Leadership - Case Study

Senior leaders are instrumental in bringing the school together to bring about systemic change.

To effectively remove barriers for underserved students, appropriate changes need to be identified and supported across the school, from Governors, students, and parents and carers. SLT need to enable staff to develop their inclusive practise by ensuring there is time for training with support available as well as committing to improving their own practise.

In a recent Ofsted inspection, a member of SLT at School C was questioned about whether the LGBTQ+ poster on the wall was up for the benefit of the inspection. The SLT member was able to evidence the whole-school commitment to inclusion by showing the Inclusion in Schools action plan.

The published Ofsted report commended the work of the school in Equality and Inclusion:

"Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities provided. These include a chess club, a diversity group, and sports and arts clubs. Pupils appreciate that leaders take their varied interests into account when deciding which activities to offer. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are encouraged to participate in the wider curriculum."

To show leadership in LGBTQ+, Sawtry Village Academy have appointed a member of SLT to be responsible for LGBTQ+ with a focus on improving the Equality Policy. In recognition of creating a positive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students and staff, the school achieved the LGBTQ+ kitemark. To raise whole school awareness of where barriers still exist for students, all staff will take part in unconscious bias training.

School D monitored attendance at extra-curricular activities and identified that by holding these after the school day, some students were excluded. To improve equality of opportunity, the school made these activities available to all students during the school day.

Things to consider:

• Do senior leaders champion inclusion, use inclusive language, and recognise the barriers to participation that groups, other than their own, may face in society?
• Do senior leaders have an open-minded attitude to listening and understanding the perspectives of others?
• Do staff and students understand what inclusion and diversity mean in the school’s context?
• How are staff kept informed about the underserved groups in the school and how they are changing?

How to achieve something similar in your school:

• Set up a staff inclusion working group (add link to our info) that has a role in guiding school policy and direction.
• Have a senior leader who is responsible for inclusion to review school policies and development plans, ensuring they promote and prioritise equality and diversity.
• Involve governors in decision-making linked to the school’s aspirations for inclusion
• Analyse data on underserved groups to identify barriers to subject progression, participation in extracurricular and enrichment activities.
• Listen to your school community through student voice, focus groups, surveys, and other feedback opportunities.