Inclusion

Celebrating ESEA Heritage Month: Building belonging for every student – and why it matters right now

Yasmina Kone portrait

Written by Yasmina Koné

Yasmina is Deputy Lead of Hemisphere Education, a multi award-winning platform improving racial and cultural literacy in schools. She’s spearheading Hemisphere’s adoption in the UK, building partnerships with leading schools, education partnerships and multi academy trusts. Prior to Hemisphere, Yasmina held senior roles at one of London’s top 10 start-ups, Beam, and Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance. Profiled by the BBC and The Lawyer, her work has also led her to speak in Parliament. She combines strategic acumen with a commitment to social justice and is passionate about the education sector’s role in creating a more inclusive society.

Originally shared by Hemisphere in the HMC blog on 18/09/2025. 

School shapes our values. They’re places where young people learn how to treat one another, how to build community, how to agree and disagree respectfully, and how to challenge prejudice when they see it. At a time when division dominates the headlines, schools can help to foster understanding and empathy, creating safety and belonging.

With East and South East Asian Heritage Month underway and Black History Month around the corner, this is a timely opportunity to help every student to feel that they belong. 

“Having exposure [to cultural celebrations] helps me to see people who are from the same background as me and feel less like the odd one out… [it helps me see] that it’s normal to celebrate these events and that I can be proud of them.” Source: Hemisphere research, 2024

This is what belonging feels like: being seen, celebrated, included and proud of who you are. Research consistently highlights four key areas where belonging makes a measurable difference to outcomes:

  • Attainment: Pupils who feel they belong are more motivated, engaged, and achieve stronger grades.
  • Wellbeing: Belonging boosts self-esteem and resilience while supporting better mental health.
  • Attendance: Pupils with a sense of belonging are less likely to disengage, miss school, or drop out.
  • Harm reduction: Belonging protects against bullying and social exclusion, helping pupils feel safe and valued.

Source: “School Belonging: A Literature Review” (March 2024). Commissioned by the National Children’s Bureau and conducted by researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London. A review of international and UK-based evidence on school belonging that synthesises research on how belonging is defined, measured, and influenced.

Belonging isn’t built by policy alone; it comes from understanding the specific experiences of different pupil groups. Small changes in everyday practice can make a powerful difference to pupils’ sense of belonging.

Hemisphere’s latest programme explores how you can support students of Chinese ethnicity to feel that they belong. The British Chinese population encompasses vast cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and generational differences. It includes people descended from mainland China, Hong Kong (‘Hong Kongers’), South East Asia, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. People who were born in the UK, and people who migrated here. 

We share key insights from our research – and the simple actions you and your staff can take – below.

Research insights: Chinese heritage

While Chinese children are one of the highest achieving groups in the UK, they also face high levels of racist abuse and stereotyping. 86% of the students we interviewed had experienced racist banter and jokes. 41% told us that they felt overlooked by teachers who they thought assumed they were “fine” because of their ethnicity. “Positive” stereotyping can conceal real issues and result in unmet needs.

Here are three actions every member of staff can take to support Chinese students:

  • Challenge assumptions: tackle the “model minority” myth so that no child’s needs are hidden behind stereotypes.
  • Get to know the children you teach: take time to understand each child as an individual and recognise the diversity within the UK’s Chinese community.
  • Strengthen representation: ensure your curriculum and resources reflect all pupils’ identities positively, so every child can see themselves in the classroom.

To support schools, we’ve created a one-minute clip from our film on the history of Chinese Britons. Understanding how this heritage is woven into our national story makes it easy to see why representation matters – and how recognising it can transform a pupil’s sense of belonging.

Watch this clip, read more about the actions you can take, and download a resource to share with colleagues here.

Schools that invest in belonging are investing in better outcomes both in and outside the classroom: stronger academic results, better wellbeing and relationships, wider opportunities – and a more cohesive, inclusive society.

by Hannah Wilson

Deficit Language: The Invisible Barrier We Do Not Talk About

Hannah Wilson portrait

Written by Hannah Wilson

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

We do not just describe people with our words – we define their possibilities. And sometimes, we unintentionally define them by what they lack. Too often, the language we use to describe communities puts the blame on individuals instead of the systems that fail them. This is what we call deficit language.

Why is Deficit Language Problematic?

As we strive to become more inclusive, we really need to consider the language we use and consider if it is a tool for inclusion or a weapon for exclusion. We choose our words to speak out loud our thoughts –  language selection gives us agency and we need to be conscious about what we say and how it lands as there is often a gap between our intention and our impact. 

In schools and workplaces we can fall into the trap of using deficit language to define and categorise people – it is problematic as it leads with what people are not, as opposed to leading with what they are. It highlights their barriers, instead of celebrating their strengths.

Definition: The word deficit comes from the Latin deficit meaning “it is wanting.” A deficit is characterised by the wanting of something missing – e.g. deficit (noun) is the property of being an amount by which something is less than expected or required.

How Do We Shape Intention into Impact? 

When we talk about people, the words we choose matter. They do not just describe reality – they shape it. Deficit language is one of the most common, yet often overlooked, ways language reinforces stereotypes and limits opportunities.

Deficit-based language frames individuals, groups or communities in terms of what they lack rather than what they bring. It emphasises shortcomings, needs, or problems. 

Asset-based language focuses on strengths, resources, and potential, using words and framing that promote dignity, confidence, and empowerment. It celebrates difference as a value-add.

Example 1:

It rattles me when I hear educators referring to people on their staff as ‘non-teachers’.  This centres the voice and the experience of teachers at the expense of the support staff, the admin staff, the site staff, the catering staff who can be collectively referred to as the operations staff. To open a DEIB training session by welcoming everyone and naming who is in the room, it is both ironic and counter-intuitive, furthermore it undermines the commitment a school is striving to make, when the impact of the language contradicts the intention.  

There is nothing ‘non’ about working in a school and being in the majority of the staff who are not the teachers.

Example 2:

It frustrates me when I hear people refer to others as ‘non-English speaking’. This assumes that everyone around the world speaks English and that there is a hierarchy of language. It makes the EAL learner or the multilingual family the problem and negates the value speaking a different language has.  

There is nothing ‘non’ about being a linguist and being able to communicate in multiple languages. 

Example 3:

It jars me when I hear people refer to others with a darker skin tone as ‘non-whites’. To me this smacks of racial segregation and categorisation. I can’t imagine anyone ever saying can the ‘non-boys’ come over here, or can the ‘non-parents’ go over there? It would get a reaction as it explicitly reduces people and erases their identity. 

There is nothing ‘non’ about being racialised as being black, brown or biracial and belonging to the global majority. 

Example 4:

It infuriates me on a personal level when people refer to me as being ‘non-married’  and a ‘non-parent’ or childless. This defines me by what I am not instead of what I am. It carries judgment about my lifestyle and my life choices. I am in fact very happy being ‘partner-free’ and ‘child-free’. 

There is nothing ‘non’ about being independent, autonomous and self-sufficient. 

Why is Deficit Language Harmful?

  • It Perpetuates Stereotypes:  Deficit framing positions people – especially marginalized communities – as inherently lacking. This reinforces harmful biases rather than dismantling them.
  • It Shifts Blame to Individuals: Instead of addressing structural inequities (like underfunded schools, discriminatory hiring, or systemic racism), deficit language makes individuals appear responsible for circumstances beyond their control.
  • It Limits Opportunities:  Words influence perception. When people are described in deficit terms, decision-makers (teachers, employers, policymakers) may unconsciously lower expectations or overlook talent.
  • It Shapes Identity: People internalise how they are described. Constantly hearing deficit-based narratives can impact self-esteem, confidence, and the way individuals see their own potential.

How Do We Move Beyond Deficit Language?

  • We shift from “what’s wrong” to “what’s strong”  – by replacing reductive phrases and by choosing our words more carefully. 
  • We highlight agency and resilience – by acknowledging the challenges people face, but also their strengths in navigating them.
  • We name systems, not individuals – by focusing on the problem itself instead of focusing on the person who is facing the problem.
  • We ask communities how they want to be described – by respecting that self-identification is key so we need to listen, unlearn and re-learn the language that we use.

The Bigger Picture

Moving away from deficit language is not about being “politically correct.” It is about shifting narratives to more accurately reflect reality, challenge harmful assumptions, and honour the dignity and resilience of individuals and communities.

When we change our words, we begin to change the systems they uphold. Asset-based language celebrates the value that difference brings, whereas deficit-based language puts the problem onto the person and others them.

This approach involves shifting the narrative from problems to opportunities, particularly in fields like education and social services, by recognising and valuing individual and community assets to achieve positive and equitable outcomes.  

So as everyone strives to articulate their DEIB commitment, as we become more conscious of who we are and our own lived experience – can we please become more confident in modelling inclusive language and more competent in calling in and calling out language that diminishes others?

by Hannah Wilson

Racism is a Safeguarding Issue: Education as a Safe Haven

Chloe Watterston portrait

Written by Chloe Watterston

Chloe is an educator, athlete, and advocate for inclusive, curiosity-driven learning, dedicated to creating spaces where every young person feels safe, valued, and empowered. Her work across mainstream and SEND education, community projects, and curriculum reform is driven by a passion for amplifying marginalised voices and breaking down barriers to learning.

Schools often pride themselves on being safe spaces, yet for many students, they are anything but. Racism in education is not simply a matter of representation or curriculum – it is a safeguarding issue. Children are being radicalised online, marginalised in classrooms, and silenced when they try to speak out. Ignoring racism doesn’t protect students; it perpetuates harm.

When we talk about safeguarding, we picture child protection protocols, online safety lessons, and anti-bullying strategies. But racism is rarely given the same urgency, often treated as a ‘behavioural’ problem rather than a threat to wellbeing. This omission has consequences. Experiencing racism is traumatic: it damages mental health, erodes self-worth, and disrupts learning. And when schools fail to act, they can become complicit in further harm.

We should be challenged to confront that denial and reframe anti-racism as a fundamental safeguarding duty. Decolonising the curriculum isn’t about adding diverse content – it’s about telling the truth: truth about the roots of white supremacy, about global histories and contributions, and about the systemic barriers that harm marginalised children daily.

When schools silence conversations or refuse to acknowledge racism, they create unsafe spaces. Anti-racist practice must become part of safeguarding training, staff culture, and classroom discussions. Students should never feel their identity is ‘too political’ to discuss or their experiences are ignored.

The Scale of the Problem

The numbers are stark:

  • In 2019, the NSPCC reported that incidents of racial abuse and racist bullying of children had risen by a fifth within four years. 
  • In 2021, the Guardian reported that UK schools recorded 60,177 racist incidents in a five-year period (Anti-bullying Alliance)
  • A 2020 World Economic Forum report found 95% of young Black British people have witnessed racist language in education. (Forum)
  • According to the Department for Education, Black Caribbean pupils are up to three times more likely to be excluded than their white peers (gov.uk).

Yet, many schools still treat racist incidents as isolated behaviour problems rather than safeguarding red flags.

Why Racism is a Safeguarding Concern

  • Radicalisation Risk: Extremism targets isolated, angry, or vulnerable children, grooming them with online narratives that can spread through classrooms.
  • Chronic Trauma: Racism’s impact isn’t a one-off bruise – it creates long-term psychological harm, raising rates of anxiety, depression, and physical health issues.
  • Unsafe Environments: When students see racism dismissed or ignored, they stop reporting it. Silence doesn’t mean equality; it signals danger.

A child who doesn’t feel safe being themselves is not safeguarded. Schools must explicitly name racism in safeguarding policies and act with urgency.

Moving Beyond Performative Action

Assemblies and diversity displays are not enough. Anti-racist practice must be embedded into school culture. Senior leaders should model vulnerability, showing staff and students that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable when confronting prejudice. Teachers must be empowered to respond to racism confidently, while safeguarding teams must be trained to treat racist abuse with the same seriousness as other forms of harm.

Practical Steps for Schools & Teachers

  1. Embed Anti-Racism in Safeguarding Training
    • Include racist bullying, harassment, and microaggressions in safeguarding protocols.
    • Train staff on how to document, escalate, and resolve cases effectively.
  2. Create Anonymous Reporting Channels
    • Allow students to report racism through secure, anonymous forms or ‘trusted adult’ programs.
    • Ensure reporting leads to visible action to build trust.
  3. Audit School Culture and Discipline
    • Analyse sanctions, exclusions, and behaviour logs for racial bias.
    • Survey students on whether they feel safe and valued.
  4. Actively Celebrate Identity
    • Representation shouldn’t be tokenistic or restricted to a single month. Displays, assemblies, and lessons should celebrate diversity all year round.
  5. Partner with Communities
    • Collaborate with local advocacy groups, parents, and faith leaders to create a united, culturally competent safeguarding network.

Long-Term Steps to Discuss and Implement

  1. Mandatory Racial Literacy and Trauma-Informed Training
    • Establish ongoing professional development for all staff, governors, and leadership teams.
    • Include practical anti-bias strategies, restorative approaches, and equity-based leadership skills.
  2. Curriculum Reform and Decolonisation
    • Conduct curriculum audits to identify gaps, Eurocentric bias, and opportunities to embed global histories and diverse voices across all subjects.
    • Create working groups that include teachers, students, and parents to co-develop inclusive resources.
  3. Embed Equity into School Policies
    • Ensure behaviour, uniform, and attendance policies are reviewed annually for cultural bias.
    • Introduce an anti-racism charter, making equity a measurable school-wide goal.
  4. Equitable Recruitment and Retention
    • Develop strategies to hire and support staff from marginalised backgrounds.
    • Introduce mentorship programs and leadership pipelines to diversify senior leadership teams.
  5. Student Voice and Leadership Structures
    • Formalise pupil-led diversity and equity councils with genuine decision-making power.
    • Include students in policy discussions, curriculum planning, and cultural initiatives.
  6. Partnerships with Universities and Cultural Organisations
    • Collaborate with museums, archives, and community-led organisations to integrate local and hidden histories into learning.
    • Use these partnerships to expand professional development opportunities for staff.
  7. Data-Driven Accountability
    • Track racial disparities in exclusions, attainment, and access to enrichment opportunities.
    • Publish anonymised annual reports to maintain transparency and measure progress.
  8. Wellbeing Infrastructure
    • Create a system of proactive pastoral care to address the emotional toll of racism on students and staff.
    • Offer external counselling, mentoring, and safe spaces for reflection and healing.

Authors, Poets & Works to Teach

Bringing diverse voices into the curriculum is a powerful anti-racist action. Consider introducing:

  • Akala – Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (critical nonfiction for older students).
  • Kayo Chingonyi – Kumukanda, a tender and nostalgic collection exploring Black identity, masculinity, and heritage.
  • Malorie Blackman – Noughts & Crosses series, a compelling exploration of racism and justice.
  • Claudia Rankine – Citizen, poetry that captures microaggressions and systemic inequality.
  • Dean Atta – The Black Flamingo, a verse novel celebrating identity and self-expression.
  • Benjamin Zephaniah – Poems such as The British, exploring multiculturalism and belonging.
  • Patrice Lawrence – Orangeboy, a gripping novel about youth identity, loyalty, and race in the UK.

Did You Know?

Britain’s multicultural history long predates Windrush:

  • John Blanke: A Black trumpeter in Henry VIII’s court, documented in royal artwork and paid a musician’s wage in the 1500s.
  • Mary Prince: The first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain (1831), a pivotal voice in the abolition movement.
  • Walter Tull: One of Britain’s first Black professional footballers and the first Black officer to lead white troops in WWI.

These stories remind us that diversity isn’t new – it is woven into Britain’s history.

Call for Support

Safeguarding means every child feels safe to exist as themselves. Parents, governors, and communities need to be part of this conversation. Anti-racism is not a ‘school initiative’; it goes beyond the gates. Schools should partner with grassroots organisations, listen to marginalised voices, and build trust that extends into families and local communities. 

The stakes are too high to ignore. Racism must be treated with the same gravity as abuse or neglect, because its effects can be just as devastating. Schools are in a unique position to interrupt these cycles by becoming proactive, empathetic, and brave. Yet, policymakers must back this with funding, training, and clear frameworks, but every teacher already has the power to make a difference:

  • Believe students when they share their experiences.
  • Advocate for systemic change.
  • Build safe, inclusive spaces where every voice is valued.

Schools are uniquely placed to break cycles of harm, disrupt extremism, and model empathy for the next generation.

A motto to guide your practice after this reading: Safety is not silence; true safeguarding starts with uncomfortable truth.

by Hannah Wilson

Belonging in the Classroom: responding to a divided world

Zahara Chowdhury portrait

Written by Zahara Chowdhury

Zahara is founder and editor of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, a platform that explores a range of topics helping students, teachers and parents on how to ‘adult well’, together. She is a DEI lead across 2 secondary schools and advises schools on how to create positive and progressive cultures for staff and students. Zahara is a previous Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Education and Wellbeing Consultant.

It’s a Sunday morning—my favourite time of the week. Coffee in hand (with collagen and creatine, of course), I wander around the house while the kids are already asking for ice cream, Lego time, and the TV (yes, it’s only 8am). Usually, this part of the day comes with a little doom-scrolling, some memes, and a few oddly satisfying cleaning videos. But today feels different.

As I scroll, I’m pulled into two completely different worlds. On Instagram, images from Tommy Robinson’s Unite The Nation march flood my feed. The night before, I found myself double-checking the doors and windows—just in case. On LinkedIn, meanwhile, notifications are pinging from the brilliant Anti-Racism Conference, hosted by The Black Curriculum and Belonging Effect. Two events. Same time. Same city. Entirely different realities.

It’s hard to put into words what many of us—especially those who are ‘othered’—are carrying right now. When I speak to friends and colleagues, the feelings range from sadness and fear to resilience, resistance, and even indifference. For me, the world feels both tragic and surreal. I’m tired and frustrated. But I’m also hopeful.

One book that always grounds me is The Courage of Compassion by Robin Steinberg. It reminds us that courage means listening deeply, even to those who are different from us—or against us—and meeting that difference with compassion.

And yet, there’s an uncomfortable truth here. Too often, minoritised communities are expected to model empathy and moral “goodness,” as if our belonging depends on it. That expectation is unfair. Still, when I think about it, many of us would still choose courage, compassion, and calm clarity—because that’s who we are.

Yesterday’s conference reaffirmed why education matters so much in moments like this. Now more than ever, educators, schools, and communities need to unite and connect. This isn’t just about curriculum—it’s about safeguarding, wellbeing, and ensuring every student feels safe, included, and able to thrive.

How Schools Can Respond

Address the elephant in the room.

Some students and staff will feel anxious or upset about the march. Others may feel proud. Many won’t have noticed at all. But silence sends the wrong message. Even if only a few people are directly affected, everyone benefits when schools acknowledge what’s happening.

David Hermitt, former MAT CEO, once told me: teachers, at their core, want to do the right thing. They care about their students and about society. That care means opening the conversation.

You might:

  • Share a short message with tutors, acknowledging the march and reiterating your school values—respect, inclusion, safety.
  • Create space for discussion, whether through tutor time or optional drop-in sessions.
  • Adapt to your context—no one knows your students better than you.

Keep parents in the loop

A simple message goes a long way. Reassure families that student safety remains your priority. Remind them of your school values. Invite them to share concerns—listening to parental voice is valuable, even if it feels daunting.

Harness parental representation

Cultural representation in schools makes a lasting difference. Pamela Aculey-Kosminsky recalls her mum coming into school in traditional Ghanaian dress, sharing food and heritage. My own mum did the same, later becoming a governor. These grassroots connections build community in powerful ways.

Connect with community leaders

Reach out to local faith leaders, organisers, and community champions. They can humanise difficult issues, counter misinformation, and build bridges between groups.

Invest in staff confidence

Staff need space to prepare for conversations around race, politics, and inclusion. It’s not always easy to make room for CPD, but it pays off in the long run—both for teachers and students.

Finding Hope in Difficult Times

The world feels overwhelming: the Unite The Nation march, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, violence in Sudan and Congo, the murder of Charlie Kirk, the sexual assault and attack on a Sikh woman told she “does not belong,” ICE raids, the memory of George Floyd and Sarah Everard. It feels dystopian.

But maybe hope isn’t naïve. On a global scale, things feel broken. But on a local scale, in our schools and communities, we still have power. We can create safe, compassionate spaces, even when the world feels anything but.

If you’re wondering where to start, here are a few resources that can help:

This is an ongoing conversation and work we need to do collaboratively. If you have any resources or best practice examples, please share them. If you have questions or need support, please reach out—we are here to support, advise, or simply to have a chat.

by Hannah Wilson

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

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

Reflections on an Unseen Mind: Rethinking Education Through a Neurodiverse Lens

Angel Hinkley portrait

Written by Angel Hinkley

Mathematics Teacher & facilitator of the Anti-Racism Society at Drumchapel High School.

Just finished watching Jamie Oliver’s programme on dyslexia, and I’m left with so many thoughts—questions buzzing in my mind, especially as someone who is dyslexic myself. These questions feel so fundamental — yet perplexingly remain on the periphery of our educational discourse. 

Why, truly, is early diagnosis not treated as an absolute, non-negotiable priority? What kind of training will teachers actually receive—training that helps them recognise dyslexia, nurture different minds, shift their understanding, reshape their approach, and see the brilliance beneath the difference? Who writes these programmes? Who decides? And crucially—will any of the architects have walked this path themselves, peering through the same fog, navigating the same hidden gaps? 

Before I started school, I felt… normal. Confident. My dad said I knew my own mind. I was curious, chatty, and bold.  Part of growing, of course, is the necessary challenging of that self-assurance, a healthy friction. But what awaited me was not friction, but an unhealthy shift, a fundamental reordering of my landscape that would cast long, often difficult, shadows. 

The first chill of difference settled in a primary school classroom. Something about the learning – the way letters danced, the way sounds refused to anchor themselves to symbols – felt intrinsically wrong. I’d just been given glasses, and I recall my father’s anxious voice, wondering aloud if these new lenses were the problem: “My daughter has turned thick!” Harsh words, yet spoken not in cruelty, but in the fear of a parent watching his child struggle, change, her spark dimming and not knowing why. 

My dad sought answers at a specialist centre. I remember the tests vividly. Not the content, but my desperate strategy: to outsmart them. To answer not as I would, but as I imagined a ‘normal’ person would. I didn’t want to be me. And then came the diagnosis: dyslexia. I felt it. Deeply. They told my dad that the good news was I had worked so hard in the tests, I might one day be “average.” 

Average. 

The consolation? That the effort I’d exerted in trying to conform was ‘outstanding!’ With such effort, they predicted, I might one day become ‘average’! I knew that ‘average’ was no comfort to a father’s hopes. I felt broken and flawed. The implication was clear: my inherent way of thinking was a deficit, my ‘normal’ was unacceptable, and the highest aspiration offered was mediocrity measured against a standard I could never truly meet. What I didn’t yet understand was that I was navigating not my own failure, but the failure of a system that couldn’t see me. 

But that very day, my dad turned it into joy. We did what Londoners, rushing headlong through their own lives, so rarely do: we became tourists in our own city. We paused before landmarks we’d never really seen—Parliament, the Tower, the Thames, the Changing of the Guard, St Paul’s with its whispering galleries. To this day, I still love to go there, with such fond memories in my mind—fun, love, comfort and self-assurance; forever etched my heart. It was, I think, the seed of the resilience I would come to need. Because school didn’t get easier. 

The remaining primary years unfolded with a particular kind of quiet humiliation. My books contained few words—simple stories, devoid of the depth that excited my curious mind, hidden under the desk in shame. I was taken from the classroom for ‘special lessons’, but I couldn’t tell you what I learned—only how it felt to leave the classroom: different, embarrassed. 

Education became a world where I was perpetually misunderstood. Learning was relentlessly dumbed down. Later choices only compounded the frustration: English Literature was replaced with Typing (a cruel irony for any dyslexic!), and Classical Studies replaced Latin — a subject I now realise could have helped me, through the understanding of word structure and roots: morphology. 

Dyslexia, I have come to understand, is complex. It is, fundamentally, a different way of learning. It is also, undeniably, a disability. Even typing that word, owning it, is hard. I say it with reluctance. Mainly because of the world’s ongoing inability to understand it without seeing it as something lesser. People still judge. 

But the truth is, navigating the world through a different lens brings unique strengths. And yet, within our education systems, we remain anchored to the standard measure. 

It’s taken me decades to learn that some of my struggles—like not hearing certain phonetic sounds—were neurological. I’ve had my hearing tested countless times. Turns out, it wasn’t my ears—it was my brain. No one told me that. I found out from a documentary. If diagnosed early, those sounds could’ve been taught, reshaped in my brain’s formative years. That early window—so often dismissed—matters. It could have spared the burden I carry every day. 

For me, this auditory gap is profoundly disabling. Because when you can’t hear a sound properly, you can’t pronounce it. And when you can’t pronounce it, you can’t spell it. The cycle repeats.

Correction becomes constant—and even well-meaning correction starts to sting. Sometimes, the correction offers a fleeting clue. Mostly, it washes over me, leaving only a residue of quiet despair. Negative thoughts creep in. Do they think I simply wasn’t paying attention? Do they think I’m stupid? Beneath the surface lies a persistent whisper: I am stupid. I know I’m not. But feelings rarely ask permission from logic. It reinforced that deeper feeling of a system not seeing me. Only my mistakes. I mask it well, most people would never guess. 

Yet, amidst these shadows, glimmers of hope emerge. Remarkable work is being done—work that focuses not on forcing the dyslexic brain into a neurotypical mould, but on teaching it in the way it learns best. I’ve discovered morphology— the structure, origin, and meaning of words. Learning to break down words into roots, prefixes, and suffixes has eased the burden of spelling and pronunciation. It’s been a quiet revelation. As an adult, time is limited, and progress is slow but undeniable within the safety of my own home. But out in public, where my confidence falters, the words still come out wrong. Had this been the way I was taught in school, it would have ignited my mind and my pronunciation and spelling would have improved.


 I also discovered SQR (Survey, Question, Read) —a structured strategy to navigate dense texts. First, you survey the text (titles, headings, summaries). Then you question—what do I want to learn? Finally, you read actively to find key ideas. This gives reading structure and purpose—an intellectual pathway I wish I’d known earlier. 

How many classrooms teach strategies like these? How many teachers even know they exist—or are given the time to explore them? What else is out there, still undiscovered? 

The concept of “mixed abilities” feels ripe for reimagining. It shouldn’t merely be about different paces on the same track, but about genuinely exploring how we learn differently, how our diverse strengths can weave together to create a richer understanding. It should expand our notion of intelligence, not constrain it. 

I work with many neurodiverse young people, including those who are autistic, those with ADHD, and those whose paths diverge from my own. Each day, their unique lens on the world — their capacity for empathy, their brilliant insights — deepens my understanding — my passion for life. I listen. They teach me how to teach. They show me how wide the world truly is. Yet I, too, must navigate it—stuck within the rigid constraints of education itself. And it’s a constant balancing act. But I see the cost. I see the toll it takes on these young people—the strain on their mental health, the erosion of their resilience, the crushing weight of perfectionism; a common trait in those who feel they don’t belong but are desperately trying to. The fear of imperfection is ever-present. 

I hear the echoing mantra of ‘raising attainment.’ And then I think of what Jamie Oliver’s programme reminded us: we, the neurodiverse, make up around 25% of every classroom. One in four. That’s not a problem to be fixed. That’s a revolution waiting to happen. And still… we lose too many. Bright minds stranded on the shores of a curriculum that never saw them. Children who think they are broken, simply because the mirror they’re shown is cracked and narrow.  I see it and feel it in them. 

And what is attainment measured by? Tests designed for neurotypical processing? By curriculum that value rote learning over deep structural understanding or creative insight? 

So, I write this for them. For the children still sitting in classrooms thinking they are less. For the educators who are trying—but feel unsure, overwhelmed, or simply don’t have the time to learn and explore. For the architects of future programmes: please, build with us, not just for us. 

We are not broken. We are not failed versions of a system that was never built for us. We are different minds, with different strengths, waiting not to be fixed, but to be seen.

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

Designing Neurodivergent-Friendly Classrooms: Rethinking Inclusion from the Inside Out

Sana Siddiq portrait

Written by Sana Siddiq

Sana Siddiq is an educator, coach, and creator of The Elevate Framework™, guiding schools to lead with empathy, equity, and emotional safety. Her work centres neurodivergent inclusion, systemic transformation, and holistic development—supporting educators to unlearn outdated systems and build compassionate, conscious spaces where every learner can thrive.

As the educational landscape evolves, the call for inclusive classrooms has grown louder. But inclusion, when viewed through a neurotypical lens, often amounts to little more than accommodation. True inclusion must be co-designed with, not just for, neurodivergent learners—and that demands a radical reimagining of the systems, assumptions, and environments we teach within.

A Paradigm Shift: From “Fixing the Child” to Rethinking the System

Traditional classroom models are built on industrial-era expectations of standardisation, control, and passive compliance. These models were never designed for neurodivergent minds—and expecting children with ADHD, autism, sensory sensitivities, or anxiety to thrive in such spaces without reconfiguration is not just misguided, it’s unjust.

Instead of asking: How can we make this child fit the classroom? we must ask: How can we make the classroom fit the child?

This isn’t just semantics—it’s a shift in power, responsibility, and educational ethos. Inclusion is not the work of putting ramps in place for those who can’t walk the stairs. It’s the work of redesigning the building altogether.

What Does a Neurodivergent-Friendly Classroom Actually Look Like?

  1. Sensory-Conscious Spaces

Sensory overwhelm is one of the most commonly misunderstood barriers to learning. Yet classrooms are often visually cluttered, fluorescent-lit, noisy environments. We must move beyond tokenistic “calm corners” and instead build entire spaces that are:

  • Predictable in layout
  • Low-arousal in aesthetic (muted tones, warm lighting)
  • Flexible in sensory offerings (noise-cancelling headphones, wiggle stools, movement options)

Rather than viewing sensory needs as “special,” we can normalise and embed these supports universally, benefiting all learners.

  1. Regulation as a Collective Culture

Many schools still use behaviourist models—token charts, clip systems, sanctions—that confuse dysregulation with defiance. But neuroscience tells us that the developing brain cannot access executive functioning when in fight, flight, or freeze. What a dysregulated child needs is not a consequence—it’s co-regulation.

Neurodivergent-friendly classrooms:

  • Teach and model regulation proactively
  • Offer regular body breaks, movement prompts, and access to regulation tools
  • Embed emotional check-ins as a non-negotiable part of the day
  1. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

UDL isn’t about creating “special resources.” It’s a mindset that recognises there is no one-size-fits-all learner.

This means:

  • Offering multiple means of engagement (movement-based, visual, auditory)
  • Supporting alternative ways of showing knowledge (video, drawing, mind maps, voice recordings)
  • Designing flexible tasks from the outset, rather than retrofitting support
  1. Agency and Autonomy as Core Pedagogy

Many neurodivergent children feel disempowered by school systems that reward obedience over authenticity. Reclaiming agency is not just empowering—it’s protective.

You might:

  • Involve students in co-creating classroom agreements
  • Offer opt-in group work, or self-paced learning tasks
  • Provide choices in how, where, and when work is completed

Thought Leadership: We Need a Cultural Shift, Not a Checklist

This work is not about box-ticking or surface-level strategies. It is about dismantling ableist structures baked into our educational systems.

We must move away from the deficit narrative that views neurodivergence as a problem to be solved. Instead, we need to centre neurodivergent voices, lived experience, and expertise in how classrooms are shaped. Ask yourself:

  • Who are our systems currently built for?
  • Whose needs are framed as “challenging”?
  • Who has to work harder just to belong?

The answers to these questions reveal more about our values than any mission statement.

Leadership Implications: Inclusion Is a Leadership Practice

School leaders must lead this shift with courage. Neurodivergent-friendly practice must be embedded into:

  • Curriculum design
  • CPD and teacher training
  • Safeguarding and wellbeing policies
  • Recruitment, voice, and governance

Inclusion cannot rest on the shoulders of one passionate SENDCo or learning support assistant. It must be championed, funded, and normalised from the top down.

In Summary

Designing neurodivergent-friendly classrooms is not about making tweaks to traditional practice. It’s about interrogating the very foundations of what we call “normal” in education. It’s about rejecting the idea that some learners are “too much,” and instead building a world that is wide enough to hold all ways of being.

Because the truth is, what works for neurodivergent children works better for all children: more agency, more flexibility, more emotional safety, more belonging.

And that’s not just inclusion—that’s transformation.

by Hannah Wilson

Switching on the local talent resource in international schools.

Laura Mitchelson portrait

Written by Laura Mitchelson

Laura is a freelancer helping schools in Retention and Engagement. Previous roles include Director of Enrollment and Communications at Dwight School Hanoi, Impact and Innovation Unit Advisor at Qibao Dwight High School, Secondary Language Teacher at Millfield School.

According to the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018, the average annual professional development hours for teachers internationally is around 62 hours per year. Some would argue it should be more, some might debate the value of some of that PD but it’s there.

In other industries like healthcare, retail, finance, banking, IT and telecoms, the average number of hours of professional development received each year is also about 60 hours but there is one difference – in those industries, it doesn’t matter which part of the organisation you are from, you have access to the same amount of professional development – it might depend on how long you have been with the business or what level you are at, whereas in the international school sector, teachers almost always have access to many more hours of PD than their colleagues in the business management side of the school do. 

When will Finance, IT, HR and Operations teams be given the same access to professional development and learning support as their teacher peers? 

There is a lot to consider here – it is the road less travelled, so proceeding with caution makes sense. To start requires us looking at THREE things:

  1. What are the existing professional qualifications that school management team staff have? Are Finance Directors ACCA certified? Does the HR Manager have an SHRM certification? Does the IT Director have the CITM? Do school leaders and governors know these accreditations and their issuing bodies well enough to assess candidates at interview stage in these professions and does the school look for these at the recruitment stage?
  2. When, how and what should make up the professional development that these management team staff receive once they are at a school? Is there a career growth pathway, planned support for professional growth, where does the budget come from?
  3. Where can teaching and non-teaching staff come together in professional development? Soft skills development with a focus on areas like team leadership, project management, budgeting, running effective meetings, and reporting are all areas of growth that are common to educators and business managers.

By developing ALL staff, schools respect both the notion of professional growth in general, and allow these school management professionals to be seen on a level with the wonderfully qualified and heavily professionally developed teaching staff. It is appropriate and right that we shine a spotlight here.  

Schools have a wide variety of options available to them when they embark on the professional development of their school business management teams. Here are some approaches that can be considered depending on the stage and needs of the individuals and teams in place: 

  • Internal or External Mentoring
  • Coaching
  • Shadow Days
  • Language Lessons
  • Observations
  • Internal/External Training
  • Online study
  • Master’s Degree support
  • On-the-job training
  • Industry body membership
  • Conference attendance
  • Career Mapping
  • High quality appraisals
  • 360 appraisals
  • Job rotation
  • Internship programs
  • Group coaching
  • E-learning
  • In-house workshops
  • Day release to further education 
  • Supported Local/virtual networking
  • Employee wellness programs

With a pay disparity between international teachers and those, often local staff, who work in ‘support’ roles like IT, Admin, HR, Finance and Operations, divisions and rifts can form, and by actively supporting the professional growth of those who work in these functions, schools can reap significant benefits in the areas of school reputation, retention, cross-departmental collaboration, and organisational resilience. 

There is room for much more discussion of this topic in the coming years. 

by Hannah Wilson

Privacy Preference Center

Privacy Preferences