ADHD Heads: How can we utilise neurodiversity in shaping the future of schools?
Written by Nadia Hewstone
Nadia is a certified executive school leadership coach. She left headship to start Destino Coaching and now supports school leaders with their own development as well as development of their teams.
Below is what I shared at the ‘Breaking the Mould 2’ in Cambridge for #IWD2024. I would love to hear from you with your thoughts and reflections on the themes I explore:
I am Nadia, founder of Destino Coaching – an organisation that supports Headteachers to remain strategic while tackling the enormous amount of operational challenges in schools.
I want headteachers to increase their influence over policy.
Usually, I’m invited to speak about ways to stay on track with your big goals in headship. Over many years I have developed several planning strategies to help me stay focussed and on track. The main principles are now tools I teach the headteachers I work with.
Looking back over my career I see that I became hyper focussed on finding ways to overcome the challenges I faced associated with being neurodivergent. This is what I want to explore with you today.
Over the next 10 minutes, I want to make a case for the need for neurodivergent leaders in schools as one of the key ways we will address the multiple systemwide issues schools are now facing.
- My story
Like many parents of neurodivergent children, I started to look at some of my own behaviours through the lens of my developing understanding of autism and ADHD about 10 years ago, when I was a headteacher. Both of my children have autism and ADHD and my own assessment of ADHD raised a question about potential ASD too – I have yet to find the time and space to investigate this but I have ADHD and while I am just one person with ADHD, I have now worked with many neurodivergent headteachers and have thought long and hard about what we bring to schools as a group.
As a woman with ADHD I face several struggles and I also experience a freedom I believe is unique to neurodivergent women. Here are some things about me that can appear strange to others:
- I stand up for meetings or regularly leave my seat if I am required to be seated.
- I often put tasks off until the last minute
- I find it difficult to follow people when they give long explanations or instructions. I can appear to be bored – and often I am!
- I have to try very hard not to finish other people’s sentences and speak over them in an attempt to speed them up
- I have to work extremely hard at relaxing and being calm – even though I know it is essential to my well-being
- I need others around me to attend to details as I find detail painfully difficult and race forward
- I break rules – especially when they don’t make sense to me
- I do not proofread my documents
The first time I went on a road trip with my deputy Steff, we stopped at a service station and her standout memory of this day was me getting out of the car before she’d finished parking. She still laughs at this memory now. While I see the funny side I also stand by the decision to do this – she is a stickler for doing things correctly, accurately, by the book – I am not. I saw an opportunity to get our Starbucks order in while she finished her perfect bay parking exercise – therefore cutting down lost time.
Steff and I were a match made in heaven! She was accepting of my pace and challenging about my shortcomings – she gave me space to lead my way and facilitated my growth through her attention to detail. I will love her for this forever.
Now that I recognise many of my behaviours as part of my ADHD, I am learning to work with them, quieten my inner critic and communicate more effectively so that others do not take offense.
As a headteacher, I implemented change very quickly and my high energy meant I took my team with me – they told me I was full of purpose and great fun to work with. I also disregarded things I saw as unnecessary restrictions. This was sometimes significantly risky but meant we cut through challenges and achieved things more quickly.
I’ll leave it up to you to imagine the downsides of all this for my school business manager!
I have had 12 female coaching clients over the past 5 years who have a diagnosis of ADHD and all of them report frustration with the restrictions placed on them by the education system.
Neurotypical heads undoubtedly experience this too – the difference is that people with ADHD view this as intensely impossible to work around.
Coaching women with ADHD is generally focussed on how to achieve their massive, exciting, propositus goals despite external barriers such as Ofsted, the National Curriculum and prescriptive working practices. Mostly they are successful once we work out how to embrace the difference.
People with ADHD are 60% more likely to be dismissed from a job, and three times more likely to quit a job impulsively (Barkley, 2008). This is a great loss to society and I hope we can reverse this in schools so that we can secure a way forward that serves young people.
2. Broken system – needs radical change
If you work in a school, I don’t need to tell you the system is broken:
- A widening gap between rich and poor educational outcomes
- Fewer resources
- Greater mental health needs in our young people
- Fewer services to support children and families
I believe that we need a different type of school leadership, a different kind of teacher.
Teachers and leaders are still trapped by the exam treadmill, still unable to have in-depth curriculum discussions or spend proper time collaborating.
Imagine if we flipped the story and leaders and teachers were designing the curriculum, to better match modern societal needs with an intelligent approach to assessment alongside it.
I suggest that neurodivergent thinking is a great way to flip any story.
3. Creative thinking
Take impulsivity, one of the main symptoms of ADHD. The studies suggest it might lead people to have more original ideas. That’s because people with ADHD often lack inner inhibition. This means they have trouble holding back when they want to say or do something.
Many of my neurodivergent clients have found a new voice and new priorities, including giving attention to staff wellbeing and rethinking the micro-management that characterises so many schools. But achieving this small-scale will not have the impact we need it to have and they often do this at the cost of risking their career.
Women with ADHD, in my experience, tend not to fear the truth and make brilliant cases for what new approaches might look like when systems are broken. More importantly, they often have the drive to see it through. This can appear radical, stubborn even, but for us it’s just about doing what makes sense.
In my book, the Unhappy Headteacher, I explore ways we can still have influence and find joy in the role – because I believe we can. I also believe the system needs drastic change with an uncompromising model of implementation. To me, it is clear that neurodivergent women have a valuable part to play in this.
And gender does matter here. According to Association for Adult ADHD (AAD) men with ADHD are likely to develop aggressive and defensive behaviours in response to being misunderstood, Whereas women with ADHD are more likely to mask and experience self-doubt. This self-doubt can be a gift in headship as with support, it is the place where growth and empowerment can be found.
What all adults with ADHD do have in common, in my experience is inner steel. We find EVERYTHING hard and to find fulfillment and do the stuff that lights us up – like pursuing excellence for a school – we have to accept that we will face tremendous amounts of challenge. Mostly because others often misunderstand our intentions. We share a bounce-backability that is unique to neurodivergent leaders and has prepared us well for the current state of affairs. When everything is hard anyway, dealing with the funding crisis seems surmountable somehow – leaders with ADHD believe there is a way to do the impossible, we just need to find it and we know we can
4. Representation
And let’s not forget the importance of representation in all of this. I have a client who has a diagnosis for autism and fears being open about this with her seniors because of her perceived risk of not being considered for promotion. This saddens me when I think about how far we still have to go in exposing our students to the talent and capability of people with ADHD. Our young people deserve to see examples of adults like them leading schools successfully yet as a culture we still shy away from celebrating the gifts of ADHD – these ‘gifts’ scare us rather than inspire us – what message does that give our young people with ADHD and what potential are we stunting?
Neurodivergent students need opportunities to learn ways to manage the challenges associated with serial rushing and extreme procrastination – what better way to do this than having high-performing leaders with ADHD modelling this around them.
My son has an EHCP and was recently interviewed by an Ofsted inspector in his college who asked him why he thought he’d been so successful at 6th Form, after performing below average at all other stop-off points. Lucas cited the single most important factor as being taught by a maths teacher who is autistic and comfortable with it. Could it be true that to become a mathematician, Lucas needed to see someone like him in the role first? And if so, what does this say about representation among our teachers and leaders in schools?
So how can we utilise neurodiversity in shaping the future of schools?
- Create a climate where neurodivergent school leaders feel free to be unapologetically themselves
- Celebrate neurodiversity in schools and society
- Recognise behaviours associated with ADHD and get excited about them as a sign that creative thinking is taking place
- Follow women with ADHD – they have survival mechanism we need right now in schools
Taking a Look Behind the Mask
Written by Joanne Robinson
Joanne Robinson, BA, MA, PGCE, FCCT, is an education consultant with significant experience of leading teacher training programmes. Prior to this, she taught in secondary education for 16 years. She now delivers postgraduate courses and advises on programmes of professional development for schools. She is keen to promote inclusive education that centres upon the wellbeing and autonomy of teachers as well as pupils.
I am writing this as an education professional with ADHD. I am the parent of two children, one now adult, both with AuDHD (Autism and ADHD). I have taught many children diagnosed with ASD, ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions. I suspect I have taught many, many more who were not yet diagnosed.
It’s interesting to look back on life after a late diagnosis. It can be quite sad: the things that I found difficult suddenly had a reason, rather than just being proof of inadequacy. People with ADHD tend to overthink things and be incredibly self-critical. I know from reading other accounts of late diagnosis, feeling anger and grief is not uncommon. From my perspective, I understand that how we look at ADHD has evolved significantly over the past few years and I recognise that it isn’t a failing of anyone that I wasn’t identified. It is very complex, even now, to see neurodivergence in others. I didn’t see it in myself, although I had a strong sense of being different.
I masked my way through school and my professional life without even knowing I was doing it. Masking is where we suppress behaviours in order to fit in with our peers and the expectations placed upon us. It takes a significant amount of energy – no wonder I was tired all the time!
I think this is a key point: we will encounter pupils who aren’t diagnosed, who don’t even know that they are neurodivergent yet. They don’t know they are masking. But they do know things seem harder for them.
As teachers, we really need to be cognisant of this. The pressure they are under might manifest in different ways: headaches, performance anxiety, not meeting expectations in written work when verbally they are very strong, daydreaming, fidgeting or doodling are just a few potential signs.
Part of the challenge schools face is the quickly-changing landscape of neurodivergence. We are transforming our understanding of what conditions like ADHD and autism are. Several decades ago, we didn’t think girls could have autism. ADHD was seen as a condition of naughty boys. Little did we know that the daydreaming girl, who tended to be a bit talkative at times, could possibly have ADHD too.
As I’ve told people about my diagnosis, some still seem incredulous. I’ve come across many education professionals who thought ADHD was a concocted condition, formulated as an excuse for bad behaviour and bad parenting. The ones who did think it was real were very much in the naughty-boy camp, not understanding that it can manifest in different ways. Recent media coverage seems to promote the idea that we are all a bit ADHD from looking at our phones for too long, showing no empathy or understanding of some of the complex difficulties having ADHD can bring.
The reason why educators need to be aware of potential neurodivergence is because school can be incredibly hard for these children, to the point that many stop coming as they hit their teenage years. The mental health implications are damning. The pressure of masking every day is exhausting. This is where it becomes vital to listen to parents: their behaviour at home will be different as the mask will come off where the child feels secure. Too many times I have heard teachers, and even a SENCO, say, “Well, he’s fine in school”. He probably is! It doesn’t mean he’s the same at home and that things aren’t profoundly difficult for him. He may, without support mechanisms in place, simply give up.
As teachers, we can’t diagnose children, but we can think about the classroom environment and how we structure tasks to support pupils in our lessons. The diagnosis is partially a mechanism to get support; if we put neurodivergent-friendly adaptions into classrooms, we are addressing potential need rather than waiting for either a diagnosis to happen – which can be unlikely for many – or complete meltdowns and school refusal to occur. There are many resources available to support schools with this, such as the wonderful free section on the ADHD Foundation site, which also encompasses other neurodivergent conditions.
It is vital to note that neurodivergence is not just difficulty. It can bring amazing competencies too, such as creativity, innovative thinking, verbal aptitude, attention to fine detail, passion and authenticity. By having classrooms where we create opportunities to draw on these competencies, whilst limiting some of the factors that bring anxiety and overwhelm, we can help these children to flourish and feel like they belong in school.
If a teacher suspects a child may be exhibiting signs of difficulty, that could possibly be a result of a neurodivergent condition, they should be sharing this with the relevant professional in school, whether a SENCO, Head of Year, or SLT member.
Resources:
'Coaches Like Us': You Have to See It To Be It
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder of Diverse Educators
‘You have to see it to be it,’ the quote from Billy Jean King, is a phrase we hear used a lot to challenge the lack of visible role models in society but also in our profession.
It is widely agreed that diverse representation is needed in every layer of the school system.
Our trust boards and governing bodies, our CEOs and Headteachers, our Senior Leader Teams are all people spaces that need diversifying. Alongside reviewing representation in our curriculum and in our libraries, for our learners, we also need to review it for our staff. (This is why we host a #DiverseEd World Book Day event each year to amplify authors from our network).
There is a lot of continuing work to be done to disrupt, to dismantle, to diversify these different spaces and to review who gets to occupy them.
But there are other educational spaces for us to also review:
- Who recruits, develops and mentors our trainee teachers?
- Who recruits, develops and mentors our early career teachers?
- Who recruits, develops and mentors our aspiring leaders?
- Who recruits, develops and coaches our existing leaders?
When you review these spaces you will often find a homogenous team, a team who mainly hold majority identities.
So how are the trainers, the mentors and the coaches being trained to become conscious of their own identity, to become confident in addressing their own privilege and to become confident in disrupting bias in the many forms through which it can manifest?
How trauma-informed are the trainers, the mentors and the coaches in supporting individuals who have experienced identity-based harm?
The Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership launched a brilliant pipeline programme to nurture leaders from a global majority background called Leaders Like Us a couple of years ago, in partnership with Aspiring Heads and the Institute for Educational & Social Equity. This programme is a gamechanger for our education system and our future workforce.
So let’s all consider what Trainers… Mentors… Coaches … ‘Like Us’ would look like.
If we put a spotlight on ‘Coaches Like Us’ as a school, college, trust, SCITT, Teaching School Hub and localities we need to ask ourselves:
- Who gets to be coached?
- Who gets to be The Coach?
- Who gets invested in?
- Who gets nurtured to flourish?
- Who gets supported to progress?
And most importantly, do people get to choose their coach? Or what has become a common phenomenon – does a coach get chosen for them?
Coaching is about creating a safe space. About having a confidential conversation. About exploring how one is feeling. About being vulnerable and open. If your coach is your line manager or someone you work closely with – someone who might appraise your performance or sit on a promotion panel – we are in muddy waters.
What difference would it make for an aspiring leader to self-select a coach who resonates with them? A coach who shares their identity? A coach who has walked their walk?
Some final thoughts:
- How might being coached or becoming a coach help diverse educators stay in the system?
- How might being coached or becoming a coach help diverse leaders climb up the leadership ladder?
- How might being coached or becoming a coach help us tackle the glass ceiling and the concrete ceiling in the education system?
To help our clients, who have asked for our support in diversifying their coaching pools, we have created a #DiverseEd Coaching Directory:
- You can find 25+ coaching profiles here.
- You can meet our coaches through our video gallery here.
- Get in touch if you are a coach who would like to be added or if you are looking for a coach and would like to be connected here.
Open-mindedness: The most important thing we can teach young people
Written by Liselle Sheard
Liselle is an experienced Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion professional, driving change in organisations of all sizes including global ftse 100 companies. Liselle is passionate about having a positive influence and encouraging others to do the same.
In a study by Mind UK (2021), 78% of young people said that school had made their mental health worse. 70% of young people who experienced racism in school said that it had negatively impacted their wellbeing. These stats are expected to increase further for minoritised young people. At such a critical age, children are internalising negative beliefs about their differences, and are questioning their place in society. Can we expect young people to achieve top grades and sail through school when the environment is excluding underrepresented groups and shaving their confidence at the very beginning of their journey into adulthood?
Complex data analysis and strategic models have a necessary place in the fight to drive systemic change, but are we overlooking the power of fundamental traits such as curiosity and open-mindedness? Can educational institutions model these traits to drive inclusion, and teach young people to follow suit?
Open-mindedness is the willingness to actively search for a diverse range of information, perspectives, and solutions when navigating through life. It’s the ability to admit that we always have more to learn, and that our experiences shape our perspectives.
In the education industry, open-mindedness can drive an inclusive environment for young people, whilst also encouraging them to be a catalyst for change themselves. In this sense, open-mindedness is about encouraging individuality whilst forging togetherness in the process.
Open-mindedness and finding identity:
Navigating the education system as a young person can bring about complex emotions. Systemically, individual differences and needs have been left out of the conversation, with a holistic service delivered in the same way to everyone. Young generations have expressed feeling stripped of their individuality and self-expression, making it difficult for students to find out who they really are, and grow confidence in their own identity.
To overcome this, self-exploration must be encouraged and welcomed wherever possible, and students should be given the power to consider what is important to them. When this culture is embedded into schools and colleges, it’s embedded into the outlook that young people have on life, increasing their respect and empathy for those around them.
An open-minded education system would fuel a culture of acknowledging the positives of our differences, giving young people the tools they need to support one another.
Open-mindedness can break down the stigma and shame attached to diversity and begin to replace this with pride. However, achieving this culture shift requires commitment from everyone, from industry bodies to individual teachers.
On one hand, it’s crucial that we take steps to increase the diversity of leaders in the education system so that representation is visible to young people during their childhood. On the other hand, we also need to be working to diversify the content covered in the curriculum so that young people are educated on different cultures and perspectives. Students should be able to learn about their own histories in school, as well as uncovering the histories of people with different identities to themselves.
Open-mindedness and finding purpose:
A wealth of research highlights the link between happiness, success, and purpose (Harvard Business Review, 2022). Rather than mapping out young people’s lives for them and pushing them to follow a rigid process, students should be taught the importance of finding their own purpose.
Young people should be supported in finding a purpose that will give meaning to whatever they do. By adopting this mindset, we can encourage students to create their own opportunities, and be ready to explore anything that comes their way.
With an open-minded outlook, young people are more likely to engage in information from a diverse range of creators, encouraging them to build connections with those who have different backgrounds to themselves, and expanding the opportunities that become available to them. Young people should be encouraged to remain curious and enjoy the journey of growing older. This journey is inevitably more educational and colourful when diversity is embraced.
Open-mindedness and its impact on others:
Being open-minded not only helps individuals to increase their understanding of the world and access opportunities, but it also helps young people to make more well-rounded and empathetic decisions that support others.
Open-minded young people bring a future of more inclusive friends, colleagues, innovators, and leaders. As the future of the planet and society becomes ever more uncertain, it’s fundamental that we support young people to build a future where everyone can thrive together.
If we look at many of the most widely recognised thought leaders across the world – from storytellers to artists, to activists – a key trait shared amongst them is their own open-mindedness, and their ability to open other minds to new ways of thinking. The most influential art, music, films, books, and speeches are those that stimulate; blurring societal boundaries and questioning norms.
As younger generations become increasingly more attached to the mission of driving wellbeing and inclusion, they themselves should be empowered in the education system to offer reverse-mentoring and share their ideas for change. Welcoming diverse young perspectives will build the confidence of students and teach them how to find their own power. Opening opportunities for students to be the ‘teachers’ would help to highlight how young people feel, where improvements can be made, and what actions can be taken to drive a more inclusive education system.
Harmony in Heritage: Sharlene-Monique Unveils 'A New Life' For World Book Day
Written by Sharlene-Monique
Sharlene-Monique is a London based singer-songwriter, author and broadcaster. She is known as a versatile, passionate, authentic, collaborative creator and performer. Her three concept projects Destiny, Perspectiveand Raw & Honest Love combine evocative, soulful vocals with deeply inspiring songs of empowerment, love and self-acceptance with music to move and soothe the soul and spirit. As an independent artist and lead vocalist Sharlene-Monique has toured widely in Europe including as a support act for a 15 date UK tour with the pop legend Gabrielle.
Renowned Singer-Songwriter-Broadcaster Sharlene-Monique is set to release her second book, A New Life, a heart-warming picture story celebrating the hope, courage, and determination of the Windrush generation. Scheduled for release on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, for World Book Day. Sharlene-Monique navigates the loss of her grand-parents by sharing their inspiring journey in A New Life. The book recounts the true story of Winston and Mavis, who, in 1958, embarked on a courageous journey from Jamaica to London, laying the foundation for a new life for their family.
The experiences of their great-granddaughter, Tahlia, unfold as a poignant narrative, resonating with young readers aged 3-7. It is made all the more special by the viral TikTok video that captured the spirited dance of Sharlene-Monique’s 90-year-old grandparents, viewed over 500,000 times across multiple social media platforms.
A New Life stands as a valuable resource for children, offering insights into the Windrush generation’s experiences. It sparks conversations about family stories, resilience, and the passing down of talents and interests through generations. Serlina Boyd, founder of Cocoa magazine, praises the book as “a beautiful picture book that tells the story of the brave arrival of Tahlia’s Great-Grandparents embarking on their new life in Britain. A wonderful read for the whole family.”
Sharlene-Monique is known for; her heartfelt song ‘Thank You’, released in June 2023 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Windrush generation which continues to make waves and was featured on ITV, her recent hosting of the Melanated Stories documentary series on TBN UK and a supporting role in the 15-date tour with UK pop legend Gabrielle showcase her multifaceted talents. Sharlene also continues to sing with the Kingdom Choir since their unforgettable performance at the 2018 Royal Wedding in front of a global televised audience of 2 billion people. With a background in education and as an award-winning children’s choir conductor, Sharlene-Monique adds depth to her artistic endeavours.
Reflecting on the book, Sharlene-Monique shares, “When I shared the video of my grandparents dancing, I had no idea the response would be in the thousands, it brought so much joy to people. This book will ensure their legacy will live on for many years to come, and I am so proud of that.”
A New Life: Available for pre-order now via sharlenemonique.com
Available at amazon.co.uk Tuesday, March 5, 2024
For interviews and more info, please contact sharlenemoniq@gmail.com
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Observations on the implementation of Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSE) in an English Primary School
Written by Alex Baird
they/them
Before moving to the Higher Educator sector six years ago, I worked in various schools for over twelve years, latterly as Director of Sport. At the University of Bedfordshire I am a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Physical Education, an EDI Lead, and the Vice Chair of the LGBTQ+ Alliance staff network. I am currently completing an EdD at UCL and the research I write about here constituted part of my EdD studies.
My research took place in a primary school in Greater London during the summer term of 2021, just as Relationships and Health Education (including the new LGBT content) had become mandatory. At this time, Covid-19 restrictions were lessening though some protocols were still in place and the effect of lockdowns on both pupils and staff was evident. The school has no religious affiliation but the majority of pupils are Muslim, with a high proportion of English as an additional language (EAL) learners and higher than (the national) average of pupils receiving free school meals (FSM). The research was designed to appreciate how teachers feel positioned and work alongside them to create and teach an inclusive and effective RSE curriculum. Participants included five (non-LGBT identifying) females from the school who held a range of positions, roles, and experience but had all previously taught RSE and were currently teaching in Key Stage 2. Participants were asked to reflect upon RSE and the school culture via semi-structured online interviews. RSE lessons and other subject lessons were observed. Teachers’ reflections of lessons were gathered after observation through an informal discussion.
In interviews teachers expressed a commitment to a rights-based approach in RSE and highlighted the value lessons offered to facilitate dialogue with pupils. Lesson observations revealed a cautious approach to the age at which certain topics (e.g. puberty and conception) were covered and when these topics were covered, dialogue did not deviate from the purchased curriculum PowerPoint slides. The culture and routines of RSE lessons closely resembled other subject lessons observed, that is pupils engaged and valuing the subject, generally sitting in their allocated class seats but the authority and attention remaining on the teacher at the front of the class. Teachers wanted to offer fixed, clear and definitive truths, reinforcing good behaviour and deeming some pupils’ questions as inappropriate. Teachers remained uncertain about what personal opinions they could express whilst still adhering to professional conduct. Lessons which were only 45 minutes in length, shorter than Mathematics and English lessons observed, left teachers often hurrying the pace to try to cover the content. Lesson observations highlighted that gender norms are still being powerfully reinforced including the use of gender stereotypes in scenarios and segregated sex education lessons which send these messages overtly and covertly to pupils.
In light of the current heated and polarising debates surrounding LGBT lives in the UK, I would like to stress my call to rethink how RSE is taught should not be taken to mean it should not be taught. A fuller range of pedagogical approaches that include a critical and postmodern orientation are required to recognise pupils’ agency, their pre-existing knowledge, their emotions, and to the likely presence of pupils in LGBT families and pupils who are or may come to identify as LGBT. Effective RSE remains dependent upon schools providing sufficient training for staff, listening to pupils, and communicating effectively with all parents/carers to address misconceptions or issues. Actualising and normalising LGBT themes needs to go beyond merely a bullying discourse to seek to critique broader school culture and practices.
A portrait of the teaching of the British Empire, migration and belonging in English secondary schools
Written by Dr Jason Todd
Jason is a Departmental Lecturer at the Department of Education at the University of Oxford and currently leads the PGCE History programme. Before joining the University of Oxford, he taught history for 19 years in various London state schools, including time as an Assistant Headteacher in a Special Needs school.
I am working on a research project aiming to provide an empirical portrait of current teaching and learning around the interconnected themes of empire, migration and belonging in England’s secondary schools. This project’s aim is a simple one: to support teachers with the teaching of the British Empire, migration and belonging.
Histories of empire and migration are fundamental to understanding modern Britain including how we make sense of issues of belonging and identity. Recent events, from Brexit in 2016, to the Windrush Scandal in 2018 and the Black Lives Matter activism of 2020, have drawn attention to the interplay between the past and the present in dramatic ways, highlighting not only the salience of these histories but also their contested nature.
Despite its importance, there is a shared acknowledgement at the heart not only of recent campaigns from organisations such as the Runnymede Trust and Black Curriculum Project but also emphasised within the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report, that there is currently no credible, comprehensive evidence base from which to reliably judge the extent to which today’s secondary students are being taught about the history and legacies of the British empire at all, let alone what they are being taught, in what manner and why. There is however evidence that teachers themselves have identified the need for targeted professional development support and training in this area.
It is precisely in response to this demand that I, as lead author of a letter to the Times in 2020, reiterated the TIDE-Runnymede recommendation that the government invests in better supporting teachers to confidently tackle these complex and potentially contentious themes. Both the Times letter and TIDE-Runnymede campaign made explicit reference to work from the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education’s internationally renowned and distinctively research-led approach to transformative teacher professional development. The Portrait of the teaching of the British Empire, migration and belonging research project was thus conceived as a crucially important intervention towards ultimately supporting teachers by first providing a much needed, robust and comprehensive, empirical evidence base. Our survey is one tool we are using to examine issues associated with teaching the British Empire, migration and belonging in schools and we encourage teachers of all subjects to complete it. https://redcap.idhs.ucl.ac.uk/surveys/?s=L33D9YEX7KRET3EX
We think that this project represents a tremendous opportunity to understand and shape the way young people engage with the enduring legacies, and ongoing debates, regarding the British Empire. Given the complexity of the topics, and the contested nature of many current debates, our desire is to offer nuance and illumination.
You can find out more about this project on our website https://portraitemb.co.uk/
These potent legacies shape the lives of millions, deeply affecting our sense of identity and belonging. It is critical that we forge paths towards better collective understanding of these subjects, however controversial. Confident and informed teachers are, of course, central to this.
Jason Todd is Co-Lead Investigator on a collaborative research project “A portrait of the teaching of the British Empire, migration and belonging in English secondary schools.” which brings together scholars from IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society and the University of Oxford’s Department of Education.
Beyond the Wall of Diversity
Written by Jonathan Lansley-Gordon
Jon studied theoretical physics at Imperial College London, before embarking on a teaching career in secondary and further education. Co-founder of The Blackett Lab Family – a national network of UK based Black physicists – he is passionate about widening access to STEM for traditionally excluded and underrepresented young people. He is a writer and series editor for Oxford University Press, authoring the Teacher Workbook for AQA GCSE Physics. A former Assistant Headteacher and school governor, he now runs Physics Forward – an organisation that provides support for schools, trusts and higher education institutions on all things science, curriculum, and DEI strategy.
Scenario: the head of physics wants to celebrate diversity in the curriculum. They create a ‘wall of diversity’ for the department, showcasing various historic and current black and brown physicists.
I sometimes give keynotes that get the audience to discuss this scenario. More often than not, there’ll be a few nervous stares back at me – almost expecting to be told that this is something terrible and ignorant.
I quickly reassure my fellow science educators that this particular case study, IMO, is by no means an example of something ‘bad’. Actually, I think – as a starting point – raising the profile and visibility of racially diverse physicists is positive for a host of reasons; black and brown people are typically absent from science curricula (as is the case across many other subjects), which can reinforce the implicit notion that science – and especially physics – is reserved exclusively for people who are [insert dominating characteristics here].
The following questions provoke some deeper thought around this scenario:
- Is the intention behind this ‘wall of diversity’ clear to the students?
- Does the wall showcase the achievements and contributions of the featured scientists, alongside (and contextualised by) their ethnicity?
- Is this project the only reference to diversity, or the only mechanism by which conversations about diversity is introduced in the classroom?
- Who contributed to the design and people featured?
- How / when will the project be revisited and refreshed?
- In what ways is diversity related to gender / age / sexual orientation / neurodivergence / disability acknowledged and celebrated elsewhere?
- Does this sit within a wider departmental strategy to incorporate diversity and inclusion?
I won’t pretend that the secondary physics curriculum lends itself to easy and natural opportunities to explore themes related to identity and representation. There is a lot of content to get through: energy, forces, waves, gases and electricity don’t immediately conjure inspiration of thought related to human identity. So, in some ways, it’s understandable that we might turn to “curriculum accessories” – people posters – at the risk of students sussing out our tokenistic nods to inclusion.
This is not to say there is no way to go about doing it authentically. Subject content is one of multiple lenses we can use when thinking about diversifying a physics curriculum – and indeed, the wider curriculum. How the content is delivered (teaching, learning and assessment techniques), and student voice (surveying their attitudes, values and beliefs with respect to physics) are a couple of other lenses that can help frame approaches to weaving inclusive themes through the curriculum.
At Physics Forward, we give physics and science educators the thinking tools to develop strategic approaches and practical resources to creating a diverse and inclusive curriculum through these and other lenses. Get in touch to have a chat about how we can support you and your team do the same!
Is there a hierarchy of protected characteristics?
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder of Diverse Educators
One of the questions we regularly ask in our DEI training for schools, colleges and trusts is which of the protected characteristics are visible within your context.
This question is deliberately wide and can be interpreted in a couple of different ways:
- Which of the 9 PCs are visible? i.e. which ones can we see as some are hidden/ invisible.
- Which of the 9 PCs are visible? i.e. which are present in our community and thereby which are missing or do we not have/ know the data to confirm they are present.
- Which of the 9 PCs are visible? i.e. which are being spoken about, invested in, have we received training on.
Often people ask do we not mean – which is a priority? And we emphasise to focus on visibility and explain the gap between intention and impact as there is likely to be some dissonance between what is happening and how it lands.
The reflections and discussions across a full staff will surface some of the disparities of what is being paid attention to. Moreover, it will also highlight the difference in perspectives across different groups of staff – groups by role/ function and groups by identity.
A key thing for us to reflect on, to discuss and to challenge ourselves to consider is that there are nine protected characteristics – so are we thinking about, talking about, paying attention to all of them simultaneously? Are we balancing our approach to create equity across the different identities? Are we taking an intersectional lens to consider who might be experiencing multiple layers of marginalisation and inequity?
We encourage schools to lean into DEI work in a holistic and in an intersectional way, as opposed to taking a single-issue approach as our identities are not that clean cut. We worry that some organisations are focusing on one protected characteristic per year, which means that some people will wait for 8-9 years for their identity to be considered and for their needs to be met. This is also a problem as we generally spend 7 years in a primary context and 7 years in a secondary context so all 9 would not be covered in everyone’s educational journey.
Trust boards, Governing bodies, Senior leader teams do not sit around the table and decide that some of the protected characteristics are more important than others, but there will be a perception from outside of these strategic meeting spaces that there is a hierarchy. i.e. different stakeholders will have differing opinions that in this school we think about/ speak about/ pay attention to/ deal with XYZ but we do not think about/ speak about/ pay attention to/ deal with ABC.
Another thing to consider about the perceived hierarchy is regarding which of the protected characteristics we are expected to log. If all 9 of the protected characteristics are equal, why do schools only need to log and report on two of them for the pupils’ behaviour and safety – we are expected to track prejudiced-based behavioural incidents of racism and homophobia? Does this mean that transphobia, islamophobia, ableism and misogyny are less important? Does this mean we are holding the student to account but not the staff?
One solution to this specific imbalance is to move from a racist log and a homophobia log to a prejudice log. A log that captures all prejudice, discrimination and hate. A log that captures all of the isms. A school can then filter the homophobia and racism to report upwards and outwards of the organisation as required, but the organisation’s data will be richer and fuller to inform patterns of behaviour and intervention needs.
CPOMs and other safeguarding and behaviour software systems enable you to tailor your fields so see what capacity yours has to add in extra fields. You can then log all prejudice and track for trends but also target the interventions. We have been working with a number of pastoral leaders and teams this year to grow their consciousness, confidence and competence in challenging language and behaviour which is not inclusive and not safe. We are supporting them in making their processes and policies more robust and more consistent to reduce prejudice-based/ identity-based harm in their schools.
Another consideration alongside the student behaviour logging and tracking is to also consider the logging of adult incidents. Do our people systems capture the behaviours e.g. microaggressions and gaslighting that the staff are enacting so that these patterns can also be explored? Do our training offers for all staff, but especially leaders and line managers empower and equip them to address these behaviours?
So as we reflect on the question: Is there a hierarchy of protected characteristics?
Consider how different people in your organisation might answer it based on their unique perspective and their own lived experience. And then go and ask them, to see how they actually respond so that you become more aware of the perception gap – if we do not know it exists, we cannot do anything about it – and the learning is in the listening after all.
Safeguarding Inclusion: Nurturing Diversity in Educational Settings
Written by Caroline Anukem
Caroline Anukem is Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Beaconsfield High School in the UK. She is a driving force, a change-maker, and a relentless advocate for equity.
In the intricate cosmopolitan British society, the journey of being black and British often interconnects with the educational landscape in profound ways. From the halls of primary schools to the lecture theatres of universities, the quest for inclusion and diversity shapes the experiences of students and educators alike. As someone who has navigated this first-hand, I have come to understand the vital role that practice and policy play in safeguarding the well-being and success of every individual within these institutions.
Reflecting on my own educational journey, I recall moments of both triumph and tribulation. From the early days of primary school to the complexities of university life, I encountered an array of challenges and opportunities that shaped my sense of self and belonging. In the midst of this journey, the importance of representation and inclusivity became abundantly clear. Seeing individuals who looked like me in positions of authority and influence instilled a sense of pride and possibility, while the absence of diverse perspectives served as a reminder of the work that still needed to be done.
When I applied for the role of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead. Initially, it struck me as a novel and innovative approach to promoting inclusivity within the educational setting. However, as I delved deeper into the role and its implications, I came to realise the profound parallels between EDI and safeguarding.
Just as safeguarding measures are in place to protect the physical and emotional well-being of students, EDI initiatives serve to safeguard the diversity and inclusion of all individuals within the educational community. From ensuring that curriculum materials reflect a diverse range of perspectives to implementing policies that promote equality of opportunity, the role of an EDI Lead is multifaceted and far-reaching.
In many ways, the principles of safeguarding and EDI are intertwined. Both prioritise the creation of safe and supportive environments where individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. Just as safeguarding protocols employ a triage system to prioritise the most urgent needs of students, EDI initiatives must also adopt a strategic and targeted approach to address the unique challenges and barriers faced by marginalised communities.
One of the most profound benefits of a truly inclusive and diverse educational environment is the transformative impact it has on individuals and communities. When students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, when they encounter diverse perspectives and experiences in the classroom, it enhances a sense of belonging, wellbeing and empowerment which will ultimately correlate to improved academic achievement. It cultivates empathy, resilience, and a deep appreciation for the richness of human diversity.
As an EDI Lead, my role is not just about implementing policies and practices; it is about embedding a culture of inclusivity and respect that permeates every aspect of school life. It is about amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, challenging systemic barriers, and championing the rights of every individual to learn and thrive in a safe and supportive environment.
The journey towards creating truly inclusive and diverse educational settings is a collective endeavour that requires commitment, collaboration, and courage. This has prompted Beaconsfield High School (BHS) to take the bold step of hosting our first EDI conference in April this year. We will focus on highlighting the parallels between safeguarding and EDI. We will strive to communicate better understanding of the interconnectedness of these principles and the profound impact they have on the well-being and success of students.
In conclusion, the journey from the simplicity of my village education in Liverpool to the vibrant inclusivity of BHS is a testament to our progress. Yet, it serves as a reminder of how much further we can go. As an EDI Lead, my commitment is to develop a learning environment thriving on differences, not just educating minds but nurturing hearts, building lasting friendships, relationships and encompassing the British Values in our daily practices. The journey toward a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape continues, one story at a time.