Careers

What Is the Point of Dialogue?

Dialogue is fundamental to building relationships and resolving differences. It is a crucial tool for addressing conflicts, yet when pain and injustice run deep, the idea of engaging in dialogue can feel futile—or even wrong. When faced with deep moral disagreements, people may question whether dialogue is worthwhile. Engaging with opposing viewpoints can feel uncomfortable and even counterproduct

17/04/2025 Read more

From Lettuce to Leadership: The Recipe for Real DEIB in Schools

The room fell silent. A lone voice cut through the air like a scalpel. “If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got.” A murmur of agreement rippled across the table, but the truth hung heavy. Governance in education wasn’t evolving fast enough. The diversity deficit on school boards was glaring, and yet the solution was tantalisingly within reach. Diversity, Equi

18/03/2025 Read more

World Book Day 2025

Another year, another World Book Day—same costumes, same characters. Harry and Hermione? Check. Little Red Riding Hood? Of course. The Gruffalo? Naturally. And let’s not forget Mrs. Trunchbull, stomping through the halls. Sound familiar? Thought so.  But here’s the thing—World Book Day can be so much more. It’s time to move beyond the usual suspects and reimagine it through a t

18/03/2025 Read more

To Belong Is Not Enough: Why We Must Move Towards Mattering

“No one would care if I weren’t here.” I can remember the words hitting me hard. As Designated Safeguarding Lead there were immediate red flags, but on a human level it broke my heart. 100% attendance, great progress, and never in trouble. On paper he belonged – but in reality he thought nobody cared. Across the country, I hear the language of belonging increasingly referenced in discussions about

18/03/2025 Read more

From Representation to Transformation: The Impact of Diverse Governing Boards in Schools

School governing boards in the UK are entrusted with the critical task of shaping the educational experiences of both students and staff. Within their role, they have the power to influence curriculum choices, define and redefine budget allocations and set the future direction of the school or trust, all whilst ensuring robust safeguarding policies are in place. Therefore, for these

07/02/2025 Read more

Inclusive Recruitment: 20 Tips to Consider

‘Diversifying Recruitment’ and ‘Inclusive Recruitment’ are two terms that we often hear being mentioned frequently in education circles, but what is the difference in approach? Diverse or diversifying suggests the focus is on finding diverse candidates. Inclusive or ‘inclusifying’ (phrase coined by Professor Paul Miller which we have adopted) suggests the focus is instead on including diverse cand

07/02/2025 Read more

Empowerment, Inclusion, and Storytelling: A New Approach to History Education

Traditional history education can sometimes feel stale and uninspired – a series of dates and old white men who seem to have little or no relevance to the lives of today’s children. This approach, heavily focused on Eurocentric perspectives and the accomplishments of a select few, can leave many students feeling excluded and disconnected from the past. But, as even Ofsted explained in their 

07/02/2025 Read more

How My Experiences with ADHD in Different Workplaces Led to a PhD and Training Programmes for Businesses and Schools

I'm Steve Ollington, and I’m currently undertaking a PhD at Swansea University, supervised by Professor Brian Garrod, focusing on ADHD in the workplace. My research journey started with a personal observation: despite having a consistent skill set and high level of experience in my profession, I noticed that my performance varied significantly depending on the workplace environment. In some settin

02/12/2024 Read more

Power up your passion: Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and the drive for diversity in engineering careers

As  Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2024  approaches, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment to ignite excitement and purpose among young people for careers in engineering and technology. From November 11 to 15, EngineeringUK will host this nationwide celebration under the theme Power up your passion, highlighting how personal interests can lead to fulfilling and impactful careers in STEM

02/12/2024 Read more

The one human skill that powers all others: Is empathy the secret to wellbeing, inclusion & the future of work?

As an educator, you’re often faced with student situations you can’t anticipate. Those situations are almost always personal, nuanced and highly-specific to that individual. They require a human response. They require empathy. Empathy is the skill to understand another and the ability to create space for someone to reveal their authentic self, whilst reserving judgement. Empathy is no longer merel

01/12/2024 Read more