A new online course launched today by the Chartered College of Teaching will support school leaders with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead inclusive schools and to increase equity in education.

Inclusive education has a wealth of benefits, raising pupils’ academic outcomes, improving mental health and wellbeing, and supporting the recruitment, retention and progression of a diverse body of staff. Government guidance on inclusion is not always clear, and sometimes not quickly available, leaving school leaders feeling isolated as they manage complex situations. This course is intended to fill the gap in support.

‘Leading Inclusive Schools’ is funded by the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington, part of the Mercers’ Charitable Foundation. It has been developed with a group of researchers, teachers and school leaders with lived experience and expertise in this space, who have written, created and reviewed content.

It contains six online modules:

• Introduction to inclusive leadership, which celebrates diversity, fosters a sense of belonging, and challenges discrimination and bias
  
• Building and developing a diverse and inclusive staff team, making sure that recruitment, retention and progression policies and practices are transparent, inclusive and accessible
  
• Leading diversification within the curriculum, making sure that it is representative, diverse and promotes high expectations for all learners
  
• Assessment and pedagogy for equity, promoting inclusive practices and equity for all
  
• Engaging parents and the school community, building collaboration and partnerships for learning
  
• Embedding and sustaining an inclusive school culture, developing and implementing practices that are sensitive to individual and contextual differences.

Alison Peacock, Chief Executive of the Chartered College of Teaching said:

I am delighted to launch Leading Inclusive Schools today. For too long, our school system has not worked well for some groups of children and young people, with worrying trends in exclusions and absences, and differences in entries to qualifications and achievements of good grades. There are many reasons why these gaps happen, and schools can’t solve all of them. School leaders have a key role to play in building an education system that includes everyone and empowers all to succeed, but it can feel very risky to speak out on some of these complex issues. This course won’t provide easy answers, but it will challenge and support leaders to continue to reflect and refine their practice.

Notes to editors:

About the Chartered College of Teaching
The Chartered College of Teaching is the professional body for teachers. We are working to celebrate, support and connect teachers to take pride in their profession and provide the best possible education for children and young people. We are dedicated to bridging the gap between practice and research and equipping teachers from the second they enter the classroom with the knowledge and confidence to make the best decisions for their pupils.

About ‘Leading Inclusive Schools’
The course is designed as a starting point, and a catalyst for further growth and development. Each of the modules will signpost further learning resources and support leaders to consider future actions. It is aimed at Headteachers, Executive Headteachers, Deputy Headteachers, Assistant Headteachers and other senior leaders. Some modules will be relevant to teachers in other roles such as curriculum leaders, assessments leads, middle leaders, pastoral leaders and Inclusion leads or SENDCo.

This is a self-paced course, with a recommendation that at least two modules are completed over a half term and that modules are completed in order. Modules 1 and 6 should take 1-2 hours to complete, whilst Modules 2-5 should take 2-3 hours to complete, with additional time needed for further discussions with staff teams and practical application.
https://my.chartered.college/courses/leading-inclusive-schools/

For more information, please contact
Nansi Ellis, Public Relations and Communications, Chartered College of Teaching
E: press@chartered.college/T: 020 7911 5589