Vision and strategy: developing a culture of inclusion and safety

Find out how to take your first steps in discussing topics like unconscious bias confidently as a governing board, so you can help develop a school culture where everyone feels included and safe.

Last reviewed on 3 July 2024
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 39415
Contents
  1. A well-crafted vision is key to establishing an inclusive culture
  2. First steps
  3. Develop your vision and strategy
  4. Distil into a vision statement and refine your strategy
  5. Send the draft to staff, parents/carers and pupils
  6. What your next steps can look like in practice

Thanks to our associate education experts, Tony Cook, Audrey Pantelis, Andrew Chubb, Julia Skinner, Ray Gold and Lorraine Petersen for their help with this article.

A well-crafted vision is key to establishing an inclusive culture

Inclusivity and respect in your school are something that should be underpinned by your vision and strategy and continuously monitored throughout the year. A whole-school approach is a never-ending process, but you don’t have to review your vision and strategy each time you want to target specific areas like anti-racism, gender equality and anti-sexual abuse.

Instead, a vision which challenges unconscious bias will underpin a culture which addresses all of these other areas.

What is unconscious bias? 

This is our underlying beliefs that we regard as facts regardless of the evidence.

Sex  Race Class Religion or belief Sexual orientation Gender