“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teaching practices, even though such narrow ideas of ‘ideal’ bodies are being critically challenged and perceived as outdated.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.
ASPIRE: Creating a culture where everyone can flourish
Written by Michele Deeks
Michele Deeks is a psychologist whose passion is helping people to be at their best more of the time. She is a Director of Work Positive and co-creator of the At My Best product range.
There seems to be an ever-growing body of evidence suggesting that our education system simply isn’t working for many teachers or learners. From the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education’s inquiry into the Loss of Love of Learning, through to reports showing unprecedented levels of staff stress and burnout, the challenges seem to be numerous.
It can be hard to know how to even begin to make things better. Something we can all influence, however, is the culture in our classrooms and institutions. Dr Sue Roffey, a psychologist and academic with extensive expertise in whole school wellbeing, has developed the ASPIRE model for flourishing cultures. The six principles in this model stimulate both discussion and action on what we can do day-to-day to enable everyone to be at their best.
In this video Sue talks to me about the ASPIRE model and its potential to transform staff and pupils’ experience of education.
https://vimeo.com/1140772098?fl=ip&fe=ec
ASPIRE is an acronym for Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect and Equity. It is a model of culture that draws inspiration from developmental and child psychology, positive psychology and neuroscience as well as extensive education research and Dr Roffey’s own experience and practice in schools across the world.
So what does each principle look and feel like in practice?
Agency
Agency is about empowerment. Agency in the classroom is evident where every pupil recognises they have a voice and a choice. Where learners are active agents in their learning, where they are involved in shaping what happens in their classroom, recognising not only how they can influence their own experiences, but how they can positively impact their peers and teachers too.
Safety
A safe educational setting keeps everyone safe from physical harm and mental distress, but it goes beyond that – in a safe environment everyone is accepted for themselves; everyone feels able to make contributions and take risks without fearing punishment, blame or humiliation.
Positivity
A strong sense of positivity in the classroom isn’t about ignoring what’s wrong or being unrealistic about what’s possible, but about shifting the focus to what’s working well. It’s about creating a culture that values and encourages a positive mindset, positive emotions, strengths-based language and solution-focused actions. It is also about having fun together.
Inclusion
An inclusive environment is one that demonstrates appreciation of diversity in a way that encourages behaviours and practices that increase everyone’s sense of belonging. Inclusivity means celebrating each person’s unique place in the world and valuing our shared humanity. It is about ensuring that everyone feels they matter and can contribute.
Respect
Treating others in the way they prefer to be treated sits at the heart of the principle of respect. Where respect is embedded in an educational setting it’s evident the whole person is valued, hierarchical privilege is minimised and there’s thoughtful consideration for differences in perspectives, contexts, feelings and needs.
Equity
Strong themes of fairness and flexibility are evident in environments that prioritise equity, with a recognition and understanding that one size does not fit all. Different accommodations are made for different students and staff to enable everyone to achieve optimal levels of contribution and outcome.
Each of the six principles brings something different to a culture. It is challenging for staff and students to flourish when any are missing. The principles also interact, overlap and affirm each other with individual behaviours, routines and habits sometimes being indicative of several.
So how can we embed ASPIRE in practice? Dr Roffey argues that culture isn’t something that can be imposed – it’s a shared responsibility. It’s something that everyone within an education setting influences on a daily basis. Culture is made up of our daily behaviours and practices. If we’re looking to change ‘how we do things around here’ we need to work out what we need to be doing differently and what perhaps needs more emphasis. There is no particular principle of ASPIRE that you need to start with. Instead, it’s about starting where it makes sense in your setting, working collaboratively to explore what’s working well and identifying clear, tangible actions that you can take to make sure your culture is one where everyone can flourish.
Watch the webinar (46 mins) to hear Dr Roffey explain the background to the ASPIRE model and the newly launched ASPIRE Culture Cards.
Sanctuaries of Inclusion & Incubators of Innovation!
Written by Laura McPhee
Laura McPhee is Director of Education at University Schools Trust. Prior to this, Laura was an experienced headteacher. She has a proven track record of leading transformational change management and successful school improvement journeys across London. Laura is a facilitator for the National Professional Qualification facilitator for Headship (NPQH) and a School Improvement consultant. She holds a number of trustee positions and enjoys guest lecturing for ITT courses. She is the author of 'Empowering Teachers, Improving Schools: Belonging, Psychological Safety & School Improvement' and a co-author of 'Tackling Poverty and Disadvantage in Schools.'
I’m sitting at the back of the teacher training induction session, pretending to read the welcome pack, when a large imposing figure appears at the front. He thanks us all for coming and quickly moves on to a lengthy monologue, warning us of the perils that lie ahead. He informs us in no uncertain terms, that training to be a teacher will be the most challenging thing we’ll ever have to do.
‘Hmmm. Doubt that. I’ve beaten cancer twice,’ says a jolly voice next to me, beaming.
I’ve been hiding in the back row with the other ‘mature’ students – who, as it turns out, are not so mature after all. The beaming voice is Kate, who like me, has a healthy disregard for rules. We become fast friends and slope off for coffee.
But the introductory ‘talk’, with hints of a dark reckoning, is still ringing in my ear. I thought this was the beginning of a new adventure, so why did it already feel like a zero-sum game?
I was yet to realise that the well-meaning individual, terrifying us all into submission that day, was in fact preparing us for the high stakes career that lay ahead.
As educators, we champion accountability. But accountability in the absence of psychological safety, can stifle innovation, limit progress and encourage poor behaviours.
I was lucky. I was a quick learner and, for the most part I was surrounded by exceptional teams and leaders who were extraordinarily generous with their expertise and professional support. But that hasn’t always been the case.
The evidence base suggests I’m not alone.
I would bet my mortgage that you, or someone you know, has at one time or another been worried about expressing their opinion at work for fear of reprisal. Perhaps you’ve thought twice about sharing a concern or idea? Or were afraid to ask a question? Maybe you’ve faced unfair criticism, chastisement or social exclusion.
Perhaps you’ve had to battle systemic barriers in the workplace?
The sector at large has been impacted. In a profession that is high stakes, a lack of psychological safety has, at times, resulted in exclusionary practice. This is amplified when weak education policy creates perverse incentives. For example, through ‘off – rolling’ or exclusionary practice around admissions.
We’re also seeing a direct correlation between staff engagement and pupil engagement. Unsurprisingly, when staff feel trusted, purposeful and supported. So do pupils.
However, research shows that our sense of belonging isn’t evenly distributed, with disadvantaged pupils and Black pupils reporting significantly lower levels of inclusivity. (Jerrim, 2025).
There’s much debate across the sector about what it means to belong, yet too often a crucial part of the conversation is overlooked. Psychological safety is the missing part of the puzzle for many pupils, parents and educators.
Professor of leadership and management, Amy Edmonson describes psychological safety as the ability to share concerns, ask questions and provide supportive challenge, without fear of reprisal.
Let’s be clear, this is a well-researched field, with a robust evidence base that points to the benefits of psychological safety across industries.
Research shows that organisations with the highest levels of psychological safety are more resilient and innovative. They perform better than others.
When we remember we’re people first, professionals second; we can connect the dots. Higher levels of psychological safety positively impact staff retention and productivity.
Remarkably, there’s very little information for school leaders about how to practically apply the principles of psychological safety. And yet, there has never been a more urgent need to consider the psychological safety and belonging for staff and pupils.
Hence my research in this area was borne out of personal and professional frustration…
Whilst cross-referencing the evidence base, with qualitative data from schools and universities nationally that have strong cultures, recurring themes began to emerge. This took the form of 10 pillars, or areas of school strategy that we want to ensure are underpinned by psychological safety to foster inclusivity:
- Leading with purpose
- Creating a culture of belonging
- Cognitive diversity
- Learning from failure
- Professional Development
- Coaching and Mentoring
- Distributed leadership
- Flexible working
- Innovation
- Place-based support for the community.
I’ll be using this blog to explore these 10 pillars; sharing research, evidence informed practice and case studies that exemplify psychological safety in schools for staff, pupils and the wider school community.
Frameworks for implementation:
Typically practitioners engaged in developing psychologically safe environments are signposted to Dr. Timothy Clark’s, 4 stages of psychological safety:
- Stage 1 – INCLUSION SAFETY: feels included and part of a team
- Stage 2 – LEARNER SAFETY: safe to learn and ask questions
- Stage 3 – CONTRIBUTOR SAFETY: safe to contribute and share ideas
- Stage 4 – CHALLENGER SAFETY: safe to contribute and challenge the status quo
Whilst this model prompts some useful thinking, it’s not without its challenges. We know from our own experience that progress is rarely linear! However, we could be forgiven for interpreting this framework as though we should be smoothly transitioning from one stage to the next. In reality there may be very good reasons why teams or individuals stall or need to revisit key principles to deepen their understanding. Of course, it’s also quite possible for team members to be moving at a different pace.
We know that too often underrepresented groups are required to carry out their roles in workplaces that are not inclusive or reflect the systemic barriers that exist in wider society. Yet these colleagues still need to move beyond stage 1 to find agency and autonomy.
For this reason, many practitioners have embraced Amy Edmonson’s 4 Domains of Psychological Safety as outlined in ‘The Fearless Organization Scan’:
- Attitude to failure and risk
- Inclusion and diversity
- Open conversation
- Willingness to help
This model reminds us to keep all four domains in mind when cultivating psychological safety. We can see how these domains are intrinsically linked and interdependent.
What might success look like if we’re brave enough to hold ‘open conversation’ and become ‘willing to help’? How can this approach drive more impactful solutions and tangible outcomes when it comes to inclusion?
Furthermore, we know that when it comes to psychological safety, the work is never done. Rather it is constantly evolving. It’s dynamic and shifts based on each new interaction and or shared experience…
“Psychological safety creates sanctuaries of inclusion and incubators of innovation.”
Dr. Timothy Clark
#RENDBristol - a day of hope, connectivity and solidarity.
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder and Director of the Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators).
Another Saturday… another grassroots event… this time I co-organised and co-hosted the inaugural #REND event in Bristol.
My friends and family who are not in education do not get it – ‘Why do you work on Saturdays Hannah?’ I get asked regularly when challenged about my work life balance. My reply is often the same – it does not feel like work when it is driven by purpose and passion. And the work is too important and too urgent – how else would we get 100 people together to talk about racial equity?
So when Domini and Rahima reached out to me in early June and asked me to join them in co-organising the first REND event in the SW, my answer was a firm yes. Having attended multiple #REND events in Luton, Birmingham and London, it was great to be holding one closer to my home in Bath. As a friend of Sufian and a supporter of Chiltern Learning Trust I wanted to help them mobilise the movement to other parts of the country to help spread the word.
Brought up in North Devon, I also always love delivering DEIB training and supporting educational organisations in the South West with their DEIB strategy. When we talk about legacy, my hopes are to grow consciousness, confidence and competence in DEIB matters in the less diverse parts of the country. We all know that the shires and the white-majority parts of the country need these events and these conversations as much as the cities and the more diverse parts of the country.
Once we got the green light from Sufian to start planning we began to plan the event. Having all attended the black-tie Friday night events we wanted to disrupt things and try a different model to make it more inclusive and more accessible to attend. So we decided to pilot a lunchtime event instead. Furthermore, instead of a dress-up event and a formal meal we went for a more casual affair and a DIY approach. We realised quite quickly how much work we were taking on so we reached out to Tanisha to join the organising team. A big thank you from all of us to Jo and the team at Cotham School for generously hosting us and for so many of the staff who rolled up their sleeves at the event.
Our approach thus meant that we did not need to secure large sponsors – we wanted the event to be grassroots and we were keen to elevate the small orgs, charities/ CICs and individuals doing the work in our region – hence we built a marketplace into the event flow. A massive thank you to our exhibitors who supported the event: Belonging Effect, Cabot Learning Federation, Courageous Leadership, HGS Education Ltd, Jigsaw Education Group, PGS Educators, SARI, Somerset Research School , South Gloucestershire Race Equality Network and Teacheroo.
Curating the line-up of speakers – we were committed to amplifying a local headteacher, a regional academic, best practice from Wales alongside national thought leaders, role models and researchers. We mapped out how many speakers we could fit into the schedule and landed on part 1 with 3 speakers before our Caribbean lunch and part 2 with 3 more speakers post-lunch. We have so much appreciation for our speakers for the work they do, for travelling to join us on a weekend and for speaking for free: Canon David Hermitt, Del Planter, Diana Osagie, Lilian Martin, Dr Marie-Annick Gournet and Sufian Sadiq. (For reference the slide deck from the main hall is here).
With all of the details confirmed we then began to market the event on our socials and across our networks. Our call to action was simple: “Following on from the sell out Racial Equity: Network Dinners launched by Chiltern Teaching School and continued around the country we are delighted to announce the arrival of the event in Bristol. The Racial Equity: Network Dinner is an opportunity for people across the education sector who share and appreciate the importance of racial equity, to come together to celebrate, network and enjoy a delicious meal”.
Our target was to bring 100 people together for our first event and we were only a few people shy on the day – our challenge now is to get everyone to return to our next event and bring someone with them who needs to be in the room to hear the messages that were shared.
The day was a whirlwind: from blowing up balloons, to laying the tables, serving the food, to greeting our speakers and holding space for our guests – the time disappeared quickly. It was brilliant to see so many familiar faces in the room, to meet virtual connections in person and to connect with new people from the area who are committed to making educational space more inclusive, more representative and ultimately safer for our global majority communities and colleagues.
Thank you for the positive feedback we have already received:
- Fern Hughes: “With 100 brilliant attendees, the room was full of purpose, passion and powerful conversation. Networking and connecting with so many inspiring people working across education — a sector close to my heart — made the day even more meaningful”.
- Adrian McLean:“#REND Bristol did things in style! Expertly arranged by Domini Choudhury Tanisha Hicks-Beresford Rahima Khatun-Malik & Hannah Wilson – we left with full hearts and a full belly!”
- David Stewart: “I’m not one for networking events. I find them superficial, surface-level, and inauthentic. But today completely changed that. Today I was invited to the REND Bristol event — the passion, authenticity, and energy brought by the exhibitors, guest speakers, and organisers was outstanding. Conversations were deep and particularly meaningful. Every speaker shared their story with pride and optimism for the future, and the organisers made the entire day run seamlessly”.
- Saima Akhtar: “Race equity work in education is not just important, it is transformative. It shapes futures, dismantles barriers, and creates spaces where every learner can thrive. As educators and advocates, we carry a profound responsibility to drive this work forward with urgency and courage. The progress we make today will define the opportunities of tomorrow. The conversations and energy in this space never fail to inspire me, but today, thanks to REND, I feel like my inspiration has had an energy drink! Let’s keep pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and ensuring that equity is not just a vision but a lived reality for every child”.
So what’s next?
If you attended we would love to hear your feedback – including what worked and what we can improve at a future event – please do complete the feedback form: REND Bristol Saturday 22 Nov 2025 feedback. Domini, Rahima, Tanisha and I are then meeting next weekend to review the event and the feedback to confirm our next steps as we want to keep the connections, the conversations and the momentum going.
In the meanwhile, you can join the conversation on LinkedIn – we have a #REND networking group here and we have collated all of the #RENDBristol reflection posts here. If you are not on Linkedin then you can join our private community space on Mighty Networks and find the #REND community group here.
We have also created a page on the Belonging Effect’s website for more information about #REND events around the country (it will be updated over the coming weeks). Ann, who joined us as a delegate in Bristol, is hosting #RENDLondon on Friday 12th December – you can book a ticket here.
For people who live and work in Bristol, we would love to see you at our #DiverseEd Hub – Tanisha and I host it at the Bristol Cathedral School each half-term, our next meet up is after school on Wednesday 3rd December.
When I relocated to Bath in 2023, we hosted a #DiverseEd event at Bridge Learning Campus in Bristol. We are delighted to be hosting our next regional #DiverseEd event at IKB Academy in Keynsham on June 13th. Get in touch if you would like to exhibit/ facilitate a session – the line-up will be confirmed in the new year.
Some final signposting:
- I chatted to a few people about Black Men Teach, you can find them and 200+ other orgs supporting schools, colleges and trusts in our DEIB Directory.
- We would love to publish some more blogs reflecting on the themes from the event, please email me with any submissions.
- Hopefully you got to say hello to Adele from Teacheroo – we collaborate on a jobs board with them to connect diverse educators with settings who are committed to the work. We host free adverts for vacancies for ITTE, DEIB / anti-racist leaders and for governors/ trustees – do get in touch if we can help you promote career development opportunities with our network.
Thank you to everyone who attended and supported #RENDBristol – we look forward to sending out more follow up information and opportunities from our speakers and exhibitors from this event and to reconnecting soon.
A Safe, Professional DEIB Network for Educators
Written by Jo Brassington
Jo Brassington (they/them) is a former primary school teacher, the co-founder of Pride & Progress, and the co-author of Pride & Progress: Making Schools LGBT+ Inclusive Spaces. They work with schools, universities, and charities primarily around LGBT+ inclusion, trans awareness, and children's mental health.
In the first year of my teaching career, my mentors and school leaders gave me lots of great advice as a new, early career teacher. One suggestion in particular confused me at the time, but went on to have a huge, positive impact on both my teaching practice and my career.
During an early-morning chat, my headteacher told me I should join Twitter. I’d used Twitter before, but never in a way that could support me professionally. I was sceptical at first, but about a week later, sitting alone in my classroom after school, I downloaded the app and made myself a new account.
In the weeks that followed, I began connecting with other educators on “teacher Twitter” and slowly built a network. Very quickly, I understood why my headteacher had recommended it. Back then, Twitter was an engaged and empowering space for teachers. You could find educators interested in the same aspects of teaching as you, share resources and ideas, ask questions, exchange advice, and genuinely become better educators together. It felt like a huge, supportive staffroom online – somewhere safe, generous, and collaborative. I learned so much from the people I met there, and that network made me a better, more informed teacher.
When I look back at my career, so many of the things I’m most proud of can be traced back to that space. I became a better teacher through connecting with people like Becky Carlzon on Twitter. I started Pride & Progress with my colleague Adam, who I met on Twitter. And now I’m a Lead Associate for Belonging Effect—another connection first made (you guessed it) on Twitter.
Twitter for teachers was brilliant… until it wasn’t. I don’t need to document the downfall of the digital town square—chances are you witnessed it yourself, or read about it in the news. The platform doesn’t exist under the same name anymore, and neither do the positive values I’ve described. Like many teachers, I eventually deleted my account. It became a space filled with hostility, and it was no longer a safe space for meaningful conversations about diversity.
Losing that vibrant professional community has been a real loss. I tried moving to other platforms, but nothing felt the same. And I’ve had countless conversations with teachers who, like me, are still missing that engaged, supportive online staffroom.
Aware of this gap, we at Belonging Effect have been working to co-create a solution. A while ago, we opened a network space on Mighty Networks under our previous name, ‘Diverse Educators’. Mighty Networks allows you to build your own networking space, shape it for the needs of your community, and most importantly – keep it safe. Following our rebrand earlier this year, we’re now working to re-energise that space.
The Belonging Effect Network is a safe, professional networking space for those working in education to connect and discuss Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. It’s a closed network, and new members answer a few questions before joining – this helps keep the space safe for our community. Through the app or web-browser, you can access what looks like its own social networking space. Inside, you’ll find blogs, books, resources, events, and identity-based networks to support different communities. Our hope is that this becomes the supportive online staffroom so many of us have been missing—but it will only thrive if the community is active and engaged.
If you’d like to help us rebuild the kind of professional networking space that teachers need – and if you’re looking for a supportive, values-led network yourself – then join the Belonging Effect Network today. You can find out more and sign up here. Better still, invite colleagues who you think might be interested by sending them this blog.
We hope to see you in the Belonging Effect Network soon.
Limitless Belief - An Inclusive and Diverse Experience
Written by Sarah Pengelly
Sarah has taught in London Primary schools for 12-years specialising in Literacy and PSHE, studied for an MA Educational Psychotherapy and previously worked at the BBC. For the past 5-years, she has been working with non-profit charity, Human Values Foundation, to develop a new values-led PSHE programme called The Big Think.
How can you make the work of DEI for organisations of all shapes and sizes itself feel inclusive and not a tick-box exercise?
That’s what I wanted to find out through Chickenshed’s 90-minute taster session for senior leaders, HR, DEI, and people-focused professionals.
I attended with my colleague Avanti from The Big Think, who facilitates life skills learning in schools in her other roles. We wanted to see how it applies to both our work at The Big Think as a values-based educational programme, and she wanted to examine her own facilitation practice.
Chickenshed? What’s that?
‘Chickenshed is a theatre company for absolutely everyone. For fifty years, we’ve created bold and beautiful work from our limitless belief in each other.’
With over 800 members of all ages and abilities, Chickenshed are able to invite to the table an unbelievable range of authentic voices, that most of us have never heard from, and that will deeply resonate with all of us.
As part of their outreach mission to help develop a genuine and active DEI journey for all workplaces, Chickenshed facilitate a bespoke package created for each setting or company. No mandatory one-size-fits-all diversity trainings.
‘The work of diversity and inclusion is never finished. It has to always be active and evolving to ensure shifting needs are being met and all voices are being heard.’ says Dave, the Senior Producer who is holding the space for this session.
This 90-minutes taster is described as a facilitated ‘experience’ to see how they approach DEI and how they could work with your organisation. This gently participatory and immersive session ensures that all participants are able to emotionally invest in the start of a personal journey to find belonging for all.
Our Purpose – to rediscover our humanity through joy and hope.
As a starting point, Dave shares this helpful re-framing of DEI. True inclusion is something that comes from ‘inside of us’, rather than something to be accommodated. Chickenshed use this framing, together with the power of the creative arts, to share personal stories that spark these hidden feelings inside all of us, so that everyone can begin to connect and belong.
Be accessible in all ways.
Another stand-out difference is their approach to accessibility. Strangely, this is often overlooked in many DEI sessions.
‘We aren’t just talking about practical accessibility like ramps, we are talking about emotional accessibility where everyone feels able to show their true selves all of the time,’ says Dave.
Slow down. Listen. I mean really hear.
We hear from Paul, who is introduced as having cerebral palsy that affects all movement, including his breathing. We are asked to give him the time he needs to speak, so he can pace his breathing with his speech. We are told his new wheelchair has extra squeaky foot-holds, so we will need to be patient and listen carefully to hear his words.
Paul performs his poem, Traffic Lights about what it feels like to be constantly held on red. His performance is rhythmic and powerful as he shows us the frustration of living in such a frenetic, fast paced world with little space for being really seen or heard. He is asking for a slowing of time, so that he has a chance of participating more fully or at least having the opportunity to move to amber, or maybe even green.
Get creative. Notice and nurture unique vision.
Interspersed between the powerful voices and perspective sharing, are short, fun, engaging tasks that involve image associations, and how we’ve felt included and/or excluded in physical spaces, and metaphorical ones. We aren’t required to get up and perform or overshare our views. It’s not a strategy session. It’s just the beginning of a journey of opening up to this important work, with some lightness and humour brought by Ashly, the lead facilitator and experienced actor.
We see a short film about Chickenshed Producer Maya highlighting intersectionality, using her walker whilst directing a large theatre company in a production.
‘I move differently and I see things differently. I get the actors to do the same.’
Keep it simple. Offer everyone a seat at the table.
Zack, a black actor and dancer with cerebral palsy, shares a free-form piece about the daily grind of being invisible via his travels on the London tube network. Days and days on repeat. It’s hard to hear. Then, the simplicity of a genuine offer of a seat, without any fuss.
‘Hey! You want a seat?’
He poses this question to all of us in the room, representing multiple roles and organisations: Would you give me a seat at the table?
A powerful question. An invitation. To all of us.
Chickenshed’s DEI work is done differently and it’s a joy to be a part of it. If you want your team to take part in a similar journey, then Chickenshed are the team to travel alongside you.
Course Information and Contact Details:
Designed for senior leaders, HR, DEI, and people-focused professionals, this session brings together individuals from a range of corporate organisations to explore how inclusive mindsets and empathetic communication can strengthen workplace culture.
Chickenshed have over 50 years of experience as an inclusive theatre company. Their training uses real stories, lived experiences, and reflective discussion to challenge assumptions and open up new perspectives.
This taster is an opportunity to experience the approach first-hand and consider how it might support wider conversations around inclusion in your organisation.
If you’re interested in finding out more, I’d be happy to connect with you:
Dave Carey: davec@chickenshed.org.uk
Mobile: 07846 097896
Curriculum and Assessment Review Analysis
Written by Belonging Effect
Belonging Effect is committed to shaping intention into impact and supporting people with their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging strategy and training needs.
Steps in Evolution?
The work of Becky Francis and her team should be commended. It is no small feat to be able to manage a volume of feedback and try to create something new. The Final Report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review is comprehensive. This analysis intends only to consider the evolution of diversity in the curriculum in the Final Report.
So what does the Final Report tell us?
The recommendations made about diversity in the curriculum emphasise that the National Curriculum should be for all young people, reflecting the diversity of society and ensuring all children feel included and represented.
A key recommendation is that the Government reviews and updates all Programmes of Study, and, where appropriate, the corresponding GCSE Subject Content to include stronger representation of the diversity that makes up modern society, allowing more children to see themselves in the curriculum.
Specific subject recommendations intended to support diversity and representation include:
- History Programmes of Study should be adjusted to support the wider teaching of the subject’s inherent diversity, which involves analysing a wide range of sources and incorporating local history where appropriate. This enriches the curriculum by introducing a broader mix of perspectives and connections.
- English Literature GCSE subject content should be reviewed to ensure students study texts drawn from the full breadth of our literary heritage, including more diverse and representative texts.
- Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum and GCSE content should explicitly embed the teaching of social responsibility and inclusive design throughout the design process.
- Geography Programmes of Study should undergo minor refinements to make content more relevant and inclusive.
- Music Programmes of Study for Key Stages 1 to 3 should be revised to ensure a curriculum pathway that allows a range of genres and repertoires to be covered.
The curriculum principles guiding the reforms assert that diverse contributions to subject disciplines enable a complete, broad, and balanced curriculum, and that efforts should support equal opportunities and challenge discrimination.
However, the recommendations aimed at increasing diversity in the curriculum might be considered problematic due to several inherent tensions, dependencies on factors outside the Review’s remit, and practical limitations on implementation.
Tension with Retaining Core Knowledge and Content
The Review emphasised that while the curriculum must reflect the diversity of society, this ambition is balanced by the need to ensure mutual access to core knowledge.
- The curriculum principle states that core knowledge and key works that shape a subject must remain central. This focus can limit the extent to which new, diverse content is introduced or prioritized over established material – and also brings into question the definition of ‘established’.
- In History, teachers requested clearer guidance to reflect diversity without replacing core content. The suggested solution relies on updating the aims and refreshing the non-statutory examples to introduce a broader mix of perspectives, but not replacing existing essential topics. There are profound questions as to how we define ‘core’ content as this has been largely defined by colonial standards.
Dependence on Teacher Autonomy and External Resources
Implementing diverse curricula largely depends on the capacity and choices of individual schools and teachers, which can lead to inconsistent application.
- Diverse representation is sometimes judged as being more appropriately achieved through teacher selection of content rather than centralized prescription in the national curriculum.
- For these localised choices to work, they require support from high-quality exemplification resources (like those produced by Oak National Academy) and a wider selection of inclusive materials from publishers and exam boards.
- In English Literature, while the curriculum allows for a range of texts, current practice often lacks breadth and diversity due to the limited availability of resources and a tendency for teachers to rely on well-established works.
Failure to Address Systemic and Financial Barriers
The recommendations primarily address curriculum content but cannot resolve major underlying issues related to funding, infrastructure, and socio-economic disadvantage.
- In Design and Technology (D&T), implementing elements like inclusive design faces significant barriers extending beyond the curriculum, such as a lack of specialist staff, lack of infrastructure, and the cost of delivery.
- In Music, attainment gaps are substantial, with Music identified as having the highest disadvantage attainment gap of any subject at GCSE. This disparity is driven by the fact that success relies heavily on the ability to read music, which is often developed through additional, out-of-classroom instrumental tuition that benefits higher-income households. The recommendation is only to explore ways to better optimise the investment in music education, rather than guaranteeing equitable, mandatory in-school tuition needed to close this gap.
- The review also warned that substantial curriculum changes intended to promote inclusion must remain cognisant of the potential negative impact on the workload of education staff and the overall stability of the system.
- The report makes no explicit reference to systemic racism (although this is not a surprise).
Philosophical Conflict
The review panel acknowledged that promoting social justice involves dilemmas, as sometimes potential solutions designed to improve inclusivity may risk greater harm and inequities than the problem they seek to solve. Furthermore, efforts to reflect diversity must be careful not to limit children to “narrow frames of reference based on their background”, which as a phrase presents problematic interpretations.
Implications of the November 2025 Final Report
The November 2025 Final Report retains the principle that the national curriculum must reflect the diversity of modern Britain, but makes clear that representation is a requirement of entitlement, not an optional enhancement.
This reframing is significant. It shifts the locus of responsibility beyond schools to the national “knowledge supply chain”: publishers, resource platforms, awarding bodies and subject associations. The Review therefore acknowledges that representational breadth is structurally mediated.
The reframing does not take away responsibility for individual schools and teachers to ensure that a diverse curriculum is taught.
We must remember that Becky Francis’ report, as thorough as it is in some ways, remains a recommendation to the DfE, and that the DfE can choose to reject recommendations as they see fit. The true test of listening is how much is heard – and it is clear that teachers and students alike have expressed their desire for meaningful representation in the curriculum. It remains to be seen, as always.
Written collaboratively by Belonging Effect Associates Bennie Kara and Krys McInnis
From Diverse Educators to The Belonging Effect: Our Next Chapter
Written by Belonging Effect
Belonging Effect is committed to shaping intention into impact and supporting people with their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging strategy and training needs.
When we launched Diverse Educators, our mission was clear: to amplify voices, celebrate differences, and build a more inclusive education system. Over the years, we have worked with countless educators, leaders, and communities who share that passion. Together, we have created space for powerful conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and representation.
But as our work has deepened, so has our understanding.
We have learned that diversity is only the starting point. It is not enough to bring different people into the room – we have to make sure everyone feels that they truly belong once they are there.
That realisation has inspired our next chapter: moving forwards we are The Belonging Effect.
Why We Changed Our Name
The name Diverse Educators reflected who we were when we began – a grassroots community of people passionate about diversity in education. But over time, we have grown into something broader and deeper. Our work now spans sectors, reaches new audiences, and focuses not just on who is present, but on how people feel within those spaces.
Belonging is the bridge between diversity, equity and inclusion – it is the emotional outcome of equity in action. It is the moment when people stop trying to fit in and start being fully themselves.
We chose The Belonging Effect because belonging is not just a concept; it is a ripple. When one person feels they belong, it impacts their team, their classroom, their community. It is an effect that multiplies.
The Butterfly and Ripple Effects
As we explored our new identity, we reflected deeply on the Butterfly Effect and the Ripple Effect – both powerful, globally recognised metaphors for change and impact.
The Butterfly Effect reminds us that even the smallest action can create far-reaching consequences; that a single moment of courage, kindness, or inclusion can transform a culture.
The Ripple Effect shows us how belonging spreads – how one person feeling seen and valued can influence everyone around them.
Together, these ideas capture the essence of what we do: small, intentional acts of belonging that create waves of change across systems, organisations, and communities.
That is the heart of The Belonging Effect.
What the Change Means for Our Community
Our values remain the same – but our lens is sharper. We are continuing our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and representation, but we are framing it through the power of belonging. (We added the B to the acronym DEI several years ago and we support organisations on their DEIB strategy and people who are DEIB leaders).
This shift means:
- Expanding our work beyond education into workplaces and communities.
- Developing tools and training that help people cultivate belonging, not just talk about diversity.
- Measuring impact not only by who is at the table, but by who feels seen, heard, and valued.
Looking Ahead
This is not a departure from our roots – it is a deepening of them. The Belonging Effect is the natural evolution of everything Diverse Educators stood for.
We are excited to step into this new identity with you – our community, our collaborators, and our champions. Together, we will keep creating spaces where everyone belongs and can thrive.
Why schools need to address anti-LGBT bullying
Written by Eleanor Formby
Eleanor Formby (she/her) is Professor of Sociology and Youth Studies at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She has 25 years’ experience in (predominantly qualitative) social research and evaluation, and for nearly 20 years her work has focussed on the life experiences of LGBT+ people. Eleanor has written numerous articles in these areas and is the author of Exploring LGBT spaces and communities.
Next month will see Anti-Bullying Week (November 10-14), and Sheffield Hallam University research highlights that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) young people are still at risk of being bullied at school.
The study is the largest of its kind ever conducted in England, with over 61,000 pupils and staff from 853 schools taking part. It focused specifically on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying—i.e. that directed at people because of their actual or assumed sexual or gender identity—and on LGBT inclusion in schools.
It’s often assumed that ‘progress’—thinking particularly about LGBT rights—is a steady march forward, and to be fair, the past 25 years have seen significant changes for LGBT people in the UK. In 2015, the UK was ranked number one on the ILGA-Europe rainbow map, which rates 49 European countries on the basis of laws and policies that directly impact on LGBT people’s human rights. Around the same time, the UK government invested over £6 million in efforts to prevent and respond to HBT bullying in schools, which included our research. The year our research finished, the Government announced that relationships and sex education (RSE) would become compulsory in English secondary schools—and that it should include LGBT content. For a while, there was reason to feel cautiously optimistic.
But things began to change.
Despite commissioning our research, the Conservative government delayed releasing the findings for five years—an unprecedented move. The study was only published after a change in government.
During this period, rhetoric from the government became increasingly hostile, particularly towards trans people. In April 2025, a high-profile supreme court ruling on gender was followed by a controversial ‘interim update’ from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. In the 2025 ILGA-Europe rainbow map the UK dropped to 22nd place—we’re now the second worst country for LGBT-related laws in Western Europe and Scandinavia.
Recently the government has also revised its guidance on RSE, with reduced references to trans people (just once in a subheading). It explicitly states that schools “should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity”, and “should avoid materials that… encourage pupils to question their gender”. This language echoes Section 28—the infamous law that, until 2003, banned local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” and prevented schools from teaching the “acceptability of homosexuality”.
Against this backdrop, a new book demonstrates that HBT (homophobic, biphobic and transphobic) bullying is still happening—but also that schools can make a difference.
Our findings show that many schools respond to bullying after it happens, rather than trying to prevent it in the first place. In primary schools, efforts often focus on educating children about inappropriate language. Fewer schools are embedding HBT bullying prevention within everyday teaching, or in visible displays in school.
Where LGBT inclusion is happening, it often takes place in assemblies, or sometimes in secondary schools during PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) lessons, or in ‘drop-down days’ when normal lessons are suspended. In some primary schools, specific books are used.
There are also barriers, for example a lack of time and staff capacity available in schools, and a lack of funding to invest in resources, facilities or training to help do this work well. Some staff don’t feel supported by school leadership. Others worry about complaints from parents or uncertainty about what’s ‘age appropriate’. In the current context, these concerns and associated lack of confidence are likely to grow.
But when schools get it right, there is real impact, for instance LGBT pupils—and those with LGBT family members—feel safer and more understood. Others feel more able to ask questions about issues that confuse or concern them.
This is why it’s so concerning that the UK seems to be moving backwards. Instead of helping schools create more inclusive environments, recent guidance—and arguably the suppression of important research—risk making things worse for LGBT young people, and those with LGBT family members. Teachers are left uncertain about what they’re allowed to say or teach, and pupils may feel more isolated.
It’s difficult to understand why any government would risk children and young people’s wellbeing in this way.
As we prepare to mark Anti-Bullying Week, it’s important to remember that (to borrow from previous policy, seemingly long-forgotten) every child matters—and deserves to feel safe and included, so schools need to address anti-LGBT bullying. To make that a reality, we need to support schools—not leave them uncertain or under-resourced.