An Inclusion Champion in Every Classroom
Our case study LAs, Trusts and schools illustrate how inclusion is measured to build belonging. The very best are now invited to our new Listening Hub network to demonstrate their work and support our wider network of schools, now spanning over 30 countries.
The GEC Platform provides the missing intelligence for inclusion. Our 90 Day Inclusion Roadmap illustrates just how easy it to to kick start Inclusion across your organisation.
This is what we do every day, globally.
Inclusion intelligence at local, national and global scale
The Global Equality Collective began working with individual schools and trusts across England. As demand has grown, the work has expanded to include local authorities, regional partnerships and international independent schools across more than 30 countries.
This means our case studies now span:
early years to post-16 phases
maintained and independent sectors
single-school implementation and trust-wide rollout
regional and system-level partnerships
What connects them is a shared goal: using lived-experience insight alongside traditional datasets to understand why inclusion gaps exist — and what leaders can do next.
Introducing Listening Hubs
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Introducing Listening Hubs >
What are Listening Hubs?
Listening Hubs are Local Authorities, trusts and schools recognised by the Global Equality Collective for leading practice in how lived experience shapes inclusion strategy and decision-making.
These organisations go beyond collecting data. They demonstrate how listening to staff, student and community voice can:
strengthen belonging
inform SEND and wellbeing provision
support workforce sustainability
shape inclusive leadership strategy
translate insight into measurable action
Listening Hubs act as sector exemplars, helping other schools and system leaders see what inclusion intelligence looks like in practice.
Why Listening Hubs Matter
Across education, expectations around Inclusion are changing.
Leaders are increasingly asked not just what provision exists, but how Inclusion is experienced day to day by staff and students.
Listening Hubs demonstrate how this can be done with clarity and confidence.
They provide:
practical examples of Inclusion Strategy shaped by lived experience
evidence leaders can use to support inspection conversations
approaches other schools, Trusts and Local Authorities can adapt in their own context
Listening Hubs are our best practice Local Authorities, Trusts and schools demonstrating how staff and student voice strengthens measurable whole-organisation Inclusion Strategy.
They are real examples of what happens when leaders choose to listen deliberately — and act on what they learn.
Listening Hub in practice:
Batley Multi Academy Trust
At Batley Multi Academy Trust, over 2,000 student and staff voices revealed an important insight: some of the most consistently well-behaved learners felt unseen.
This shifted how leaders understood Inclusion across their setting.
It showed that Inclusion is not only about responding to challenge — it is also about recognising learners whose experiences are easy to overlook.
By capturing lived experience at scale, leaders were able to strengthen visibility, belonging and recognition across their school community.
More Listening Hubs in action
Across Local Authorities, Trusts and schools, Listening Hubs are demonstrating how structured listening can strengthen:
belonging
participation
staff confidence
inclusive leadership decisions
strategic planning for Inclusion
Each Listening Hub reflects a different context — but a shared commitment to listening and acting with intention.
BATLEY TRUST: 2026 Listening Hub
Batley Trust is part of the GEC Listening Hubs network.
This case study has been written by Amy Wilby, Inclusion Champion at Batley Multi Academy Trust. It captures how the Trust has moved beyond intention-led inclusion to evidence-informed action, using listening as a catalyst for change.
Through their work with the GEC, Amy reflects on what it really means to hear every voice—and how that insight is now shaping a more authentic, representative experience for every learner.
BEACONSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
“WE JOINED THE GEC MEMBERSHIP IN 2021 TO SUPPORT OUR WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGY. THE SURVEYS ARE A GREAT STARTING POINT FOR DEI LEADS IN SENIOR LEADERSHIP TO UNDERSTAND THEIR STAFF BODY USING AN INTERSECTIONAL LENS. THE PLATFORM IS VERSATILE, AND THE GEC CAN SUPPORT A SCHOOL IN A VARIETY OF WAYS NOW MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON YOUR DEI JOURNEY. ALL OF OUR STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO THE WEALTH OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION IN THE DEI GEC LIBRARY WHICH SUPPORTS OUR SCHOOL CPD PROGRAMME. WE LOOK FORWARD TO USING THE GEC PLATFORM AS A STAFF BODY TO COMPLEMENT OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND DEI STRATEGY.”
Zahara Chowdhury, DEI Lead
THE PRIORY LEARNING TRUST
“The GEC Platform has given us meaningful insights into the perception of EDI across our trust and provided us with a fantastic opportunity to support our employees and deliver more inclusive and diverse environments for our staff and students to flourish.”
Helen Burge, Deputy COO, Priory Learning Trust
PIONEER SECONDARY ACADEMY
”I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE GEC AND THEIR TEAM FOR #STUDENT WORKSHOPS AND STAFF #CPD. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE DEEPER CONVERSATIONS LEAD BY EXPERTS IN OUR FIELD. AN ASSEMBLY OR PHSE LESSON BARELY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE IN COMPARISON!”
HARMEET SAHOTA, HEADTEACHER, PIONEER SECODARY ACADEMY
GALLEY HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY
“CHILDREN IN SCHOOL HAVE SHOWN A TRUE MATURITY, WELL BEYOND THEIR AGE, WANTING TO WRITE TO MPS, MAKE A CHANGE AND FEEL PASSIONATELY ABOUT ENSURING THAT, AS A SCHOOL, WE DO ALL WE CAN TO ENSURE DEI IS FOCUSSED ON AND HAS A PRIORITY IN SCHOOL.”
ANTHONY MCQUEENY, HEADTEACHER, GALLEY HILL NURSERY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF ABIDJAN
“I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE GEC PLATFORM FOR SCHOOLS LOOKING TO GROW IN DEVELOPING THEIR BELIEFS, VALUES AND ACTION TOWARDS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE.”
“THE GEC PLATFORM HAS BEEN AN ESSENTIAL TOOL IN PROVIDING US WITH A STARTING POINT FOR OUR DEIJ ACTION AND AREAS OF URGENCY. IT PROVIDES US WITH ONGOING GUIDELINES BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES OF OUR TEACHERS. IT HAS FOSTERED BETTER UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US AS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.”
SIENTANIA MCNEIL, UPPER SCHOOL LEARNING SUPPORT SPECIALIST, ICSA
From insight to action:
90-Day Inclusion Roadmap
Our work shows what becomes possible when listening becomes structured, consistent and leadership-led.
The GEC 90-Day Inclusion Roadmap supports Local Authorities, Trusts and schools to take the same approach within a single term.
In 90 days, leaders can:
identify priority Inclusion challenges
align teams around shared evidence
implement targeted actions
track progress through staff and student experience
This ensures listening leads to measurable change — not just reflection.
