Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – the journey continues

 

At KNSTE we are coming to the end of a 3-year action plan to address DEI within our organisation (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | KNSTE (knste-shaw.org.uk). There has been, over the three years a significant shift in our mindset, practices and policies all of which have moved our thinking on and enabled us to embody our values of inclusivity. There is always more to do, as educators we understand that education is a journey not a destination however, the impact of this focus so far is clear for us to see. We are proud to celebrate a cohort of teachers heading out into the profession each and every year who have a deep understanding of this key issue and how it impacts on them as beginning teachers and the learners in all of their future classrooms.

  

Some of the impact of this has been exemplified to me in my most recent marking of assignments in which our trainee teachers have had an assignment title which has enabled them to focus on DEI. The way in which our aspiring teachers have approached this assignment leaves me in awe of their passion and commitment to providing inclusive education for all. They have demonstrated not only a clear understanding of the issue but also masses of empathy for their colleagues in the profession and the challenges they are faced with when trying to cater to diverse needs as well as for the children in those schools. Some might think this would leave them fearful of how they might manage this when they are responsible for a class of young learners but no… instead they view it as their mission to be the very best they can be. They strive for excellence in their classroom practice and have built a lot of their inclusive practice on sessions they have experienced at KNSTE which are always underpinned by research.

“Rooted in evidence. Reaching for excellence”

KNSTE, 2024

In their specific inclusion sessions trainees have an immersive experience of what it is like for a child with visual, auditory and sensory impairment. They also engage with the SEND handbook (Teacher Handbook: SEND | Whole School SEND) while exploring differing needs and how they can ensure inclusivity.

Each session at KNSTE considers the diverse needs of learners and how to ensure equitable access to all. In their behaviour sessions we focus on social and emotional learning underpinned by the EEF guidance report (Improving Social and Emotional Learning in Primary Schools | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) and trainees are having impact in their placement schools with this guidance report and its recommendations.

We will continue to embed the inclusive practise we have fostered during the 3-year action plan at KNSTE to ensure we are giving our trainees the best start that we can to their careers as inclusive educators. As we send them on the road to their ECT years and beyond we hope they continue to impress others as much as they have impressed us.

 

Ruth Argyle

KNSTE Director