The Importance of Promoting Equality and Equity in Education

Children are diverse. Society is diverse. Our education system isn’t.

4 minute read | #equality #diversity #equity #training #socialjustice

Children are diverse. Society is diverse. Our education system isn’t. Every school community aims to cater for children with different needs, from a range of different families and backgrounds. Learning opportunities should reflect this diversity. This isn’t easy but it’s arguably the first step to teaching about and promoting equality and equity in education. By embracing and celebrating diversity, schools can pave the way for teaching about topics such as sexism, racism, ableism, class and LGBTQ+ prejudice; sensitive subjects to say the least!

A Whole School Approach to Equality and Equity

Every school has a commitment to providing inclusive education with equal opportunities for all, in line with the Equality Act 2010. The whole school community needs to be invested in creating and maintaining equitable practice. Ways to do this include:

Creating an Equality and Equity Policy which links to other relevant policies
Providing training for all staff
Ensuring School Council participation to value pupil voice
Celebrating and supporting awareness weeks and special events linked to minoritised communities
Actively teaching children about equality, equity and social justice, through assemblies, books, video content, lesson plans and specific strategies

Valuing Minoritised Communities

Schools can foster good relations between people with different characteristics, and challenge stereotypes and inequalities. Encourage and nurture positive relationships between communities by:

Working with minoritized communities on school projects or wider community projects.
Inviting people from diverse backgrounds into school to run workshops, speak in an assembly or simply support in class.
Utilising and celebrating pupils’ knowledge and experiences, focusing on what they know, what they have done and what they have, rather than what they lack.

Talking about Injustice and Fairness

Help children to see that some groups of children face extra challenges or barriers in life. Explain that some groups are also more likely to experience discrimination. Use real-life examples or hypothetical scenarios to help illustrate the barriers and prejudice some people face. Through developing empathy, children will learn tolerance, acceptance and respect.

It’s also important to help children understand the difference between equality and equity. They may not easily understand why some children get extra support, extra time in exams, access to specific equipment or first dibs on certain opportunities. Help them see that some people are advantaged while others are disadvantaged; the playing field isn’t level for everyone but there are ways in which we can work towards fairness for all.

Social Justice and Equity in the Classroom

How do we promote social justice in our classrooms? Here are a few questions any educator can ask themselves...

How do I cater for individual learning styles?
How do I assess knowledge and understanding in different ways?
How do we celebrate the pupils’ different cultures, religions and beliefs?
How do I encourage responses in class from everyone?

How do we celebrate pupils’ personal strengths?
How do we challenge stereotypes and assumptions, and address inappropriate remarks?
How do I foster an environment that supports open, honest dialogue?
How do I respond to children’s questions on topics relating to diversity, differences, quality and injustice?
Do all my pupils see themselves in resources and materials used in class?

Do the resources I use expose children to new learning or show them what they already know, think and see?

Next Steps

Is it time to take action towards making your setting more inclusive? Your next steps may include:

Sourcing some new books for the classroom. Why not take a look at these suggested book lists for children aged 3 – 5, picture books for children aged 5- 11 and books for older children, in secondary school. This comprehensive list features 80 books that celebrate differences for children of all ages (age recommendations are given below each book title). Schools could send suggested book lists home to families, too.
Popping up some posters around school that promote various aspects of inclusivity and belonging. Try Stonewall, Zazzle or Learning for Justice.
Research some lesson plans that will be well-suited to the children you teach. Try these from Mentally Healthy Schools for older children or these from Premier League Primary Stars for KS2 children.

Learning about the children or young people you work with. What are their family setups like? What cultural traditions do they value? What interests and hobbies do they have and do they attend any clubs outside of school? What religious backgrounds do they come from? All these identities can be shared and celebrated to create awareness and celebration of differences.
Asking your class about diversity, inclusivity and equality. Find out from them what they already know and think, and what they’d like to learn more about. This is often the very best start to tailoring learning to the specific needs of your class.

Facilitate Positive Change

Educators have the power to affect change. The pupils we teach now will be in positions of influence and control in the future. Their attitudes and actions can support social justice, equality and equity in society. Let’s facilitate positive change to make our world a fairer place in which to live.