activity:

Sword Beach, France Normandy veteran Alan King, from the Norwich and District NVA, holds a photo of himself (front second left) and his comrades from B Company taken on VE Day 1945, as dozens of British veterans made a cross-Channel pilgrimage to Normandy to honour the legacy of comrades killed in the D-Day landings 71 years ago. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

  • Who is this man?
  • Why does he wear medals?
  • Who do you think is in the photo he holds?
  • What happened on June  6th 1944?
  • Why does Alan King want this photo to be seen?
  • What do you think are his feelings about that time?

The obvious change over the last 10 years is the development of questions. I would still use the photo today but if I were writing this assembly in 2025, the questioning would be completely different. Here’s a plan using the same picture but ten years on. The questions to ask the children use italics. 

Our activity:

  • What do you see in the picture? What do you think this story is about?
  • There are two pictures here, how do you think they are related?

The photo shows Alan King who is a France Normandy Veteran.

  • What is a Veteran?
  • What does “France Normandy” mean – what famous event happened on the beaches at Normandy in WW2?

Alan holds a picture showing his comrades, taken on VE day in 1945. Alan is in the picture on the front row, second left.

  • Why do you think Alan is holding this picture?
  • What is VE day, what does it stand for and what happened on that day?
  • We can’t see Alan’s face in the photo today; we just see his medals and the old Alan in the photo he holds. Why do you think the photographer chose to do this?
  • Do you think the photographer should have sown Alan’s face? What are the arguments for and against this decision?

This photo of Alan was taken in 2015 as dozens of veterans crossed the English channel to Normandy to honour the legacy of comrades killed in the D-Day landings on June 6th 1944.

  • What were the D-Day landings, what happened on that day?
  • Why do you think veterans chose to make the crossing again 71 years later?
    • On the day in 1944 how many people do you think were involved in the crossing? (there were 175,000 soldiers involved.) Why only dozens today?
  • Why do we still remember that time when it was so long ago? Why not forget about it?
  • What can we learn from Alan?
  • Why is this about No Outsiders?
  • Which British value is this about?

I love the questions about the focus of the image- why can’t we see Alan’s face? This is a great debate, and we can encourage pupils to think about and articulate both sides of the argument using sentence stems such as:

  • “I would like to start by saying…”
  •  “I can see both sides: on the one hand, ___________, on the other…”
  • “One argument might be…”
  • “Building on…”
  • “That’s an interesting point, have you thought about…”

Today I always end my assemblies with the two questions, “Why is this about No Outsiders?” and, “Which British value is this about?” to ground the discussion in our school and link it back to the experience of the children in school. 

So, how should I finish this ten year anniversary blog post? It can only be to choose 5 of my favourite assemblies. It’s an impossible task to choose 5 out of over 500 so I will select 5 assemblies that reflected key events at the time. A key strength of these assemblies is I can write them quickly in response to any news event that I think schools need to talk about. I can respond right away, and schools can use the resource the next day. 

1 – The death of Queen Elizabeth II

The photo shows thousands of people congregating outside Buckingham Palace.

I struggled at first to think of an angle that linked to No Outsiders and then when commentators kept referring to the stability and constant presence that the Queen represented in their lives, I realised my focus could be on how equality laws and attitudes have changed while she was on the throne and also how people from different backgrounds felt the same way about her. This assembly is by far the most viewed assembly of the last ten years. https://no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com/2022/09/queen-elizabeth-ii-1926-2022.html

I did meet the Queen in 2017 when I received a MBE. I had about one minute with her, and she asked what I did in school. I told her what No Outsiders was aiming for and how we taught it in schools – I got in the protected characteristics and British Values! I think she didn’t quite know what to say at first and my boyfriend in the audience who was watching said you could see her concentrating and thinking of a reply. Then she said, “Very important for all our futures, I should think.”

2 – England losing the Euros final 2024

The photo shows Gareth Southgate in a kit on a pitch cheering. The impression is he has just scored a goal.

The Euro final between England and Spain was held on a Sunday evening in July 2024 and I knew that the game was going to be the only topic of conversation in school the next day. It had to be the theme for the Monday morning assembly, but I didn’t want to be writing an assembly at 10:00 on a Sunday evening about the result. I needed an assembly that could be used in schools the next day regardless of the result. 

I found a fantastic article on radio 4 about Gareth Southgate and a speech he gives to the players in the changing room before every match. In the speech, Gareth talks about what it means to be English and about Pride in the game. He also says this:

“I am the England men’s football team manager. I have a responsibility to the wider community to use my voice and so do the players. It’s their duty to interact with the public on matters such as equality, inclusivity, racial injustice, while using the power of their voices to help put debates on the table; to raise awareness and educate.”

A Head teacher contacted me after using this assembly to say it visibly lifted the children on Monday morning after they came in despondent and disappointed because of the result. That was exactly the response I hope for. This assembly became the third most viewed of the ten years.

3 – General elections

The photo shows Prime Minister Theresa May standing alongside Lord Bucket Head at the count in her constituency for the general election.

General elections give us a wonderful opportunity to talk about British values and this picture from 2017 says it all. It’s a perfect vehicle to get children discussing democracy and how it works. 

The assembly also referenced Mr Fish Finger who stood in Westmorland and Lonsdale.  Questions to consider included:

  • 37,469 more people voted for Theresa May than voted for Lord Buckethead; why?
  • Do you think Lord Buckethead and Mr Fishfinger wanted to win?
  • Why do you think Mr Fishfinger and Lord Buckethead stood for election?
  • Some people voted for either Mr Fishfinger or Lord Buckethead. Did their votes count? Why?
  • Should Lord Buckethead and Mr Fishfinger be allowed to take part in elections? What would happen if they won?
  • What does this story demonstrate about democracy in the UK?
  • Why is this about No Outsiders?

4 – Fish and Chips

The photo shows Gary Lineker in a cafe tucking in to a plate of fish and chips.

When the horrific violence against refugees erupted last summer in Southport and across the country, I published assemblies for schools to use when they returned in September. In the autumn term 2024 I was invited by a school in Southport to deliver No Outsiders training to their staff. Five other local schools joined the training and the local police also came. 

This assembly was a direct response to any voices arguing refugees are not welcome, by making clear how England has benefitted from refugees. In a short video, Gary Lineker celebrates National Fish and Chip day, by asking where all the food on his plate originates.

I recently asked the Head Teacher of the school where I delivered training to reflect on the impact of that training a year later and here is his response: 

“The No Outsiders programme has had a huge impact at our school. The assemblies are fresh, relevant and provide wonderful opportunities for interactive assemblies that cover vital issues. In addition, the units of work for classrooms provide a depth of discussion that has really improved provision at our school. The programme has been embraced by the whole school community and is one of the most positive things we have undertaken in the last few years.”

5 – Start of a school year

The photo shows a sky dive formation involving 113 people making a flower shape in the sky.

The most re-used assembly of the last ten years has placed this one as the second most viewed overall. It’s perfect for the first assembly of a new school year. I find small ways to update it every time I repost, but the essence remains the same. It uses a photo of a world record flower formation skydive performed by an international crew and asks what is the impact when people of different nationality, gender, religion etc work together. Why don’t all the black sky divers stay together, and the white sky divers stay together? The flower formation took 13 attempts to get right; why didn’t they give up after 5?

There’s also a lone figure top left who is not part of the formation – who are they, what are they doing? What do you think people are shouting to them? My most recent update included questions about how the photo was taken- from what angle and form where? And how long would the divers have to make the formation? What can we learn from them?

https://ks1no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com/2024/09/start-of-school-year.html

I want to say thank you to anyone who has used a No Outsiders assembly over the last ten years and also to anyone who has got in touch to give feedback. I can’t see a time when I won’t be writing and publishing these assemblies; I think I’ll be writing them long after I am retired! The assemblies still give me joy both to write and deliver, and when things get challenging in the world outside, they give me hope. These assemblies are my way of saying “It’s going to be ok – we can get through this together. Together we are strong.”

Here’s to the next ten years. Cheers!

Signposting: 

No Outsiders assemblies are published weekly free to access on the No Outsiders website www.no-outsiders.com

Andrew Moffat also sends assemblies in powerpoint form to schools on a mailing list each week. To join the free mailing list and receive the power points, contact Andrew on his school email a.moffat@excelsiormat.org

by Hannah Wilson

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