Distorted Mirrors, Fogged Windows: A Call for Deeper Representation in Education
Written by Tamanna Abdul-Karim
Tamanna Abdul-Karim is Assistant Headteacher responsible for Literacy, Equality and Diversity in an inner city school in Birmingham. She has completed the NPQLL and Masters in Educational Leadership and Management /Level 7 Apprenticeship with the National College of Education. She is an English teacher at heart and her desire to create a sense of equality and justice motivates her. It is through education, she hopes to create impact and leave a meaningful legacy.
The concept of “mirrors, windows and sliding doors,” introduced by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, has become a foundational framework in conversations around diversity in children’s literature and multicultural education. In her metaphor, mirrors reflect readers’ own identities and lived experiences, windows offer insights into lives different from their own, and sliding doors allow readers to step into those other worlds, fostering deeper engagement and understanding.
This framework is not only relevant in literature — it has transformative potential across all aspects of school life. From curriculum design and cultural representation to enrichment opportunities and even staff recruitment, it offers a way to embed inclusion and equity into the very fabric of educational settings. When embraced authentically, it cultivates a culture where every student is seen, valued, and empowered.
However, if not approached thoughtfully, these mirrors and windows can distort reality. They can perpetuate stereotypes, invisibilise complexity, and contribute to feelings of alienation, shame, or disconnection — particularly for students from minoritised backgrounds.
A Personal Reflection: Distorted Mirrors, Fogged Windows
As a child of Bangladeshi heritage growing up in inner-city Birmingham in the 1990s, my school experience offered only two narratives about my country of origin: that it was poor and that it flooded. While these facts are not untrue, they painted a one-dimensional picture that deeply distorted both my self-image and my understanding of my heritage.
The mirror I was presented with reflected famine-stricken children, submerged villages, and chaotic streets. The window offered a view steeped in deficit — one that suggested my background was something to be downplayed, or even disowned. As a result, I internalised a sense of shame. I learned to code-switch early: Bengali at home, English at school. I adapted the way I spoke, behaved, even the way I ate — compartmentalising parts of my identity to belong.
What my schooling failed to reveal was a far richer, more complex history. I didn’t learn that before colonial rule, Bengal was one of the most prosperous regions in the world — a hub of culture, trade, and innovation. I wasn’t taught about the globally coveted Jamdani textiles, or that Dhaka was once one of the busiest ports on earth. There was no mention of how British colonial policies contributed to devastating famines, or how Bangladesh achieved independence through extraordinary resilience and sacrifice.
This erasure had consequences. It shaped how I saw myself — and how I believed others saw me. It taught me that some stories are celebrated, while others are sidelined.
Who Holds the Mirror? Who Builds the Frame?
This experience highlights a deeper issue: representation is not just about inclusion, but about how people, places, and histories are portrayed — and who gets to do the portraying.
We must ask: Who is holding up the mirror? Whose perspective shapes the window? What frames are we using to present narratives of identity, culture, and heritage?
It is not enough to simply provide visibility. We must examine the structures — the frames and lenses — through which these representations are filtered. If the frame itself is biased or incomplete, then the images it presents will be equally flawed.
A Call to Educators: From Representation to Reimagination
Educators carry immense responsibility. We are not only curators of knowledge — we are architects of perception. Every decision we make about curriculum, literature, resources, or enrichment shapes the mirrors and windows we offer to our students.
This work requires deep reflection. We must interrogate our own biases, challenge inherited narratives, and resist the temptation to present simplified or tokenistic views of cultures and communities. We need to move beyond surface-level inclusion to truly equitable representation.
This begins with unlearning — with a willingness to revisit what we’ve been taught, and to seek out the histories, voices, and perspectives that have long been marginalised.
Because when children see themselves reflected fully — in all their richness and complexity — they stand taller. And when they’re given a window into the full humanity of others, they grow kinder, more curious, and more connected.
Let us hold up better mirrors. Let us open clearer windows. Let us build sliding doors that do not just invite exploration, but also affirm belonging.
Reimagining School Leadership: Diversity as a Catalyst for Transformation
Written by Krystian McInnis
Krystian McInnis is a Religious Education consultant, advisor, and researcher specialising in decolonising and diversifying Religious Education. With a career that spans the public, private, and charity sectors, he brings extensive national and international experience in curriculum diversification and decolonisation. As the Co-Founder of Reimagining Education, Krystian is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable educational system where everyone feels seen, heard, and that they belong.
The conversation around diversity in education often focuses on students, but one of the most powerful avenues for change lies in rethinking the governance structures that steer the educational experience. School governing boards are not just responsible for overseeing budgets and policies; they shape the very culture and ethos of a school or trust. In an increasingly diverse world, the importance of creating governing boards that reflect the community’s broad spectrum of experiences cannot be overstated.
As the UK’s demographics continue to evolve, it’s crucial that school governing bodies mirror the diversity of the student populations they serve. However, too often, governing boards remain stagnant, with leadership teams failing to represent the multifaceted identities of their school communities. This lack of representation impacts not only the policies implemented but also the approach to leadership and the school culture itself.
The Case for Diverse Governance
The need for diversity on school governing boards goes far beyond a simple call for fair representation. It is about creating governance structures capable of addressing systemic challenges, championing inclusive practices, and ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students. A governing board composed of individuals with varying cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds brings diverse perspectives that enrich the decision-making process. As George (2022) notes, diverse leadership fosters innovation, empathy, and policy relevance, qualities that are essential for navigating today’s complex educational landscape.
Research also points to the tangible benefits of diverse boards. Carter (2021) highlights how cultural awareness among board members directly impacts policy priorities and curriculum content, leading to a more inclusive school culture. When governing bodies mirror the student population, they are better equipped to address the unique needs of all learners, from ensuring cultural sensitivity to promoting inclusive teaching practices.
Begum (2020) emphasises that diversity on governing boards isn’t just about policy changes but about student engagement and motivation too. When students see their identities reflected in the leadership, they feel a greater sense of belonging, which directly impacts their academic performance. Moreover, when parents and community members see themselves represented, trust and engagement between the school and its broader community grow, resulting in stronger partnerships that benefit everyone.
Reimagining Leadership for a Modern Education System
The impact of diverse school boards extends beyond the student body to the staff and the broader school community. A diverse governing board sets the tone for inclusive hiring practices and supports the development of a workforce that reflects the diversity of the students it serves. UK school governance has long been dominated by a small group of individuals with limited diversity. It’s time to break free from outdated models and embrace a more inclusive, adaptable leadership structure that can respond to the evolving needs of a multicultural society.
Reimagining leadership means moving away from traditional, hierarchical structures and creating space for a broader range of voices. This isn’t just about “ticking boxes”, it’s about recognising that a more diverse leadership team brings unique lived experiences that allow for a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by students and staff alike. Schools that adopt this mindset create an environment that is flexible, innovative, and, most importantly, inclusive.
From Recruitment to Retention: Building an Inclusive Governance Model
Recruiting diverse members for school governing boards is an essential first step, but it’s far from sufficient. Schools must also invest in ongoing training and support to ensure these members are prepared to be effective contributors. Too often, once new members are appointed, the assumption is that the job is done. In reality however, the work is just beginning. Schools must rethink their induction processes, ensuring that new governors receive the necessary training to navigate the complexities of modern, multicultural educational systems.
I would suggest therefore, this includes tailored training on cultural competency, anti-racism, and inclusive leadership, which are essential to support not only the school community but also the board members themselves. Furthermore, schools can benefit from building collaborative networks with community organisations and support systems, expanding the resources available to both staff and students. These networks help enrich the educational experience, provide additional resources for families, and strengthen ties between the school and the wider community.
Moreover, tracking diversity metrics is also a critical component of this work. Schools must be intentional about gathering and using data on ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and disability. This data should not be collected for the sake of numbers but should serve as a tool to inform decisions, address gaps, and ensure all voices are heard. Accountability is key to ensuring that diversity is not just a buzzword but a sustained, meaningful practice that guides decision-making at every level of governance.
Towards a Future of Inclusive Governance
The path to inclusive governance requires commitment, not only in diversifying the membership of school governing boards but in ensuring that diversity is embedded in every aspect of the governance process. When school boards truly reflect the communities they serve, students, parents, and community members are more likely to feel engaged and invested in the school’s success. Diversity in governance is not just a “nice-to-have”; it is essential to the development of a school system that is truly inclusive and capable of addressing the needs of all its stakeholders.
The journey towards inclusive governance may be challenging, but the rewards are immense. Schools with diverse governing boards are better positioned to create environments where every student feels valued, engaged, and empowered to succeed. Therefore, as we look to the future of school governance, we must ask ourselves:
- How can we ensure that our governing boards are truly representative of the communities they serve, in ways that go beyond numbers to reflect the richness of experience and perspective?
- What steps can schools take to dismantle the barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from accessing leadership roles in governance?
- How can we move beyond viewing diversity as a “nice-to-have” and recognise it as an essential driver of student success, community engagement, and educational equity?
References
Begum, H. (2020). The Importance of Representation in School Leadership.
Carter, J. (2021). The Role of Cultural Competency in Educational Leadership.
George, R. (2022). Reforming Leadership: The Shift Towards Inclusive Governance.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Leadership: Shaping the Future of the Teaching Workforce
Written by Susi Waters
Susi Waters, Operations Manager at Norfolk Research School; the Research Schools Network (RSN) Regional EDI Link (East of England and East Midlands); and Operations Manager and ITT Strategic Lead at the Julian Teaching School Hub.
In today’s educational landscape, fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) feels essential for creating a supportive and effective teaching workforce that reflects the lived experiences of the students we serve. This blog post offers some thoughts on the importance of DEIB in educational leadership and highlights the challenges and opportunities for improvement.
Understanding Intersectionality and Privilege in Leadership
One of the key considerations in promoting DEIB in education is recognising intersectionality — the overlapping and interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race and ethnicity, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status. Leadership roles in education have historically been dominated by white cisgender individuals without disabilities, but there’s a growing call for more inclusive representation.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of “checking our privilege,” which can sometimes trigger defensiveness. It’s helpful to remember that, in this context, “privilege” refers to an absence of disadvantage. Having “white privilege” doesn’t equate to guaranteed success; it means that one’s skin colour hasn’t posed societal barriers.
Chris Hildrew, a headteacher in Somerset, articulates this experience well:
“I am usually in the majority. I joke about how I have the privilege full house: White. Male. English. Straight. Cisgender. Middle class. […] When I speak, people listen. They always have. I expect them to.“
Data from Edurio(2021) and NFER (2024) reveal that the representation of non-white educators, disabled individuals, and LGBTQIA+ educators remains low in leadership positions. Addressing these disparities calls for thoughtful recruitment, retention, and career development strategies.
The Role of ITT Recruitment in Teacher Diversity
Recruiting a diverse teaching workforce starts with how we market initial teacher training (ITT) programmes. While people of colour are overrepresented among applicants for ITT, they are significantly underrepresented in the teaching workforce overall. In fact, 60% of schools in England had an all-white teaching staff in 2021 – 22, with 86% having an all-white senior leadership team.
Research by Dr. Gabriella Beckles-Raymond (2020) underlines the importance of targeted recruitment strategies aimed at attracting African, Caribbean, and Asian teachers. Schools and training providers might benefit from adopting inclusive messaging and outreach initiatives to encourage individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to explore teaching careers.
Recruitment should be thoughtful. For instance, we could consider:
- Do providers offer pre-application support, like explaining the English school system to those who didn’t grow up here?
- Are interview processes truly inclusive? Do they provide interview questions in advance or offer online options?
- Is the interview panel diverse in terms of race, gender, and age?
Making sure that trainee teachers have the right support means addressing barriers that can impede career progression. Access to mentorship, leadership training, and workplace policies that foster inclusion are all important aspects to think about.
Making Teaching a Sustainable Career for All
For many educators, especially those from marginalised groups, remaining in the profession long-term can be tough. Research from BERA (2019) on LGBTQIA+ teachers and the “Missing Mothers” project (2024) highlights how workplace culture, lack of support, and discrimination can push talented educators away from the profession.
To encourage sustainability in teaching careers, schools should implement policies that accommodate diverse needs, such as:
- Support for teachers going through menopause.
- Flexible work arrangements for primary caregivers.
Anti-discrimination policies that protect neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Leadership: Breaking Barriers and Creating Opportunities
Leadership in education needs to evolve to better reflect the communities it serves. Disparities persist; for instance, men are twice as likely to take on leadership positions as women, even though women comprise the majority of the teaching workforce. Gaps remain in representation among racial and ethnic minorities, disabled individuals, and LGBTQIA+ professionals.
Educational leaders can play a significant role in advocating for equity by:
- Sponsoring and mentoring diverse talent.
- Implementing transparent hiring and promotion practices.
- Encouraging conversations about privilege and systemic barriers.
- Revisiting senior leadership recruitment processes to ensure job descriptions and interview processes don’t unintentionally place women, disabled individuals, or caregivers at a disadvantage.
Moving Forward
We should ask ourselves: are we really setting up all teachers to enjoy a sustainable and fulfilling career?
Rethinking our approach to leadership is key — not just at senior levels but also in shaping the next generation of educators. There are alternative pathways to leadership in education beyond headteacher roles, such as Teaching School Hubs, Research Schools, and ITT leadership. These roles often offer flexibility, hybrid options, and meaningful opportunities to affect educational policy.
Ultimately, if we don’t act, the next generation of teachers will mirror those who currently remain in the system. Without deliberate attention and change, we risk perpetuating a cycle where leadership remains uniform. However, by embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, we have the potential to create a teaching workforce where all educators feel valued and every child sees themselves reflected in their role models.
To cultivate a more inclusive educational system, leaders should commit to ongoing education and implementing best practices. By embracing these principles, we can nurture a teaching workforce where diversity is celebrated, equity is upheld, inclusion is practised, and belonging is experienced by all. The future of education rests on leaders willing to challenge the status quo and promote DEIB at every level.
This blog is a summary of a session that Susi delivered as part of Derby Research School’s Change Champions conference in autumn 2024; it forms part of the RSN and Norfolk Research School’s ongoing work around EDI and developing diverse voices.
All sources and recommended reading can be found here and you can watch the full session here.
Decolonising the curriculum
Written by Shashi Knott
Shashi Knott is an English teacher and former Deputy Head of Sixth Form, with 16 years of experience teaching in state secondary schools across North London. After earning her MSc in Education, Power, and Change, she transitioned from her role as a full-time English teacher to focus on driving change within education. She is interested in working with other professionals to see how we can create more compassionate environments in schools. She is currently an outreach English teacher and Associate Trainer with KCA Training.
Decolonising the curriculum is like finding new love—it’s hard work, often requiring us to let go of what we’ve cherished. It’s a struggle, and one that calls for understanding and acknowledgment of the emotions involved.
The department meeting went silent. A chair scraped awkwardly as we shifted at tables. It was nearly 4.30pm. Everyone had marking to do. Was this about to get tricky?
In London, where I work as an English teacher, 46.2% of residents identify as non-white. It’s not a difficult context to make an argument that the texts we teach our students should be more representative. And yet, somehow, we don’t seem to make it happen.
We could absolutely have spent some of our fast- vanishing department budget on a new set of texts for Year 9. Amazingly, we all agreed that Elizabeth Acevedo’s ‘The Poet X’ would be an excellent choice for the spring term. However, when one of us asked, “What about George Orwell?” I know they were not the only ones thinking this. The silence in the room might have suggested otherwise, and we all knew what we should say next. So when our Head of Department was conciliatory, coming up with the comfort of delay, we were all secretly relieved. “We’ll revisit the discussion at the end of the term.” “ We’ll review again in our gained time.” “We’ll assess our existing schemes of work for diversity. ”
We know what we should be advocating for, but there are so many reasons why teaching ‘Animal Farm’ feels more comfortable, and it’s not just because we already have established schemes of work.
As English teachers and often English graduates, we have all internalised an idea of what constitutes the canon. Literary critic Harold Bloom describes canonical texts as works of ‘aesthetic beauty’ (1994) and therefore, he suggests, to question these texts is to question the merit of art itself. Bloom describes the ‘idealistic resenters’ who ‘denounce competition’ and want to focus on marginalised voices, as missing the point of art and culture. (1994) Whilst Bloom’s ideas have been convincingly challenged and are now certainly out of fashion, they are ideas that we cannot fail to have internalised. Many of us grew up with these views being the dominant narrative in the study of English Literature and speaking for myself, I did much work to embrace the canon. I certainly did not want to be seen as someone who missed the point of art.
We have to acknowledge that decolonising our minds is uncomfortable. It involves acknowledging that some of the texts we loved, we might need to let go. A bit like the way a song from our youth, however rubbish, will always evoke strong feelings, those first occasions of literary love will do the same. The first time you felt seen, grown up, clever, understood. That first moment of connection with the canon. Mine was Keats, the perfect poet for the
misunderstood teen. Decolonising the curriculum involves a deconstruction of the canon, of beloved texts, and that can mean a painful epistemic discomfort. We picked apart those texts. We invested meaning in them. We succeeded at them. That’s why we’re English teachers.
Decolonising the English curriculum is as much about interrogating our own relationship with literature as it is about buying new books or creating schemes of work. It is about being willing to forge new relationships with texts and giving our students those special moments of connection, potentially with texts that are not our one true love. It’s not just about representation for global majority students, it’s about a more inclusive literary canon for everyone.
Maybe as English teachers we need to go forth and find new literary loves. New characters to fall for. New writers to make students feel understood, and to voice, in new ways, all the age old feelings. Not a new canon. Just new names to add in. New, gritty, glittering, literary loves for students of English to come.
References
Bloom, H. (2014) The western canon: The books and school of the ages. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
What can we learn about masculinity and misogyny from the Netflix drama 'Adolescence'?
Written by Bold Voices
Bold Voices is an award-winning social enterprise preparing and empowering school communities to recognise and tackle gender inequality and gender-based violence through the delivery of educational talks, workshops, training and resources for young people, teachers and parents.
Originally published here: https://www.boldvoices.co.uk/blog/2025/3/20/what-can-we-learn-about-masculinity-and-misogyny-from-the-netflix-drama-adolescence
On March 13 Adolescence premiered on Netflix, a week on and the show has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has sent waves across media, starting conversations about themes of masculinity, the ‘manosphere’, incel culture and gender-based violence more widely. It is a show that has driven home the fear of what happens when harmful attitudes and beliefs develop into extreme violence.
If you’re looking to understand some of the key terms used in the series take a read of this article first: https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/andrew-tate-incel-meaning-adolescence-netflix-b1217106.html
The question of ‘why’ runs throughout the four-part series. What made this 13 year old boy brutally stab and murder his school mate, Katie. Where did his behaviour come from? Was it the ‘masculinity’ modelled by his father? A generally kind man who displays a couple of emotional and physical outbursts throughout the show (including physically intimidating and handling a child who vandalised his work van)? Was it his friends at school who ultimately provided him with the murder weapon? Was it the misogyny influencers and their ideas? Or the social media sites platforming these influencers and offering young people the impunity which allows them to say harmful and destructive things to and about each other?
Throughout the show we are trying to understand if Jamie is a good kid at heart who was ultimately misguided and has done something devastating, but out of character. Or whether he is a bad kid that has been able to manipulate and hide his darkness from his parents, and even us as viewers. But then again how bad of a kid can you really be with planet wallpaper and stickers of tiny astronauts? These minor and seemingly unremarkable, but ultimately essential, details about Jamie’s room make up the final scenes of this powerful show. They are a reminder that Jamie could be any young boy in any family. It is just how unremarkable he is as a character that makes this story so poignant.
So what themes about masculinity, and adolescence, can we draw out from the show?
Masculinity, the ‘manosphere’ and ‘incel’ communities
Jamie is a boy who we come to understand has been spending time online, getting drawn into ‘manosphere’ and ‘incel’ communities. During the second episode that takes a look at Jamie’s school, we learn about the “call to action by the manosphere”, the meaning behind ‘red pills’ and ‘blue pills’ and the 80/20 rule (that 80% of women are attracted to 20% of men).
“Red pill is like I see the truth, it’s a call to action by the manosphere. Which is where the 100 comes in, the 80/20 rule. 80% of women are attracted to 20% of men. Women, you must trick them because you will never get them in a normal way… she’s saying he’s an Incel dad” – Episode 2 | 29:50 – 31:00
When we hear from Jamie about this, he acknowledges that he knows about these ideas and that “he had a look but didn’t like it” although in talking about the 80/20 rule he says “I do think they’re right about that though”.
The writer, Jack Thorne, is very honest about the fact that through his research he realised that “there was a logic to this and how they see the world”. It is through Thorne’s vulnerability in admitting this that we are reminded of an uncomfortable truth, that the attitudes and beliefs displayed by many of these online forums and communities are attractive to boys and young men and resonate with a vulnerability they actually feel.
In the third episode Jamie is asked about what he thinks about men, about masculinity. In particular, he’s asked about his dad and grandad, what he thinks about them and what type of men they are. We get insights into the stereotypes that pervade about masculinity; his dad as a hard worker who provides for his family, who can get angry and lose his temper, who loves his wife and is good to women, but doesn’t have any female friends. None of this is positioned as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but it holds a mirror up to the expectations we have of men and masculinity that continue to frame a ‘real man’ as someone who is physically and emotionally strong and dominant, who protects and provides for loved ones and who sees women as objects of love and affection, but not necessarily giving space for relationships to women that exist outside of caregiver, nurturer or romantic partner.
These questions are vital, and they connect back to the extreme views many boys and young men are consuming online. Rhetoric that is based on the inherent idea that a ‘real man’ doesn’t show vulnerability or weakness, protects and provides for those around him, is successful at ‘getting women’, and gains status through money, physical strength, women and material markers of success such as fast cars and displays of wealth.
Jamie couldn’t necessarily clearly articulate what makes someone ‘a man’ but he knew exactly what makes someone ‘not manly’ and his visceral rejection of those ideas were far more natural for him to display, when asked if he was friends with women he says “no” and “I’m not a twt though*”. His disdain for feminine traits and femininity is far clearer than his ‘love’ for ‘manliness’, a nuance that is powerfully captured in the show.
Femininity, objectification, power and misogyny
Not only do we get insight into how Jamie feels about himself, we are able to understand a little of how he views girls and women. The fact that he sees girls as objects and that viewing explicit images of girls that he knows (and girls and women he doesn’t know) is not something that he questions; when asked about whether he thinks the girls would be happy about him seeing explicit images of them he responds, “everyone else did”. The normalisation of girls as objects, and the non-consensual sharing and viewing of explicit images of girls, is so normal it is not worth denying or lying about.
It becomes further apparent that Jamie’s relationship to girls is far from healthy. He lies about having had sexual experiences with girls, he shrugs off the fact that he doesn’t have any friends that are girls, when asked about whether he was attracted to Katie after seeing an explicit image of her he makes an objectifying and dismissive comment about her body, saying, “no” and that “she was flat”. Jamie articulates a desire to have a girlfriend however he doesn’t seem able to articulate, or even understand, what that dynamic might look like aside from him owning or receiving sexual gratification or pleasure from a girlfriend. In the fourth episode we are presented with a stark contrast to this when Jamie’s parents are reminiscing about their first date as 13 year olds at the school disco, we hear about teenagers in the first moments of genuine connection, something that feels completely inaccessible to Jamie.
Despite answering “no” to the question of whether he feels powerful viewing explicit images of girls he knows, there are subtler insights into how Jamie feels about power and women. In one moment he stands over the psychologist and shouts in her face, a male member of staff comes to the door but she indicates that she’s okay. In response, Jamie says “what was that? hey? what the fk was that? signalling him away like a fking queen yeah?”. He is angry and riled up when faced with a woman in control.
We also get insight when Jamie reveals the impact that rejection has on him. We hear that Jamie had previously asked Katie out to the fair but that she wasn’t interested and said no to him. Although he insists multiple times that he did not “fancy” her and that he was not attracted to Katie because she’s not “his type”, Jamie shares that he assumed she would be feeling weak after explicit images of her had been shared round the school. Jamie wanted to take advantage of this vulnerability and ask her out, which meant when she rejected him, he was left feeling all the more insulted and angry.
“I just thought she might be weak after all that, cus everyone was calling her a slag or flat or whatever so I thought if she was that weak she might like me. It’s clever, don’t you think. I said I was sorry and that the guy who shared her picture was a wanker and that I’d take her to the fair if she liked… she just laughed and said – I’m not that desperate.” – Episode 3 | 42:00 – 44:00
A culture of misogyny and gender-based violence
A common reaction I’ve heard from parents and adults in response to Adolescence is fear. In particular, a fear that is centred around the online world and the harmful content that children and teenagers may be consuming without us realising. While this fear is incredibly valid and understandable, we must also be wary of not letting this fear distract us from the roots of this problem that exist far beyond the internet and the communities found there.
It is in the subtler moments in the show that we see these roots and an acknowledgement that it isn’t just the online world that led to Jamie’s actions, it is a wider ‘culture’ of gender inequality:
- Jamie does not address his mum or sister at all – exclusively reaching for the support and validation of his father.
- Jamie implies that having female friends makes someone a “twat”.
- Jamie exaggerates and lies about having had sexual experiences with girls to the psychologist and then immediately takes this back and reveals the true extent of those sexual experiences.
- Jamie feels confident enough to shout and scare the female psychologist, someone in a position of authority who is at least 15 years his senior.
- Jamie shares his awareness of his dads disappointment/shame at the fact that he wasn’t ‘sporty’.
- The school teacher only introduces the male police officer and then has to quickly introduce the female police officer when she realises her omission a few seconds later.
- The treatment of female staff members in the school where we hear male students shouting “Shut up miss!”
- The response to Ryan after he is punched by Jade (Katie’s best friend) in the playground – when another student says “You just got banged by a girl you sausage”.
- The way the female psychologist is made to feel uncomfortable by the male CCTV operator.
What happens if we watch the show without focusing on investigating the crime itself, but instead, understanding the culture all around it? The show perfectly presents the subtleness of gender stereotypes and gender attitudes that are pervasive in society. How they are shaping the way we talk to and about each other based on gender, what we expect from ourselves and each other based on gender and how we treat ourselves and others when those expectations are not fulfilled.
Adolescence confronts us with the truth that acts of gender-based violence are not committed by ‘bad apples’. Jamie is a 13 year old child who has been indoctrinated and who has had gender-based violence normalised and even glorified. There are moments that we feel deep empathy for Jamie and moments where we are scared of him, moments that ranged from the casualness with which he displayed misogynistic attitudes to the outbursts of anger and rage. But Adolescence raises the questions rather than providing the answers. The answers lie in the communities around young people coming together to prioritise education that gets to the root of the issue and addresses the gender stereotypes and attitudes that seem harmless in isolation, but together contribute to a culture that normalises gender-based violence and misogyny.
Questions to start conversations based on Adolescence:
- Why is being able to get girls or female attention so important to being seen as ‘manly’?
- Are all young boys as likely to be influenced by these messages as each other? If not – why?
- When Jamie calls himself “ugly” we get an insight into how he views himself and his self-esteem, how does this connect to his actions?
- We know many of these ideas are consumed online, where else do we learn these ideas?
- Why did the boy who received the photo of Katie spread it round? What did he gain by doing this?
- Why did Jamie think Katie was “easier to get” after the photos were leaked? How do you feel about that?
- What did Jamie feel when Katie rejected him? Why might he have felt that way?
Resources and places to learn more about these issues:
Toolkit: School of Sexuality Education – ‘A Look Into the Incel Movement: A Guide to Tackling Online Cultures of Misogyny for Schools, Colleges and Universities’
Book: Laura Bates – Men Who Hate Women
Ted Talk: Jackson Katz at TEDxFiDiWomen – ‘Violence against women—it’s a men’s issue’
Why Every Child Deserves to Hear Their Own Song
Written by Matthew Dix
Matthew Dix is a primary school teacher of 17 years. He continues to work as a teacher whilst working as a primary reading consultant across Nottinghamshire. He is the Founder of resource website Manic Street Teachers and has recently launched 'Musician of the Month' to create a culture of musical appreciation and understanding across schools, with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
Growing up, music wasn’t just background noise – it was how I made sense of the world. It was my mum playing the piano, it was watching her dance to ABBA and playing, of all things, a mandolin! It was my dad blasting heavy metal one minute and Vivaldi the next. Nothing quite says ‘peaceful Sunday morning’ like Iron Maiden shaking the windows!
As I reached adolescence, my heroes ranged from Tupac Shakur to Freddie Mercury, from John Lennon to Annie Lennox. Following their lives taught me that struggles were universal and at the end of a struggle, there can still be success. Behind every composition, every lyric, every guitar solo was a person with a story – often one of resilience against all odds.
Music took centre stage when I formed an indie band in the early 2000s. It wrote songs, often with the children’s help, for primary school subjects when I began my career as a teacher. It was a focus of mine when I created the music resources for ‘Manic Street Teachers’. Music has always been in the foreground of whatever I do.
A decade ago, I took a job in an inner-city school in Nottingham with 98% of children having English as an additional language. In fact, there were 52 different languages spoken in total. And yet, the music curriculum offered very few mirrors of themselves or windows to other worlds. A colleague and I decided to introduce a new musician every month in the hope of engaging children who seemed vacant during singing assemblies, and often unable to discuss and share their likes and dislikes in music lessons.
It wasn’t until we chose Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as a musician one month that parents started to leave emails, children started to talk and a buzz started to make its way through school. I remember a child telling me that their parents listened to him at home. We shared his life, his trials and tribulations, his achievements and videos of his performances. Children could explain his words and what they meant. They were fascinated to learn that he had come to England in 1985 and brought Qawwali music (a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing originating in India) with him. Children finally saw themselves and their families in our curriculum.
👉 Free Sample (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) – sign in required
It got us thinking. What if a girl thought that she could never be a classical musician because she looked nothing like Mozart, Beethoven or Bach? Well, we created resources all about Florence Price, whose compositions were forgotten until, just 16 years ago, when a whole collection of her work was rediscovered in a dilapidated house on the outskirts of St. Anne, Illinois.
What about a child who believes music is impossible with a disability? We shared Stevie Wonder’s story, Jacqueline du Pré’s story, and we shared how Joni Mitchell had to detune her guitar to learn to play another way after polio affected her hand. Let’s show them how these artists found ways to keep playing, no matter what. The show must go on, as Freddie Mercury said!
We live in a global world – our music curriculum should reflect that. Instead of saying, “Let’s learn African drumming,” let’s say, “Let’s learn about Babatunde Olatunji, a Nigerian drummer who learned by immersing himself in the culture and following the master drummers in his village, eventually being given a cowbell and then various Yoruba drums, took his craft to America, became an important friend to Martin Luther King Jr., and became a world-wide sensation!”
If a child thinks you can’t play music when you’re old, then share the story of The Buena Vista Social Club – how Ry Cooder, a producer from the US, had a twist of fate when musicians from Mali had their visas delayed so he ended up in Cuba, reuniting forgotten musicians like Ibrahim Ferrer, who was still shining shoes to make ends meet. The musicians, most of whom were over 70 years old, finally had a chance to tour the world with their music.
👉 Read our EYFS eBook (Ibrahim’s Song)
Context is always king, and every child loves a story. I believe the person behind the music is as important as the music itself, and becomes the bridge to another world. Teaching children to empathise helps them feel less detached from the music they are studying. Music bridges cultures, generations, and experiences in ways that words alone sometimes cannot.
That’s why I created Musician of the Month – a simple, accessible way for teachers to bring diverse musical stories into their classrooms. It’s directly linked to The Model Music Curriculum and the 9 Protected Characteristics and, as the site develops, we hope it will help schools show every child that they too can be a musician. To a child in school, the right musician, with the right song, at the right moment could well hit the right notes!
👉 Musician of the Month + Free Sample (David Bowie)
Leaders Engagement in Mothers’ Matters
Written by Emma Sheppard
Emma founded The MTPT Project, the UK's charity for parent teachers, in 2016 when on maternity leave with her first child. She has 12 years experience as an English teacher, Lead Practitioner and ITT Lead, and now runs The MTPT Project full time.
At The MTPT Project, we take our commitment to inclusion seriously. As Founder, I love reviewing our data annually for our Diversity and Inclusion report, the way that this informs our strategies as a small charity and the impact this then goes on to have.
One of these strategies to come out of our 2023-24 report was to improve engagement tracking at events directed to leaders in our sector. We are curious to know whether our work is perceived – in broad terms – as workforce and retention or diversity and mothers.
It makes sense that our programmes aimed at staff who are parents attract an overwhelmingly female audience. Because of our national and sector parenting policies, mothers are still afforded more paid time on birthing maternity leave than fathers and non-birthing partners, and this is when gendered routines around parenting take root and influence the division of domestic and professional labour in the long term – particularly in heterosexual couples.
Our leadership work, however, is aimed at senior leaders and above. Statistically, these are positions where men are over-represented at both primary and secondary level. If our work is (correctly) seen as workforce and retention, then up to 60% of our audience at these events should be men.
At this mid-point in the year, then, how far do school leaders still consider the retention, progression and wellbeing of parent-teachers as a ‘mothers matter’?
We’ve tracked data over 15 events – most of which have been optional to attend – aimed at school and systems leaders, and this is what we’ve found:
- On average, just 17% of attendees at these events have been men
- On three occasions, there has not been a single male face in the room
- Three events have hit our starter target of 24% male representation (the proportion of men in the wider teacher workforce, not at leadership level) and these were events billed as retention, flexible working, or an obligatory meeting for local headteachers
We count a number of men within our professional network who show up regularly to champion the work that we do. They sign off funding, make introductions, speak up on behalf of our community, work on research and data projects, platform our work on social media and speak at our events.
But men are not showing up enough as audience members to learn about the daily, and systems-wide practice that can be implemented to support working mothers for the overall health of our workforce and – ultimately – the schools they are leading.
An acute example of this disconnect: 22% of the speakers at The MTPT Project’s Missing Mothers conference are fathers and leaders from our community, but – two weeks ahead of the event – not one of the 135 ticket holders are men.
When organisations are considered who is “best placed” to attend MTPT events, the data suggests that they are still sending leaders with first-hand experience of motherhood. Clearly, the view is that these mothers’ matters are best handled between mothers and by mothers.
Statistically, however, these mothers, sorting things out between themselves, are less likely to be in leadership positions than men. They are less likely to wield decision-making power and they are less able to role model effective allyship to other men.
If we really want to make a sustainable difference to the teacher retention crisis, our male leaders need to stop seeing mothers as a diversity group, and instead know that mothers are workforce.
To Belong Is Not Enough: Why We Must Move Towards Mattering
Written by Mohamed Abdallah
With almost two decades of experience, Mohamed started his journey in youth work and pupil referral units before spearheading groundbreaking inclusive practices and systems as a leader in an 'Outstanding' all-through mainstream school. Driven by a relentless commitment to positive change, Mohamed now dedicates his efforts to collaborating with school leaders across the nation as the Head of the Inclusive Leadership Course at The Difference.
“No one would care if I weren’t here.”
I can remember the words hitting me hard. As Designated Safeguarding Lead there were immediate red flags, but on a human level it broke my heart.
100% attendance, great progress, and never in trouble. On paper he belonged – but in reality he thought nobody cared.
Across the country, I hear the language of belonging increasingly referenced in discussions about student engagement, wellbeing, and success. And I welcome it. It’s a refreshing shift in our narrative about the student experience.
Still, something didn’t feel right. Then, it clicked.
It is not enough to simply belong; you should also matter.
My experience has shown me that a student can belong to a school community without ever feeling that their presence or contributions truly matter. A friend recently shared a US study with me that revealed a surprising finding: a sense of ‘belonging’ to a school community did not significantly affect academic performance. But instead there were other factors that determined success, such as participation and self regulated learning.
Think about it this way: You belong to a gym, but do the regulars know your name? You belong to a workplace, but do your ideas shape the way things are done? You belong to a school, but when you are absent, is there a noticeable void?
Mattering is more than belonging to a place or a community; it is about your significance.
One of the most prominent academic advocates for mattering is the US community psychologist Isaac Prilleltensky. He argues that developing a strong sense of mattering depends on two things: feeling you are valued, and feeling that you add value – whether that be within your workplace, your community, your family, or your friendship group. In the UK, my good friend Luke Billingham has been one of the most influential thinkers and writers on young people and mattering.
The Three Components of Mattering in Schools
After multiple voice notes back and forth, Luke and I sat down to discuss this matter (see what I did there!), and we asked:
If a student stopped coming to school tomorrow, would they feel like their absence was noticed?
Does every student have positive and affirming relationships with peers and at least one adult?
Are students actively shaping the school environment, or are they simply complying with expectations?
These questions helped us think more deeply about mattering. Of course, students should belong. But would we be satisfied as school leaders with 100% attendance, high attainment, and zero suspensions, yet students still told us, “No one would care if I weren’t here”?
They should feel they matter.
Reflecting on our experiences in different schools, Luke and I identified some key factors which we think enable students to develop mattering; Voice, Relationships, and Participation.
- Voice: Too often, schools claim to prioritise student voice while keeping real decision-making at the leadership level. But voice is not just about being heard. Schools must embed student experience and perspectives into decision-making, not just through surveys, but by creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue and change. Even when student perspectives challenge us, they offer uncomfortable truths we must engage with. When students see their input shape school culture, they matter.
- Relationships: A student might belong to a school, but do they have relationships that affirm their worth? Schools could cultivate opportunities for positive peer relationships to create strong social bonds, and to ensure every student has at least one trusted adult. Relationships built on trust and recognition, and environments where students feel valued and connected.
- Participation: Mattering isn’t just about feeling noticed, it’s about feeling needed. Students need opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their school communities. This goes beyond enrichment clubs; it means ensuring that students are actively shaping their environments. Whether through student-led campaigns, or engaging with the local community, authentic participation allows students to see their impact.
Why Mattering Matters for Inclusion
I worry that belonging is being used as a catch-all solution for inclusion, or dare I say it, a form of soft inclusion. For many students from marginalised backgrounds, belonging can feel conditional. They may be required to turn up, but do they feel like their presence and identity are essential? Do they see themselves reflected in the curriculum? Are their voices shaping school systems? Are their experiences acknowledged and valued?
Mattering addresses these questions by ensuring that students are not just included, but recognised as integral members of their schools. For students from underrepresented backgrounds, the feeling of mattering can be a protective factor against marginalisation and disengagement.
If we stop at belonging, we risk creating schools where students exist but don’t thrive, they comply but are disengaged, are included but unseen. The real challenge for schools isn’t just inclusion. It’s significance. Instead of asking, ‘Do our students belong?’ ask, ‘Do they know they matter?’
World Book Day 2025
Written by Robert Davies
Rob Davies is Associate Assistant Headteacher at Calderstones School in Liverpool. This role involves leading on anti-racism in education, sharing practical strategies, reflections, and initiatives to create a more inclusive, representative, and equitable school. He shares insights on decolonising the curriculum, diversifying reading materials, and fostering anti-racist practices in schools.
Another year, another World Book Day—same costumes, same characters. Harry and Hermione? Check. Little Red Riding Hood? Of course. The Gruffalo? Naturally. And let’s not forget Mrs. Trunchbull, stomping through the halls. Sound familiar? Thought so.
But here’s the thing—World Book Day can be so much more. It’s time to move beyond the usual suspects and reimagine it through a truly diverse lens. Let’s make it an event where every student sees themselves in the stories we celebrate.
Every year, World Book Day celebrates the magic of stories. But whose stories are we telling? Who do they inspire? When books and characters overwhelmingly reflect white, middle-class experiences, whose voices are missing? Are we selecting a diverse range of books that offer all children equitable opportunities to see themselves?
If not, isn’t it just Book Day?
At its core, World Book Day aims to “promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.” But if we fail to approach it through an anti-racist lens, are we truly serving all students?
The Representation Gap in Children’s Books
In the UK, 33.5% of school-aged children come from ethnic minority backgrounds. Yet, between 2017 and 2019, only 7% of children’s books featured characters from these cultures—and just 5% had a Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic main character.
Research shows that when children see themselves in books, it shapes their sense of identity and possibility.
Despite limited representation, excellent books exist that help students feel seen, foster belonging, and cultivate a love of reading. But do schools actively seek them out?
The issue goes beyond just introducing diverse books. What if teachers haven’t read them, or don’t understand their significance?
Whose culture has capital?
With a predominantly white teaching workforce (Runnymede Trust, 2020), how often is World Book Day shaped through an anti-racist lens? One of the biggest motivators for reading is emotion—how books make us feel (Dungworth et al., 2004). Naturally, educators promote books that resonated with them in childhood, shaped by their own experiences.
If most books being championed reflect the same narrow cultural perspectives, what message does that send? Who do these books inspire—and who gets left out?
Research further supports this. More children from ethnic minority backgrounds than white backgrounds say they don’t see themselves in what they read (40% vs. 30.5%), with Black students feeling this most acutely.
Making It a World Book Day
If World Book Day is to truly reflect all students, schools must take active steps to make it more inclusive. That’s exactly what we did at Calderstones School this year.
As one of Liverpool’s largest secondary comprehensive schools, diversity is our strength. But we recognised that World Book Day needed to reflect that diversity, ensuring all students felt represented and engaged.
So, we embraced the ‘world’ in World Book Day. We focused on books and authors from a variety of cultures and languages, fostering conversations about students’ mother tongues and cultural backgrounds.
We collaborated with Greenbank Primary School and Leeds Beckett University to involve primary school students and Global Ambassadors. Together, they read books from their home countries in their native languages—including Arabic, Basque, Farsi, French, Greek, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Urdu, and more.
By showcasing this linguistic and cultural diversity, we highlighted the vital importance of representation in education. The readings were recorded, edited, and shared on the school’s social media. The response? Overwhelmingly positive. For many in our community, this was the first time their language and heritage were visibly celebrated in school.
How to Rethink World Book Day in Your School
If we are serious about delivering a truly inclusive World Book Day, here’s lets start with the following: 1. Move Beyond the Same Old Costumes
Rather than dressing up as characters from GCSE texts, consider why these books dominate the curriculum. Less than 1% of GCSE students study a book by a writer of colour—so why reproduce that marginalisation on World Book Day?
- Conduct a Student Voice
Ask students:
- What books would you love to explore?
- Do you see your culture and heritage reflected in the school library?
- What stories are missing from the shelves?
- Use these insights to shape book selections and discussions.
- Explore Translated Literature
Many beloved English books originated in other languages—Pinocchio was originally Italian. What other global stories could students discover? World Book Day can be an opportunity to highlight the rich traditions of storytelling from around the world.
Final Thought: A Call to Action
By embracing the ‘world’ in World Book Day, we made it more meaningful for our students. This is a step in the right direction—but it can’t stop here. Schools must challenge traditional reading lists, elevate diverse voices, and ensure that every child sees themselves in the stories they read.
We can’t diversify the teaching workforce overnight, but we can broaden our thinking. We must ensure that we view events like World Book Day through an anti-racist lens.
Because if World Book Day doesn’t include all stories, is it really World Book Day at all?
From Lettuce to Leadership: The Recipe for Real DEIB in Schools
Written by Sharon Warmington
Sharon is a diversity of race advocate and trainer, and CEO of the National Black Governors Network. She is an experienced academy trustee and school governor, corporate governance specialist. As an international Governance Practitioner and local school Governor, Sharon Warmington is also a public speaker, facilitator and a strategic leader, having worked nationally and internationally on projects in the private, public and third sector.
The room fell silent. A lone voice cut through the air like a scalpel.
“If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got.”
A murmur of agreement rippled across the table, but the truth hung heavy. Governance in education wasn’t evolving fast enough. The diversity deficit on school boards was glaring, and yet the solution was tantalisingly within reach.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). A well-rehearsed mantra, a neatly arranged acronym, but in practice? Too often, it was all lettuce—bland, predictable, offering little more than a base layer. And just like a dull, uninspired salad, governance without true DEIB lacked texture, colour, and depth.
The First Ingredient: Diversity
Imagine stepping into a kitchen with only one ingredient. The outcome is predictable—uninspiring, repetitive, and ultimately ineffective. The same is true for governance.
Without representation across different racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups, leadership decisions are made in an echo chamber. Diversity isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s the foundation upon which every other principle of DEIB is built. Without it, equity and inclusion remain unattainable.
The Dressing: Equity
Equity isn’t about throwing different ingredients into the mix and hoping for the best. It’s about recognising that some have been denied access to the kitchen entirely.
A governing board dominated by a single demographic can never truly understand the systemic barriers faced by underrepresented communities. Equity means creating real opportunities, ensuring those at the table have the tools, training, and access they need to contribute meaningfully.
It’s the dressing that brings balance—without it, even the freshest ingredients fail to shine.
The Crunch: Inclusion
Diversity and equity alone are not enough. Inclusion is the crunch, the bite, the assurance that every voice at the table is not just heard but valued.
A tokenistic approach—where individuals from diverse backgrounds are present but sidelined—rings hollow. Effective governance ensures all voices are not just present but shape the conversation. That means active listening, real participation, and a culture where speaking up is met with action, not silence.
The Secret Ingredient: Belonging
The final element, the one that brings it all together, is belonging.
A salad with great ingredients but no harmony is still a mess. The same applies to governance. If board members feel like outsiders—constantly having to prove their worth, explain their existence, or justify their perspectives—then DEIB has failed.
Belonging is the ultimate goal. It’s the point where leaders no longer ‘accommodate’ difference but celebrate it. It’s where representation is no longer an initiative but an expectation.
The Governance Gap: A Recipe for Change
The Department for Education (DfE) mandates that schools and trusts prioritise diversity in governance. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires active promotion of equality and inclusion. And yet, how many governing boards truly reflect the communities they serve?
The data tells its own story. Governing boards remain overwhelmingly white, predominantly male, and heavily weighted towards those over 50. Meanwhile, young voices, Black and Asian perspectives, and disabled representation remain painfully absent.
The solution? A new approach.
Turning Theory into Action
If schools are serious about DEIB, they must move beyond rhetoric. This means:
- Mapping the gaps: Who is missing from your governing board?
- Expanding the search: Looking beyond the usual networks—engaging with Black professional groups, student unions, disability organisations.
- Creating real pathways: Making governance accessible for those who may never have considered it.
DEIB isn’t about optics—it’s about outcomes. Schools with diverse governance bodies are better equipped to navigate the complexities of modern education. They make stronger decisions, build more inclusive policies, and ultimately create better environments for students.
The Call to Action
So, the question isn’t whether DEIB is important—it’s whether we’re brave enough to do the work.
Are we prepared to step beyond our comfort zones? To challenge long-standing norms? To build governing boards that truly represent the schools they serve?
The choice is ours. We can keep serving up plain lettuce, or we can create something extraordinary.