26,000 Voices: What Students and Staff Really Think About Inclusion
When inclusion is done right, our schools become safe havens where everyone is seen, heard and valued. Where all staff and students are able to thrive in a supportive environment and with a sense of belonging.
But too many voices have gone unheard for too long. It’s time we listened. It’s time we recognise that belonging, inclusion, diversity and equality are not “soft” concepts but are critical factors in educational success.
GEC will soon be releasing “26,000 Voices: What Students and Staff Really Think About Inclusion” drawing on the lived experiences of 26,000 staff and students and using Kaleidoscopic Data to provide detailed insights in the first report of its kind on inclusion. But when it comes to inclusion, reporting is just the first step, it provides the 'what' but we also need the 'why' and the 'what next'. GEC’s report and support solution provides a unique perspective and gives actionable advice and guidance on strategies for improving the inclusion landscape in schools.
Every student and member of staff deserves to feel safe, seen and supported. But the data tells a more complicated story, how are our schools really doing when it comes to inclusion?
Our Key Findings
Despite the unwavering dedication of educators and leaders, there are still significant disparities when it comes to inclusion, diversity, equality, and belonging in schools. These are not just aspirational goals, but are key drivers of a sustainable, successful education system. To truly build inclusive school communities we need to be asking the right questions and highlighting the lived experiences of those affected to drive meaningful and lasting change. We need to see, hear and listen to our people.
Our report is based on Nic Ponsford’s (GEC’s Founder and CEO) doctoral research and draws on data from the GEC Platform where we have surveyed over 26,000 students and staff across more than 20 Trusts in the UK. Our report provides the most comprehensive analysis of inclusion, well-being and diversity in our schools and Trusts; it highlights significant inequalities in the experiences of students and staff alike, with intersectionality playing a key role, particularly across SEND, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic factors, as well as neurodiversity.
Here are some of our key findings:
64% of students don’t feel safe at school
Only 46% of staff feel represented in leadership
One-third of students with invisible disabilities say their needs aren’t met
How do these findings affect students, teachers and communities?
Less than half (43%) of respondents believe current staff retention practices support fairness, equality, and diversity.
Students from single-parent households are less likely to strongly agree that teachers help them do their best (24%) compared to students from two-parent households (31%).
Our report highlights significant gaps and systemic challenges - as well as strategic opportunities - in the experiences among staff and students which has a knock on effect on educational success. For students these negative experiences can result in lower attendance, societal development and impact on academic performance, and for staff it can result in a high turnover of staff, and a workforce with a lack of diversity and low job satisfaction at a time where we have a national recruitment and retention crisis.
Addressing these gaps is critical, not only for fostering a culture of inclusion but for ensuring that every individual, staff or student, can thrive and their full potential is unlocked.
“I feel isolated as a minority within the school community." Staff member
"I am autistic, which causes higher levels of anxiety so I often feel unsafe if there are large crowds of people during lesson changeover, for example, or when there are loud noises, when the bell goes off, for example." Student
What needs to change?
The findings in our report highlight the need for real-time data alongside an action-based framework, tailored coaching recommendations, and a comprehensive resource library. This is how we can empower leaders to make evidence-based decisions and support the creation of inclusive environments where all students feel seen, heard, and supported.
“Diversity is difference - not just visible external characteristics (like gender, race, ethnicity, religious dress) but also in ways of thinking, background, education and perspective.”
– Anonymous Staff response, GEC Platform
Basic demographics and static reports from traditional MIS systems simply aren’t enough. Without nuanced, intersectional data, we risk overlooking the real story behind the challenges we face. GEC’s unique Kaleidoscopic Data was developed by doctoral researcher Nic Ponsford and is a third-level data framework that synthesises both quantitative and qualitative insights to humanise educational data. It captures the intersectional, lived experiences of students, staff, and other stakeholders, moving beyond conventional metrics to offer a more holistic understanding of diverse educational contexts.
Designed in collaboration with five universities, students, staff, and the GEC Circle, Kaleidoscopic Data has been rigorously tested and refined to ensure its practical applicability in supporting inclusive educational leadership and practice. It reveals rich, dynamic patterns and interconnections across different variables, perspectives, or identities, allowing us to really understand the lived experiences of previously unheard voices in our schools and take action that builds inclusive environments for everyone.
Our game-changing report will show you what inclusion really looks like in schools. You’ll discover who feels seen and who feels invisible. Where inclusion is thriving and where it’s failing our staff and students. You’ll see what real change looks like across gender, SEND, race, neurodiversity, religion and class. Access our report and listen to 26,000+ previous unheard voices tell you what inclusion means to them.
This isn’t a briefing. It’s a battle cry.
