Heart Stories and Community
Written by Samira Vance
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader and Consultant. Founder of the Thailand DEI Hub.
As I journey into the next chapter of my life and career, I am finding myself taking stock and feeling gratitude for many things. As I intentionally work to engineer this next phase, I want to share one aspect that I have come to realise is essential to build and find. A community of ‘my people’.
To clarify, by ‘my people’ I don’t necessarily mean BIPOC folx but rather individuals and groups that endow me with a sense of true belonging. The people with whom you truly and fully unmask and allow space for them to do the same. At the start of this year, I attended two incredible conferences (AIELOC and DEIx24) and I was overwhelmed at the power of community. I have since set up the Thailand DEI Hub to provide a similar sense of community and peer support after being inspired by both conferences. Whilst I have found ‘my people’ along my professional journey, it was positively overwhelming to be around so many that could potentially be ‘my people’ all in one place. It is a great thing to find, witness and be amongst the souls that nourish one another.
One of the things that was consistent was the level of vulnerability shown by attendees. At DEIx24, Margaret Park asked us to consider what constitutes a safe place. Is a statement to that effect all that is needed for the feeling of safety to be felt by participants? Many of us have felt the disconnect between being told that it is a safe place when our body and gut tell us otherwise. Yet, in these instances with strangers, online ‘friends/connections’ and acquaintances, the level of vulnerability very clearly indicated the sense of safety felt by many.
A fellow attendee, spoke of wanting to connect people with ‘similar heart stories’. Heart stories. The phrase stuck with me. After some pondering, I have decided that heart stories are those defining, poignant stories of our lives. The ones that make us who we are and the ones that describe our journey through life. Are they what bind us? Do heart stories recognise each other? Indeed hearing my stories and those of my loved ones spoken back to me without my uttering a single word made me feel heard. Seeing the raw emotions through vulnerability that mirrored my own, moved me to connect. I recognised the heart story because it was similar to my own. The snapping of the fingers, the head nods and the ‘Mmms’ told me that the speaker and I were not alone. Those moments, conversations and experiences moved me to make space in my life for these strangers. We could speak truth to our stories where we were understood.
It was a metaphorical embrace signalling understanding, joy, sadness, a spectrum of emotions all at once but most of all, safety in being able to share those emotions with others. It said:
I see you, even as you hide
I hear you, even though you haven’t spoken
I know you, although we’ve never met
I am you, or at least that what my heart thinks
I feel your heart story
At AIELOC, another workshop leader spoke about safe spaces in relation to indigenous practices, specifically that of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and roles of different members of the tribe. As BIPOC folx, but other minoritised groups too, spread across the globe, are we all yearning for places where we belong?
So many of us work to create equitable and inclusive spaces with the aim of fostering belonging, but what is the cost of existing in spaces not designed for us at this moment? What is the cost of continuing to mask day in, day out? I am very fortunate in that I have been able to find the people in my professional life with whom I can exist as my authentic self but the reality remains that for minoritised groups, this is consistently not the case outside of these relationships and spaces. Whilst we are working on systemic change, it is vital that we find our communities and safe spaces.
As I move back to England (my home), I do so with the recognition that I am a member of both visible and non-visible minority groups. I think about the communities, ‘tribe members’ and safe spaces that I will need in personal and professional settings to both support my mental health and allow me to sustainably carry on with the work that I do.
If you know of any amazing communities in the South East of England or ones based online for black women, mixed-race women, people of south-asian heritage, neurodivergent people/parents, parents of black children, DEI professionals and/or not-so-fit basketballers please do share and connect with me if you’d like! The word underpinning my vision board this year was ‘nourish’ and I can absolutely see the power of communities and people to provide spiritual, mental and sometimes intellectual nourishment and strength.
Inclusion Beyond Tolerance.
Written by Claire Stancliffe
Claire Stancliffe is an education consultant specialising in gender equity, diversity & inclusion and positive masculinities. She’s on a mission to break down gender stereotypes in schools.
Pride month is well underway, and it’s got me thinking about the thorny issue of tolerance. It’s a word we hear often associated with diversity in general, but very commonly with the LGBTQIA+ community. Tolerance is the idea that we do not need to understand someone to be able to get along with them. That we can all rub along together, to live and let live. Sounds harmless enough right? Yet if I told you I would tolerate your company for the evening, I don’t think you would be thrilled.
When it comes to inclusion, the notion of tolerance falls short. It says, “I don’t mind you breaking the rules”, while all the time upholding and even strengthening social norms. Due to religious differences, the ways we have been socialised and the norms of our various cultures, it will never be possible to create a world where we all see eye to eye on everything, but if we want to encourage true inclusion I think we need to look beyond tolerance, to a more expansive view of what exactly ‘normal’ is.
Breaking gender stereotypes
Up until very recently, our frame of reference for ‘normal’ when it comes to how we raise our children has been cis-heteronormative – that is that everyone’s gender is that which is assigned at birth (or ‘cisgender’), the expectation that all people are or will be heterosexual (or ‘straight’), and that girls behave according to one set of rules, and boys behave according to another. This has led to harmful stereotypes that perpetuate inequality.
It struck me recently that when we encourage young people to see past the narrow confines of gender stereotypes, we are often doing so from a tolerance perspective. By pointing out that it’s possible to break the norm, we can inadvertently reinforce it. It’s ok for girls to be good at maths, but it’s not part of the norm. It’s ok to marry someone of the same gender, for example, but it’s not part of the norm. It’s ok for a boy to wear makeup, but it’s not part of the norm. The terms ‘male nurse’ and ‘lady doctor’ that are still so commonly used come to mind here.
For children, and indeed all people, breaking away from the group and doing something that’s perceived as different can be a stressful position. Many of us avoid taking the risk, preferring to go along with the crowd and feel acceptance, which can severely limit our options for happiness.
Redefining the norm
Breaking gender stereotypes is not just about allowing exceptions; it’s about redefining what the norm can be. This requires creating environments where diversity in gender expression and identity is not just tolerated but celebrated.
Here are three strategies that I think can shift the dial in a positive direction.
- Provide diverse role models whenever possible. Consider where you have the opportunity to showcase different stories – can a maths word problem include a scenario with two mums; a girl playing with toy cars; a boy buying nail varnish? Invite a diverse range of professionals to come and speak to your class that counter common stereotypes, and remember to include men who enter caring professions, for example, as well as women in STEM. The more possibilities children are exposed to, the broader their horizons grow in terms of futures they imagine for themselves.
- Watch your language. Use gender-neutral terms where possible, and certainly for all job roles. Instead of ‘fireman’ use ‘firefighter’, for example, and instead of ‘lollipop lady’, try ‘crossing guard’. When referring to the group, avoid using gender identifiers unless it’s relevant. Instead of ‘boys and girls’, use terms like ‘team’, ‘class’, ‘everyone’. Small changes can make a big difference in how children interpret the world around them and the choices open to them.
- Actively challenge stereotypes. Don’t shy away from discussing stereotypes when they come up, but approach it with curiosity. Try asking ‘what makes you say that?’ and engaging as the young person explains their point of view. Highlight examples from their real lives that go against stereotypes, and encourage them to think about stereotypes that they themselves might defy. This can help them start to question the validity of broad, catch-all statements.
As adults, we can influence the way young people see the world and their place within it. So let’s move past a tolerance mindset, to one that truly celebrates them for who they are, that helps them connect to others they identify with, and that cheers them on as they grow into who they are really meant to be.
What Could Sustainable Teacher Recruitment Campaigns Look Like?
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.
When I trained to teach in 2010, I was drawn into the profession by the motivation to Make a Difference. I wanted to be a Changemaker; to have Social Impact; to Do Good. And I was willing to work all hours and make sacrifices to – essentially – satisfy my guilty white saviour complex.
Maybe that’s a little cutting: after all, a sense of moral purpose and the pursuit of meaningful work are values to live and stand by.
But, two years later, after missing holidays with my family, developing chronic migraines and unable to identify any other hobbies beyond the bassoon that I had once enjoyed (but no longer had time to play), I burnt out and quit UK education for a stint in an international school, and the luxury of an expat lifestyle.
Vivid memories of two recruitment videos remain with me from this time. In the first, a young man rides to school in the dark, and is the first in the building to switch on the lights. He excels at his job, cares for his students. At no point do we see him doing anything other than living and breathing teaching.
In the second, a young man wakes up, arrives at school, and we jump between his previous office job (dull) and his current teaching role (fulfilling). At dinner time, he talks about how great teaching is and then gets into bed, and the cycle repeats itself. At no point is there anything in his life other than teaching (and the back of his girlfriend’s head).
There is nothing incorrect about either advert: teaching is a brilliant and life-affirming career. And – let’s admit it – as teachers, we do love to regale our friends and family members with hilarious school anecdotes at every opportunity. The kids are the best bit. Indeed, both adverts are powerful appeals to potential recruits who want to do nothing but teach.
But for how long do we want to – or are we capable of – martyring our whole lives to our profession?
Surely, if we want to see improved teacher retention, we need recruitment campaigns that sell teaching as a career choice that allows for a life beyond the classroom?
This is where a recent video from Reach Teacher Training has got things so right. Like the videos previously mentioned, this advert follows two teachers from the start to the end of their working day, but the marketing team behind this piece have made some deliberate directorial decisions about the culture that new recruits can expect at Reach.
In the first iteration of the video – a 29 second clip – Reach dedicate 6 seconds to images of one of the teachers hugging her own child and waving goodbye at the door before she drives away. That is 21% of expensive marketing time given over to stating that teaching is a family-friendly career choice – at least at a Reach Academy.
In the second version of the video, Reach set aside a glorious 23 seconds (of 55 seconds in total, so 42% of the entire clip) to the life-friendly nature of their school. The first teacher joins her running club to run home with her pals in the sunshine. Meanwhile, we zoom in to the second teacher closing her laptop and checking her watch as she finishes her day. Her watch says 15:54 and, presumably, she’s on her way to school pick-up.
In both videos, we see the teachers enjoying animated conversations with their students. We see them delivering excellent lessons. We see them Making a Difference.
Indeed, the text that accompanies the social media posts sharing these videos reads: Join our community; Change lives; Train to teach.
But unlike those adverts that drew me into a military lifestyle of teaching that – as a 22-year-old with no real prior experience of the workplace – I could not sustain, these adverts state very clearly that the dream is possible. Teaching is a life-friendly career, state Reach, and one that you can enjoy for years to come around all the other beautiful moments that life will offer you.
Bravo, Reach Teacher Training, and the team behind your recent recruitment video.
Pride Month 2024 - Responding to homophobic language: guidance for schools using Oracy and No Outsiders
Written by Andrew Moffat
Andrew Moffat has been teaching for 25 years and is currently PD Lead at Excelsior MAT. He is the author of “No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools” and “No Outsiders: everyone different, everyone welcome”. In 2017 Andrew was awarded a MBE for services to equality and diversity in education and in 2019 he was listed as a top ten finalist in the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize.
Ensuring equality for all cannot be achieved if any group of people feel they are unseen, unwelcome or feel targeted because of the person they are. As teachers, we strive to ensure that everyone feels seen, everyone feels welcome, and no one feels they have to hide their true selves, or parts of their identity.
In preparing children for life in modern Britain, we need to be clear and consistent in our efforts to make schools a safe place where children understand there are different ideas in society and prejudice may exist in the outside world, but prejudice and discrimination do not exist here, because in our school, there are “No Outsiders” and everyone is welcome.
Children are allowed to hold different views. I am a big champion of oracy as it encourages children to see both sides of a debate and understand it is possible to hold two views at one time. However, while different views are embraced, the othering of a group of people is not allowed. A child can disagree with a point of view and still show respect; this is the golden thread of a no outsiders ethos.
If a child chooses to use homophobic language, this must be tackled immediately. Children must understand there is no tolerance of prejudice at our school. It is the job of any adult to respond to homophobic language, as this is a safeguarding issue (KCSIE, 2023, “Children who are LGBT” page 51),
A quick response is; “Excuse me?” or, “What do you mean by that?” followed by, “And what do we say at our school?” to which the expected reply is “There are no outsiders”. Reiterate, “That’s right, there are no outsiders here, so you need to think about the language you are using. How are you going to put that right?”
All homophobic incidents should be recorded, and parents informed.
If homophobia arises in a debate where no individual is being targeted but there are attitudes forthcoming that need to be addressed, make sure they don’t go unchecked. An oracy framework enables us to challenge such attitudes effectively by asking the class to respond; “Would anyone like to respond to that?”. If the comment is offensive, for example if a child says, “gay people are wrong” it’s important that the adult responds immediately along the lines of;
“Can we think about the language we are using here… those ideas may exist in the outside world, but we need to be really careful about the words we use here. To say something is ‘wrong’ is different to saying, you ‘don’t agree’ with it. Do you want to re-phrase so that you are not othering anyone or being offensive?”
“What does the law say about this?” (The Equality Act, British law says it’s ok to be LGBT)
“What do we say at our school about different people?” (We say there are no outsiders, and everyone is welcome here.)
It’s vitally important the teacher addresses the attitudes while not giving their own opinion so we don’t get in to an argument or lead the children down any particular path. What we need to do instead is remind children it is ok to hold different views (“and that’s what makes this debate so interesting”) and we can still show respect and non-judgement. It’s ok to disagree with one another, the important thing is that everyone still feels they have a place here, including the child who is being offensive. It is the child’s views that are not welcome; the child is still welcome.
If a child brings their faith into the discussion; “My religion says it’s wrong”, respond in this way:
“You’re right, there are different views about this in different religions. And that’s the best thing about living in the UK- we have different views and beliefs, freedom of speech and democracy, and we have the Equality Act which protects religion and belief, so people are allowed to hold those views under British law. Who else is protected under the Equality Act? (disability, age, race, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sex, LGBT) hmmm that’s interesting isn’t it – on the one hand you have religion and belief and on the other you have LGBT … both protected, both allowed… so I suppose we have to find a way to respect both views. We can co -exist without saying the other is wrong….”
And then open out the conversation, move it along using the oracy technique; “Who wants to build on that?”
Keep coming back to “That’s why we say there are no outsiders… we can have different opinions, and we can still respect each other. No one is pushed out because of their religion, their race, or because of their sexual orientation.”
I recognise that these conversations are not easy but they are important and we need to be having them with our children. My advice is to practice responses with each other as a staff team.
Here are some useful assembly links from www.no-outsiders.com:
https://no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com/2024/05/pride-2024.html
Assembly pictures : Football shirt (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : football (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : Bathroom (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : Beano (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : LGBT history month (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : What is homophobia? (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
Assembly pictures : Curly hair (no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com)
https://no-outsiders-assembly.blogspot.com/2024/06/veteran.html
South Asian Heritage Month: free to be me.
Written by Zahara Chowdhury
Zahara is founder and editor of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, a platform that explores a range of topics helping students, teachers and parents on how to ‘adult well’, together. She is a DEI lead across 2 secondary schools and advises schools on how to create positive and progressive cultures for staff and students. Zahara is a previous Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Education and Wellbeing Consultant.
This year’s theme for SAHM is beautiful: free to be me. As we celebrate lived experiences, storytelling and authenticity, it seems only right that freedom and embracing our individual narratives is next.
This year’s theme has made me think where have I felt my most free? It’s not an easy question to answer. You see, growing up South Asian, (in my case, a British Pakistani Muslim, who’s family was born and raised in Africa), masking your identity can often feel normal, particularly when masking makes you feel safe in public, school and at work. Returning home, comes with its own comforts and conflict: finding joy in your culture and sticking out because you don’t really ‘fit’ within it either. Freedom then becomes a rather grey area and one that does not feel easily attainable.
Over the years, particularly I adulthood, there are a few spaces where I have come close to ‘free’: one was in my classroom. When teaching, my classroom was predominantly full of students who looked like me, shared similar lived experiences and most importantly we connected over an understanding of shared ambitions, aspirations and values. I felt free in an office with a colleague who shared my heritage; breaktimes and lunchtimes were full of laughter, candid conversations and asking each other, ‘what did your mum use to store atta in the kitchen?’, ‘were your sofas covered in shrink wrap too?’
Since then, I have felt most free in conversation with South Asian educators across the sector, most recently in conversation learning all about the wonders of Pehalwaan Juice (if you know you know…I definitely didn’t!). In many ways I share this with caution: for someone who works to amplify diversity, is there a problem if my freedom is sought and felt within my own community? Do I then just enjoy being a part of my own echo chamber?
The answer is no. Within these spaces diversity thrives. Diversity of thought, feelings, faith, work, experiences – being South Asian does not make us all one and the same and every South Asian friend, colleague and student I have connected with has a different story and identity. If anything, the freedom I feel in these spaces makes me more determined to centralise my identity in mainstream spaces too.
My childhood and teen years were branded with the term ‘coconut’ – in many ways, I didn’t think much of it then and I don’t think much of it now. What I do think about now though is how the identity of a ‘coconut’ lacked freedom. Consciously and subconsciously (and I really hope fellow South Asians can relate) I spent my childhood and adolescence straddling between several identities, depending on the audience – and I happened to be pretty good at it; I still am (we are pros when it comes to masking). I (still) do not know enough about my heritage, and I still don’t feel very ‘white’ either. Perhaps this is what imposter really means.
I studied all of this at university, wrote about it for my dissertation. 15 years later, specialising in a field that very much reflects the truth of my life couldn’t be more imperfectly perfect, no matter how much I question it on a daily basis (awareness and celebratory months are only one piece of the ‘work’). If anything, my experiences as a teacher and now EDI trainer, speaker and consultant are in some ways liberating and in other ways, revealing of just how far ‘we’ (marginalised and minorities in the West) have to go to be free.
South Asian Heritage is rich, diverse, nuanced and just huge – I am so naive and ignorant of its beauty. There is so much to learn. I’m not sure I’m free to be me just yet…but I think (and hope) we’ll get there soon.
In light of this and all of the learning and connections we have to make, I’m excited to share a space, network and group for South Asian Educators to connect, talk and be. Assistant Headteacher and Author, Yamina Bibi has said, the network will be a space ‘for anyone who is looking for a safe space for those of South Asian heritage. The challenges and issues facing South Asian Educators is somewhat different to those from other heritage groups as they are often thought of as the hard workers, obedient, quiet, shy, oppressed by colleagues and society in general. This network will support more educators to have their unique voices heard.’ We want this network to be collaborative, safe, empowering and a community where we can learn from one another too. Please Join us here!
LGBTQ+ teachers don’t receive the training and support they need
Written by Dr Adam Brett
Adam has completed a doctorate exploring the experiences of LGBT+ secondary teachers. A presentation of his findings can be found here. He also co-hosts a podcast called Pride and Progress, @PrideProgress, which amplifies the voices of LGBT+ educators, activists and allies.
Originally posted on The Conversation in May 2024:
https://theconversation.com/lgbtq-teachers-dont-receive-the-training-and-support-they-need-228162
Republished with permission of the author.
LGBTQ+ teachers report feeling stressed and even discriminated against in the workplace due to their identity. This is a problem when keeping teachers in their jobs is vital. Teaching is facing a crisis in both recruitment and retention: in 2021-22, more than 39,000 teachers quit the profession.
But there is no formal support or training offered to LGBTQ+ teachers by the Department for Education. Supporting the teaching workforce who identify as LGBTQ+ and making teaching a welcoming profession should be a priority for the government.
For LGBTQ+ teachers, working in UK schools may no longer be the deeply traumatic and dangerous experience it was under Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, which was repealed in 2003. This law sought to ban local authorities and their schools from promoting the acceptability of homosexuality as a “pretended family relationship”.
But LGBTQ+ teaching staff continue to face challenges such as feeling unsafe in their workplace.
Throughout their careers, LGBTQ+ teachers are placed in the difficult position of deciding whether they should conceal or reveal their sexual or gender identity. This is not a decision they are trained to deal with, nor a decision they make just once. It is particularly tricky in schools where teachers must decide if, when, and how to be open with different groups – staff, students, parents, and others involved in school life.
As an LGBTQ+ former teacher, I know first-hand the emotional tax that comes with continuously negotiating LGBT+ visibility and identity within school.
Unsafe spaces
For my doctoral research I worked with 12 LGBTQ+ teachers from a variety of contexts, including faith, private, and single sex schools. The teachers took photos to represent the spaces where they felt most and least safe within their school, and described the significance of their photos.
The teachers changed how they behaved out of fear of being seen as LGBTQ+. They did this in particular in open or visible spaces, such as when on break duty, leading an assembly or in the staffroom.
In these spaces, the LGBTQ+ teachers were fearful of comments or incidents related to their identity that they felt unequipped to deal with. One teacher said:
I give my assemblies quite often, and I don’t hide my sexuality from anybody, so the student body knows that I’m gay … but when I’m doing my assemblies I feel, I feel scared and I don’t know if it’s because I know that they know that I’m gay and therefore, I’m like afraid of them … I don’t know hurling a slur or something.
By contrast, the teachers often described their classrooms as the spaces where they felt most safe. Here, they had created their own routines, relationships and systems.
Among the 12 participants, there were teachers who had been told not to discuss their sexual or gender identity. One teacher told me that they and others had been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement in a Catholic school: “We weren’t allowed to talk about the fact [that we were gay],” they said.
These are extreme examples. Generally, though, the assumption of heterosexuality in schools can lead to personal questions and situations that LGBTQ+ teachers often feel unequipped to deal with.
Cisgender and heterosexual teachers might be asked about their partners and families and would feel no fear of retribution or backlash in answering those questions. But what might be an entirely unremarkable conversation for a heterosexual teacher might well be deeply fraught for an LGBTQ+ teacher. This can be understood as “heterosexual privilege”.
Despite thousands of the teacher workforce identifying as LGB+, they receive no formal support or training for the challenges that they are likely to experience in their career. Sending LGBTQ+ teachers into schools without adequate support or training will probably lead to these teachers experiencing discrimination and stress.
Some teacher training providers ensure that trainees from minority backgrounds receive training and support to help them face the additional barriers they may experience in schools. However, implementation remains inconsistent.
Future reforms to the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, which outlines the minimum entitlement for trainee and early career teachers, must reflect these challenges to ensure a minimum and equitable level of provision for LGBTQ+ teachers. If they don’t, fewer LGBTQ+ teachers will enter or remain in the profession. Students and families won’t see themselves represented, and young people won’t be equipped for life in a diverse society.
LGBTQ+ people have the potential to make exceptional teachers and leaders. With the right support, they can thrive in the profession and provide young people with the role models that they desperately need.
Should schools provide prayer spaces?
Written by Zahara Chowdhury
Zahara is founder and editor of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, a platform that explores a range of topics helping students, teachers and parents on how to ‘adult well’, together. She is a DEI lead across 2 secondary schools and advises schools on how to create positive and progressive cultures for staff and students. Zahara is a previous Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Education and Wellbeing Consultant.
The recent High Court decision, ruling in favour of headteacher Birbalsingh’s decision to ban prayer spaces has created quite the media storm. The decision has raised concerns about the precedent it sets for schools creating safe spaces for students and staff, Muslim students and staff in particular. It has also raised conversations about what schools are for and how schools and workplaces can fulfill their obligation to adhere to the Equality Act and The Public Sector Equality Duty – and how they can get around it too.
The responses to the verdict reveal that we live in a society and online world in which Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate is increasing; whilst we have ‘come a long way’ in overcoming Islamophobia since 9/11, a high court ruling like this makes me wonder if we’ve made any difference at all to the safety of Muslims for future generations? The verdict also reveals the disconnect that exists within the school system itself: we have some leaders who are not interested in creating unity and understanding within a diverse country – yet at the same time they ‘tokenistically’ take pride in multiculturalism too. And, we have other leaders in education giving us hope, embedding inclusive and equitable practices in everyday school life. I find it baffling that a simple question about prayer spaces ends up at the gates of a High Court. To me, this not only reveals a lack of unity and understanding in a school but also an absence of a critical skill that should be at the centre of schooling: listening.
Many educators and commentators have been sharing their concerns and outrage about the decision. It will also concern parents and students who regularly use prayer spaces in schools, maybe even at work (many teachers use prayer spaces too). It’s a disappointing decision and whilst several anti-woke keyboard warriors rejoice at the ruling, we cannot let it set a precedent for schools – and I don’t think it will. Schools absolutely should provide prayer spaces and they will continue to provide such safe spaces for students – it’s quite simply common sense. For this blog, examples and explanations are practical and experiential, based on what life is like ‘in school’. Whilst research and data are important, progress, collaboration and community cohesion are also nurtured by listening to the candid, lived experiences of staff and students in schools.
Time and space to pray
In line with the Equality Act, allowing students and staff to pray is reasonable and proportionate to a school and working day. It is comparable to allowing students to have break times, music lessons and god-forbid, toilet breaks. Different forms of prayer and spiritual practice are a part of nearly every faith. In Islam, praying 5 times a day is an integral part of the faith. It takes 5-10 minutes to pray. For the duration of that time, a prayer mat takes up just as much space as a two-seater desk. Depending on the time of year, prayer usually fits into a lunchtime. Just as schools host extracurricular clubs, music lessons sports fixtures and more, prayer can usually fit into this time too. It is not a big ask and it is not disruptive.
Some schools may have a designated prayer room, which is great. Other schools may allocate a classroom, usually near a space where a teacher is ‘on duty’ anyway; the last time I checked, prayer doesn’t require back flips, cartwheels or balancing on one’s head…the health and safety risks are fairly manageable. Some schools might even say, ‘if you need to pray and you have what you need with you (prayer mat, head covering, beads, holy book etc…), feel free to use a designated safe space. It does not need to be complicated.
Prayer spaces are not the problem
To blame prayer and collective worship for peer pressure and bullying is deflecting from the real problem. If children start praying as a result of seeing others pray, or if they simply observe with questions and curiosity, why is this such a problem? If they find it to be a positive experience, surely that can only be a positive learning experience. If the opposite happens, it’s not necessarily a problem either. Rather, it’s a teachable moment and reveals hostile attitudes any school should be aware of. Knowledge about the prejudices within our communities is the first step to safeguarding young people in education. ‘Cancelling’ or banning prayer spaces is not.
‘Banning’ or ‘cancelling’ (on and offline) doesn’t work. It is a power-based behaviour management tool fuelling a notion that education is based on ‘controlling the masses’. We all learn through conversation, discussion, listening, knowledge, understanding, boundaries and respect, not necessarily in that order. By no means are any of the latter ‘easy’ to achieve, but from working with teenagers I’ve found they’re open to a heated debate, discussion, learning, understanding and compromise.
School is a place of work and I’m not sure why we expect teenagers to just abide by ‘yes and no’ rules with little to no explanation. Plus, if they find a reasonable solution (like praying in a classroom for 10 minutes at lunchtime), what’s the big deal? Secondary school students are a few years away from further education and the workplace, which we all know thrives on innovation, creativity and autonomy. In this case, a blanket prayer ban in a school (their current place of work) completely contradicts the 21st century workplace they will inhabit. It doesn’t make sense.
‘It’s inconvenient: we don’t have time to police prayer spaces’
Like any theory of change, whether that be introducing a mobile phone policy or changes to a uniform policy, navigating any arising teething issues (by students, parents and the community), takes time and flexibility. None of this is impossible if it is built firmly into the school culture, relevant processes and policies. These policies and processes may be safeguarding, anti-bullying, behaviour management and curriculum. All of the above are part of a teacher’s and a school’s day-to-day functions; navigating prayer spaces is no different to introducing a new club or curriculum change. Plus, we somehow managed bubbles and one-way systems post-lockdown…I think schools are pretty well equipped to create a prayer space for all of a matter of minutes in a day!
Prayer is not ‘an add on’
Faith is observed differently, from person to person. It is a way of life, and an ongoing lived experience; for some it is an integral part of their identity and for others it is their identity. Prayer is a major part of several religious practices. Like some people are vegan and vegetarian, prayer is not just a choice and something to switch on and off – it is an intrinsic part of an individual’s life. Some individuals, as far as they possibly can, plan their days, weeks, holidays and more around prayer. Not only is it a religious obligation, it is also a source of wellbeing and peace. In a time where health and wellbeing are paramount in education, denying prayer spaces seems counterintuitive. Enabling some form of space (like we do options on a menu) for individuals to pray is a minimal request and something schools can do with minimal disruption. However, if cracks in the system are revealed and outrage spills online and at the High Court, there are bigger questions and concerns to address.
Schools don’t need to be ‘impossible’ or difficult spaces – and they shouldn’t be made out to be like this either. One high court ruling does not define the state of schooling in the UK. I have too much respect and experience (or maybe good fortune) of working in schools that enable, or at the very least, welcome conversations around inclusion, safety, flexibility and authenticity. None of the latter disrupts mainstream education and a student’s chances of attaining a grade 9. However, many other things do and those are inequitable opportunities, ‘belonging uncertainty’ (Cohen, 2022) and denying the identities of the young people we teach.
Diversifying Coaching in Education – A Funded Opportunity for the #DiverseEd Community to Train to Coach
Written by Yasmin Ariff
Yasmin Ariff is a Partner and Director of Education at the CVP Group. CVP Group specialise in professional coaching training for managers and business leaders. They create coaching cultures across UK organisations, supported by the National Apprenticeship Service.
I wish I’d found coaching earlier in my teaching career. It has made me a better person on so many levels. But it came at a cost. Having invested £8000 of my own money into coaching training, it’s fair to say, although it’s been worth it, it also broke the bank balance.
It made we wonder whether coaching would ever be a truly diverse and inclusive profession when only those with a higher-than-average income could afford the training. Even hiring a coach can cost around £100 per hour.
So, how can we, as leaders, democratise coaching in Education?
How can we create a pool of coaches that represent the diverse backgrounds of our Educators?
If only there was a government-funded training programme for aspiring coaches that removed the barrier of cost…
If only there was a coaching training programme that promoted and included a range of diverse educators…
Look no further!
CVP Group and #DiverseEd are partnering to deliver a funded training programme in October 2024 for aspiring coaches in England.
To apply, you will need to complete this #DiverseEd EOI and they will then send you the CVP ROI with the #DiverseEd Referral Code.
Introducing the Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship
Our unique approach supporting aspiring and existing diverse leaders will support you to:
- engage with your workforce
- promote active listening skills
- deepen your understanding of what motivates teams
- improve staff retention
- support other aspiring or existing diverse leaders
The 12 month apprenticeship programme is delivered online including an End Point Assessment.
The Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship enables learners to work towards a nationally recognised qualification that meets coaching professional body standards (ICF, EMCC and Association of Coaching). The coaching professional standard has been created by leading organisations with existing coaching cultures and expertise in leadership.
Figure 1. Organisations who created the coaching standard
In a group dedicated solely to Diverse Educators, you will cover coaching disciplines such as:
- how to plan and structure coaching sessions;
- cognitive behaviour techniques to reframe limiting beliefs;
- principles of neurolinguistic programming;
- schools of psychology such as Carl Rogers, Gestalt and Freud;
- leadership theory and change management;
- managing and celebrating diversity in your coaching practice;
- ethics and professional codes of conduct for coaches as well as how to demonstrate return on investment to stakeholders.
Over 12 months you will be provided with the tools you need to create a coaching model tailored to organisational needs.
Our #DiverseEd cohort will also have the unique opportunity to attend additional #DiverseEd sessions with Hannah Wilson to explore diversity, equity and inclusion in coaching further.
Figure 2. The Coaching Learning Journey
The apprenticeship requires the application of coaching skills in the workplace which will be tailored to fit into your day-to-day job role. Coaching apprentices will receive wrap around support throughout the year so they can apply their coaching skills in the workplace. Many of our current apprentices are using their coaching skills to develop different aspects of education such as:
- teaching and learning
- behaviour and attitudes
- well-being and leadership.
Ongoing careers guidance and support for apprentices includes attending a range of webinars delivered by expert coaches which demonstrate how your coaching skills support career advancement. In addition, there will be plenty of opportunities to develop personally through CVP’s well-being events, an online community and learning forum as well as your bespoke personal development plan, including an opportunity to win our Easter fitness hamper with CVP’s annual spring into fitness competition.
The #DiverseEd Coaching Community
We are building a #DiverseEd coaching community which will be the first of its kind.
We know the current coaching landscape in Education is not representative of the leaders it serves so we want to upskill educators as coaches in our community to empower each other.
CVP Coaching apprentices will be the first to pilot a funded coaching programme for the #DiverseEd community, where CVP coaching apprentices will have an opportunity to join the #DiverseEd Coaching directory.
The inaugural cohort will run October 2024 and we anticipate that places will be in high demand.
What Attendees are Saying About Us
Here’s what our current trainee coaches have to say about the programme:
“This course has been the perfect opportunity to keep learning and development at the heart of what I’m doing. It’s extremely well organised and resourced. Yasmin’s care, expertise and passion ensures we as the participants are motivated and supported every step of the way.”
Claire, Senior Leader Education.
“Great session, the demonstration where we got to see it in action was really powerful to have that practical example. It is about simple steps being done well. You have to learn the art (which can be complex) and then not let it cloud your basic best practice.”
Apprentice, Masterclass 2.
“The level 5 professional coaching course was thoroughly enjoyable and purposeful. I refined skills that were instantly transferable to the workplace but also deepened my reflective practice to understand how my own principles surface at work. I felt fully prepared going into to EPA and confident enough to show off my portfolio. Lots of elements in the portfolio I still use in my coaching sessions today. The course complemented full-time employment in education and didn’t seem too laborious as all the tasks seemed purposeful.”
Rosie, Assistant Headteacher
Join Us in October 2024!
To be eligible for funding you must meet the following criteria:
- Work 16 hours or more per week;
- Have lived in the UK / EU for 3 years or more prior to enrolment;
- Spend over 50% of your working week in England;
- Have a contract of employment.
Are you interested but not in employment? Do you live outside England? We are pleased to open this programme to diverse leaders beyond England on a self-funded basis. If you would like to have a conversation with one of the team at CVP Group to find out more, reach out to sarah@cvpgroup.co.uk
What Next?
Whether you have made your mind up or would just like to find out more about the course content, please complete the Register of Interest Form that #DiverseEd will send you and our coaching engagement team will contact you to set up a meeting.
I will be delivering a large part of the programme. With over 20 years’ experience in schools, I am looking forward to reconnecting with leaders to create powerful coaching cultures in schools.
To find out more about my own journey as a leader in education, visit my website here.
'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.
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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