The SecEd Podcast: Do your students belong? Inclusion and participation in school life

This episode focuses on belonging and inclusion in the secondary school – namely how can we ensure that every student can take part in school life.

Our panel of experienced school leaders define what "belonging" means in the context of a busy secondary school.

We talk school culture: what does a culture of inclusion and belonging involve, how can we develop this in a natural way, and what approaches are in place at our guests' schools – especially when it comes to welcoming new students in year 7.

We talk about the role of school staff in fostering belonging and inclusive practice, including in the classroom, and some of the key strategies we can employ.

We talk behaviour and what kind of approaches to behaviour management and expectations can support a culture of belonging – including understanding where our families are coming from.

We also touch on inclusive curriculum design and delivery, including how to audit our curriculum for inclusivity and what curriculum "accessibility" actually means.

And finally talk attendance and family engagement. How we can reduce student absence via a culture of belonging and how can we engage with families to extend this feeling of belonging into our communities.