Summary
Education systems across the globe are grappling with how to build schools where every child feels they belong. The British Council’s Leading Inclusion and Belonging in Schools report explores how inclusive leadership, policy, and pedagogy can transform learning environments to be more equitable and responsive to the diverse needs of students. It brings together research and practice from India, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, and other contexts to examine:
- Inclusive education for children with disabilities and special needs (SEND)
- Gender equality and the empowerment of girls
- The role of language in fostering or hindering belonging
- School leadership strategies that create inclusive school cultures
This publication offers a compelling call to action for policymakers, educators, and school leaders to embed belonging as a guiding principle in education.
Children who feel excluded, misunderstood, or unsafe at school are less likely to succeed. Professor Kathryn Riley describes this as “the school belonging lottery”, where access to a nurturing school culture often depends on geography, identity, or chance. Students from disadvantaged, neurodiverse, or marginalised communities are disproportionately affected.
Yet when belonging is prioritised:
- Students experience increased academic engagement and personal confidence
- Teachers report greater professional fulfilment
- Families feel seen and heard by schools
- Belonging is more than a feeling - it’s a measurable factor in school success.
Themes within this report.
1. Disability and inclusion (SEND)
2. Gender equality and girls' education
3. Language of instruction
4. The role of leadership
Tools and frameworks:
- Five principles of school belonging: Safety, Presence, Voice, Connectivity, Agency.
- The prism of place and belonging: A lens to assess how inclusion is experienced.
- Learning teams model: Collaborative approaches that reimagine teacher roles and student support.
Country perspectives:
- India: A comprehensive shift to equity and inclusive education through NEP 2020
- Kenya: National SEND policy implementation and its impact
- Nigeria: System-wide gender responsive pedagogy
- Ethiopia: Leadership development to promote gender equality
- Iraq: Expanding access for disabled learners
- Egypt: Integrating special needs education into mainstream classrooms
