BERA Bites 15

TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCE

BERA Bites 15 Educating for all: Who are we educating? JULY 2026

EDITORS

ANDREA PRIESTLEY

HEATHER EARNSHAW

DI CANTALI

ABOUT BERA BERA is a membership association and learned society committed to advancing research quality, building research capacity and fostering research engagement. We aim to inform the development of policy and practice by promoting the best quality evidence produced by educational research. Our vision is for educational research to have a profound and positive influence on society. We support this by promoting and sustaining the work of educational researchers. Our membership, which is more than 2,500 strong, includes educational researchers, practitioners and doctoral students from the UK and around the globe. Founded in 1974, BERA has since expanded into an internationally renowned association. We strive to be inclusive of the diversity of education research and scholarship, and welcome members from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, theoretical orientations, methodological approaches, sectoral interests and institutional affiliations. We encourage the development ABOUT THE BERA BLOG The BERA Blog was established to provide research- informed content on key educational issues in an accessible manner. Its aim is to produce and promote articles that attract policymakers, parents, teachers, educational leaders, members of school communities, politicians and anyone who is interested in education today. It also welcomes the submission of research- informed articles from across this community. The blog is edited by a small team comprising academic representatives chosen by BERA’s Academic Publications Committee and the BERA office. All content is approved for publication by one or more of this team. However, the views of the authors are their own, and the views expressed on the blog (and in this collection) are not the official views of BERA. The blog is currently curated by the editorial team of Jennifer Agbaire, Gerry Czerniawski, Naomi Flynn, Alison Fox, Elizabeth Rushton, Barbara Skinner and

of productive relationships with other associations within and beyond the UK. We run a major international conference each year alongside a diverse and engaging series of events, and publish high quality research in our peer-reviewed journals, reports, book series and the groundbreaking BERA Blog. We recognise excellence through our awards and fellowships, provide grants for research, support the career development of our members, and nurture an active peer community organised around networks, forums and special interest groups. British Educational Research Association (BERA) Elizabeth Meehan Suite, Regent House, 1–6 Pratt Mews, London NW1 0AD www.bera.ac.uk | enquiries@bera.ac.uk 020 4570 4265 Charity Number: 1150237 ABOUT BERA BITES The BERA Bites series presents selected articles from the BERA Blog on key topics in education, presented in an easily printable and digestible format to serve as teaching and learning resources for students and professionals in education. Each collection features an introduction by editors with expertise in the field, and each article includes questions for discussion, composed by the authors, prompting readers to further explore the ideas and arguments put forward in the original articles. See bera.ac.uk/bera-bites ABOUT THIS ISSUE This document is available to download from: https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/bera-bites-issue- 15-educating-for-all-who-are-we-educating Our preferred citation is as follows. Priestley, A., Earnshaw, H., & Cantali, D. (2026). Educating for all: Who are we educating? (BERA Bites Issue 15). British Educational Research Association. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/bera-bites-issue- 15-educating-for-all-who-are-we-educating

Kathryn Spicksley. See bera.ac.uk/blog

This document is published under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International licence.

Cover image: iStock.com/IR_Stone

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL

Andrea Priestley, Heather Earnshaw & Di Cantali

SCHOOLING, INNOVATION & COMMUNITY

Mary James

WHY GOING ‘LOCAL’ COULD BE THE FUTURE OF PRIMARY LANGUAGE LEARNING IN SCOTLAND (& BEYOND!) 8 David Roxburgh

SITES OF RESISTANCE: GYPSIES, ROMA & TRAVELLERS IN SCHOOL, COMMUNITY & THE ACADEMY

Andrew Ryder

COHERENT LIVES: MAKING SENSE OF ADOPTEES’ EXPERIENCES IN EDUCATION THROUGH NARRATIVE IDENTITY 12 Andrew Brown

INVESTIGATING ‘TWICE-EXCEPTIONALITY’ IN ENGLISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Yunus Emre Demir

THE ‘DIVERSE MODEL’: A NEW WAY OF PERCEIVING DISABILITY?

Karen Zecca

RECLAIMING OUR ROOTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CALL FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO ADDRESS HAIR-BASED DISCRIMINATION IN UK EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 18 Myrtle Emmanuel

TOWARDS INCLUSIVE FUTURES THROUGH TRANS-INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: THE TRANS-INCLUSIVITY SEMINAR SERIES AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UCL)

Aria Zhang

‘A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE’: EXPLORING INCLUSIVITY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION THROUGH A POSTHUMAN LENS

Kay Sidebottom

REIMAGINING THE CURRICULUM: A CALL FOR DECOLONIAL & VALUES-DRIVEN EDUCATION

Reece Sohdi

REFORMING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND: MOVING BEYOND EPISTEMIC INJUSTICE

Rebecca Loader, Joanne Hughes, Erika Jiménez & Aisling O’Boyle

‘SO I SUPPOSE THEY THINK I’M A FAILURE’: HOW SCHOOLS (UNWITTINGLY) MARGINALISE WHITE WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES

Emma Simpson

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Editorial

ANDREA PRIESTLEY 1 , HEATHER EARNSHAW 2 & DI CANTALI 3 1 UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING, 2 EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY, 3 UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE

a successful community school in the 1980s, which valued ‘place, time, teams, resources and relationships’. No uniform or bells, first names for all, mixed-ability teaching and period times of 75 minutes to half days. Central to this was the idea of community. James raises an important question for us to consider: ‘Could you envisage a system where education utilises more community resources (material and human) with less emphasis on schooling as currently manifest?’ Diversity in our communities, as an essential resource, is central to several of the blog posts in this collection. We can plan to integrate and value this diversity through our pedagogical decision-making. David Roxburgh challenges us to rethink what the purpose and focus of language learning might be. He notes that current practice within Scotland’s 1+2 languages policy is hampered by adhering to Eurocentric assumptions and suggests embracing and utilising the increasingly diverse range of languages within local communities. Several authors describe the need to work in partnership with marginalised groups in our communities. For example, Andrew Ryder ’s focus is on Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, while Andrew Brown ’s is on children who have been adopted. Both describe a need to engage in dialogue – seeking children and young people’s views (however expressed) and being comfortable (or willing to feel discomfort) in receiving what needs to be shared. This is about establishing and maintaining inclusive learning communities, where all identities are encouraged and recognised.

In this collection, we bring together BERA Blog posts that, in aggregate, challenge us to be innovative in imagining how schools could be genuinely inclusive and education systems more equitable. Contributions include a provocation around what the purpose of education is, a variety of voices depicting a range of lived experiences and marginalisation in education, and some reflections on the implications and challenges for both practice and policy at local and system level. This BERA Bites collection will be a valuable resource for educators to think ‘beyond issues of access and participation (weak inclusion), to include questions of knowledge, representation, power, and cultural change (strong inclusion)’ (Dawson, 2017, p. 540). Orienting efforts towards strong inclusion means thinking and enacting inclusion differently, creating environments that are responsive, welcoming and educative for all our children and young people. In 2026, what does inclusive education look like? Are we close to being fully inclusive? Where are the gaps and the challenges? Whose voices and experiences are still unheard and unseen? What might we do both locally, in practice, and at policy level to move us closer to genuine inclusion? Valuing school communities To set the scene we start with a blog post by Mary James . She asks us to consider whether the current schooling system is educational by looking back to

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Labels as help or hindrance? Labels are another recurring idea. These can be well intentioned, but are too often restrictive in practice, tend to be one-dimensional and lack intersectional nuance. For example, Yunus Emre Demir looks at the underresearched phenomenon of twice-exceptionality where one label can mask the presence of another. Karen Zecca considers the influence that medical and social models of inclusion have on perceptions of disability and argues for a more intersectional approach. Then there are questions around whether activity in the name of inclusion is tinkering at the edges or genuinely predicated on a willingness to acknowledge and shift the current locally dominant cultural norms and power structures. Myrtle Emmanuel highlights this, as she argues for greater attention to be paid to hair-based discrimination experienced by Black and mixed-race students and staff. She seeks enforceable policies and action beyond ‘symbolic solidarity’, a move from superficial initiatives towards genuine and sustained institutional and sectoral transformation. Similarly, Aria Zhang discusses the benefits of bringing a lens of transgender and trans-feminist studies to support understanding of, and fostering of, inclusivity: ‘What does meaningful inclusion look like … beyond a series of talks?’ Further, inclusive practice often starts with existing content and pedagogy and adapts it as necessary to meet diverse needs. Kay Sidebottom notes that this approach does not challenge the underpinning assumptions, predicated on humanism and centred on certain types of human. Using the lens of critical posthumanism, Sidebottom reimagines inclusion in the context of physical education, where ableism, normative ideals and a presumption of performance and competition are currently embedded. Interrogating school’s purpose Reimagining through a posthuman lens or otherwise can allow for alternative and bold projections of inclusive curricula. Reece Sohdi revisits our thinking about the purposes of education through the lens of decolonisation. This is not to tweak content to add some diversity but as an examination of bigger questions that would move us away from content delivery and its inherent underlying assumptions towards an ethical and relational practice. Rebecca Loader and colleagues also advocate acknowledging and planning for existing diversity. They welcome the review of the primary religious education curriculum in Northern Ireland and examine, through the lens of epistemic injustice, the potential harms done by the existing dominance of Christianity in the curriculum.

Finally, one of Emma Simpson ’s questions is: ‘If you’re not academic, what’s in it for you?’ This brings us back full circle to our starting point with Mary James’s provocation: ‘Aside from academic qualifications, what do we want pupils to feel they are getting from their experience of school?’ Simpson argues that a school system increasingly under pressure, and with a focus on attainment, has the unintended consequence of driving pedagogies which focus on individual exam performance, inculcating a passivity in learning, devaluing other pathways, potentially reducing children’s sense of achievement, and particularly impacting those students who are already marginalised, including White working- class families. Brave steps needed The blog posts in this BERA Bites collection suggest orientations to schooling practices which celebrate differences rather than trying to assimilate and make uniform. The key questions and provocations raised are applicable far beyond those groups identified here. This is a systemic challenge for today’s schooling system, which too often values conformity and responsibilisation of individuals (children and adults alike). Brave steps are required if school is to turn away from schooling to become more educational, more democratic, more inclusive. Dare we transform to a more ethical, relational practice not predicated on dominant cultural norms or operating within current existing power structures?

REFERENCE Dawson, E. (2017). Social justice and out-of-school science learning: Exploring equity in science television, science clubs and maker spaces. Science Education , 101 (4), 539–547. https:// doi.org/10.1002/sce.21288

A NOTE FROM THE BLOG EDITORS While you read these blog posts, you might also think about your own contexts or research. Perhaps you would like to contribute a post to the BERA Blog, or perhaps when you are next at a conference or professional development event you might come across someone whom you could encourage to write for us (see bera.ac.uk/submission-policy for details on how to submit). Please consider interesting methodological aspects, issues and approaches that would be worth reporting more widely, as well as the content of studies. As the BERA Blog team and our colleagues develop these resources we welcome feedback that can help us improve their quality and accessibility.

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Schooling, innovation & community

MARY JAMES UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Recently, I discovered some chapters that I had drafted in the early 1980s. 1 These arose from a study of teachers at Bridgewater Hall, the first secondary school on Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes. Rereading them raised issues for me about the current state of schooling. The creation of the Campus was driven by the vision of its first director, Geoff Cooksey, whose overriding concern was that the campus schools should achieve coherence with the community they served. The buildings were designed to reflect domestic architecture, while, in order to avoid separation between education and other aspects of living, he emphasised the roles of place, time, teams, resources and relationships. At Bridgewater, a timetable based on 75-minute blocks of time was introduced, often doubled to give half-day sessions. And no bells! Bells only divide the day in prisons and convents, Cooksey said. Day 10 and Week 10 were instituted to allow extended and integrated activities outside the normal curriculum, including residential experience at an expedition centre. Courses were developed by teams of teachers who prepared their own resources. ‘Shared Time’ was an opportunity for interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Most teaching was mixed ability. Teacher-generated, 1 Original blog post, published 1 March 2022: https://www. bera.ac.uk/blog/schooling-innovation-and-community

but examination-board accredited, qualifications and a record of achievement for all students were developed. This development activity was carried out in twice weekly staff meetings. A community resource centre was the first building on the campus. All these structures were balanced by an equal emphasis on relationships. Mutual respect between adults and students was expected but first names were used and there were no uniforms. What happened to Stantonbury Campus over time is a sad story. Geoff Cooksey retired in 1984. Many of the schools’ leaders (such as Bob Moon, Mike Davies, Mervyn Flecknoe, Ivor Goodson and Michael Fielding) went on to notable careers in headships of other schools, or in universities, or both. After a string of good Ofsted reports, the Campus received a poor one in 2012. A new principal introduced fences, gates, uniform and lanyards. It became an academy within a multi-academy trust (Griffin). These ‘reforms’ did not work. In 2018, the school, now named Stantonbury International, ‘required improvement’ and in 2020 it was judged as ‘inadequate’ and put in special measures by Ofsted. The heavy workload of teachers, a badly planned and taught curriculum, and lack of leadership were all criticised. However, the safety and security of students was the major issue after violence among students resulted in a (non-fatal) stabbing. This is

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doubly tragic as the original school placed so much emphasis on relationships. In September 2021 the school reopened under the management of a new principal and a new multi-academy trust (Tove). How it fares will be interesting to watch. The failure of changes – that are more in line with current directions in central education policy – to restore the fortunes of a once-successful community-based school, might be seen as a metaphor for the system in England today. So, what is to be done? The early history of Stantonbury Campus, when the concept of community was central, might hold a key. ‘The failure of changes – that are more in line with current directions in central education policy – to restore the fortunes of a once- successful community- based school, might be seen as a metaphor for the system in England today.’ In his book, Beyond Schooling: An Anarchist Challenge , David Hargreaves (2019) makes a characteristically provocative argument for ‘murdering’ the state by other means than revolution. He draws on anarchist thought, particularly that of the political philosopher William Godwin (1756–1836), who offered a powerful indictment of the state, including its role in schooling. It is unlikely that Godwin could envisage the extent of centralisation in England in the 21st century, but Hargreaves makes the link and draws a sharp distinction between education and schooling. He argues that the former does not depend on the latter; he then offers an alternative based on community action for education in which specialist teachers would have a role but so too would parents and other members of the community, who have funds of knowledge and skill to share. Community resource centres would be important, but the school as an institution might not be needed. He writes of the possibility of a stronger place for home education facilitated perhaps by a universal basic income that could free up time for all adults to be involved in the education of the young, teaching them in ways that integrates theoretical with applied learning.

All this might seem wildly optimistic, but, in the two years since Hargreaves’s book was published, we have seen communities mobilise around Black Lives Matter, Me Too, Extinction Rebellion, LGBTQ+, Marcus Rashford’s efforts to end child hunger, and crowd sourcing and public funding of assets such as Wikipedia. The coronavirus pandemic has also had a profound effect on education, work and people’s lives. While some might wish to ‘get back to normal’, others see recent crises as opportunities to do things differently. For example, hybrid forms of working have been tried; not all have been found wanting. In schools, flexible and blended learning can work well. People have discovered, or re-discovered, the outdoors for recreation, health and learning about the natural world and their communities. So, a renaissance of community is possible. If motivation, engagement and action follow, then the power of centralised forces could be diminished. Is it too much to hope to see a new age of innovation in curriculum, pedagogy and the structures of education, part-generated, appreciated and supported by local communities, and perhaps actively encouraged by a more hands-off government?

REFERENCE Hargreaves, D. H. (2019). Beyond schooling: An anarchist challenge . Routledge.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Have issues of safeguarding become so critical that a school like the original Stantonbury Campus is now inconceivable? 2. Would a search for more cohesion with the local community help to break down barriers and restore trust? Are any of Cooksey’s strategies for doing this relevant today? 3. Could you envisage a system where education utilises more community resources (material and human) with less emphasis on schooling as currently manifest?

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Why going ‘local’ could be the future of primary language learning in Scotland (and beyond!)

DAVID ROXBURGH UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

Scotland’s ‘1+2 languages’ policy, introduced in 2012, reflects the growing global need for multilingualism. 1 It introduced learning a second language (L2) from age five and a third language (L3) from around age nine, but with different end goals, as summarised in table 1. Table 1. Scotland’s ‘1+2 languages’ policy

appeared in both the questionnaires and interview data around teachers’ self-perceptions. This situation raises an important question: Is our current approach to language learning effective? Or might innovative models, such as L3, offer a more inclusive way to inspire confidence in both teachers and pupils as they navigate their educational journeys? Challenges in initial teacher education (ITE) One significant challenge, in Scotland and beyond, is that many student teachers enter ITE programmes with limited experience of languages, largely due to decline in subject uptake. This issue is further compounded by the actual time available to engage in related ITE modules. With typically around no more than 20–30 hours of modern languages input in many such degree programmes, student teachers often struggle to build the necessary confidence and skills to realistically see themselves as ‘teachers of languages’ upon graduation. ‘Student teachers often struggle to build the necessary confidence and skills to realistically see themselves as “teachers of languages” upon graduation.’ This raises another question: How might issues around lack of time and space be addressed through more innovative ITE inputs?

While progressive, the policy faces challenges in primary schools where research indicates that many teachers feel less confident providing even one additional language, let alone two (Valdera Gil & Crichton, 2018). Through a small-scale study of 38 teachers, this issue 1 Original blog post, published 28 April 2025: https://www. bera.ac.uk/blog/why-going-local-could-be-the-future-of- primary-language-learning-in-scotland-and-beyond

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A new perspective: The value of local languages

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How well do current language policies reflect the languages children use in everyday life? 2. What kinds of support help teachers feel confident teaching languages? 3. What might schools gain, and struggle with, when using community languages in the classroom? REFERENCES Chong, S. W., Isaacs, T., & McKinley, J. (2023). Ecological systems theory and second language research. Language Teaching , 56 (3), 333–348. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444822000283 Pedley, M., Roxburgh, D., Anderson, L., & McPake, J. (2024). The transformative power of local language encounters: Implications for teacher education. In S. Mourão, & C. Leslie (Eds.), Researching educational practices, teacher education and professional development for early language learning: Examples from Europe . Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003289043 Scottish Government. (2012). Language learning in Scotland: A 1+2 approach . https://www.gov.scot/publications/language- learning-scotland-12-approach/ Valdera Gil, F., & Crichton, H. (2018). Mother tongue plus two languages: Are Scottish primary teachers confident to deliver? The Language Learning Journal , 48 (4), 454–468. https://doi.org/1 0.1080/09571736.2018.1448430 ecological models of language acquisition, emphasising connecting language learning with learners’ real-world experiences (Chong et al., 2023). Furthering innovation within language policies While policies, such as the ‘1+2’, are often grounded in good intentions, adapting these to the realities of our classrooms will be key to future success. This means preparing both student, and in-service teachers, to manage a broader range of languages in innovative ways, particularly those that learners encounter in their daily lives. This brings us to our final reflection: Is it time to rethink our approach to language learning in primary schools by shifting from a narrow focus on particular European languages to embracing the broader linguistic diversity present in our school communities? It’s a worthwhile discussion because today’s primary-aged pupils could be tomorrow’s enthusiastic language teachers.

(Image generated through Word Cloud software)

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider the traditional focus on particular European languages, given increasingly diverse classrooms in Scotland and beyond. Instead of sticking to conventional models, we could embrace ‘local languages’ – those spoken within pupils’ communities, such as Polish, Urdu, Mandarin or Gaelic through enhanced practices such as L3. Recent research shows that exposure to languages relevant to learners’ everyday lives can foster more meaningful and engaging learning experiences, summarised well by one teacher who commented, ‘All the children were engaged rather than just, you know, the one or two that people would ordinarily think would have been those children’ (Pedley et al., 2024, p. 28). This shift would benefit both learners and teachers by tapping into the linguistic expertise and cultural resource already present when bringing members of the local community into classrooms to work alongside teaching staff. Such an approach could inspire a deeper connection with language learning, laying a stronger foundation for further study in secondary schools and beyond. Empowering change through ITE To truly effect such change, and avoid approaches such as L3 simply becoming scaled-down versions of L2, ITE courses should look beyond promoting language proficiency goals. Through partnering with local community members who speak various languages, student teachers can incorporate real-life experiences of other cultures into their lessons. Then, by integrating local languages into interdisciplinary projects, they can create more engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Such an approach fundamentally recognises primary teachers’ existing skills and expertise, potentially boosting their confidence in teaching languages in innovative ways. One example, based on teaching Mandarin in a Scottish context, found that incorporating community languages into project-based learning significantly improved pupil engagement (Pedley et al., 2024). This aligns with

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Sites of resistance: Gypsies, Roma & Travellers in school, community & the academy

ANDREW RYDER EÖTVÖS LORÁND UNIVERSITY, HUNGARY

Schools are institutions in which racial conflict is brought into focus and can be acute. 1 Gillborn (2008) asserts that current education policy is not designed to eliminate race inequality, but to sustain it at manageable levels in a system that privileges majoritarian insiders and marginalises those minorities deemed backward or belligerent. These observations have some relevance to the educational experiences of Gypsies (see endnote below), Roma and Travellers, in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, where alienation and poor relations are evidenced through high rates of bullying towards Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils, high exclusion rates from school, and low rates of participation and achievement (Ryder & Cemlyn, 2014). Formal education has been viewed with mistrust by some Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, and as counter- productive to the preservation of their traditional way of life; others though have been alienated by racist incidents inflicted by fellow pupils and teachers. However, others have striven to gain access into mainstream education and participated actively in the curriculum (Derrington & Kendall, 2004). At times, mainstream society has viewed the formal education of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers as a ‘civilising agent’, to assimilate, others have contended that formal education is a means by which Gypsies, Roma and Travellers can achieve equality, greater self-reliance and

hence greater cultural autonomy and representation (Foster & Cemlyn, 2012). In my book Sites of Resistance (Ryder, 2017) I attempt to probe and understand these positions by drawing upon more than 25 years of work with these communities in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, as a school teacher, campaigner and researcher. Some might argue that traditional Traveller socialisation practices and non-attendance deny children their basic human rights, as the lack of formal schooling can limit their ability to adapt, thus minimising life chances. Yet others might argue that a mono-cultural education system which favours the dominant culture poses equal dangers. In such a system, it is argued, many Gypsies and Travellers find themselves at a disadvantage in a learning environment that values academic success rather than experiential learning and skills development. Moreover, it can be argued that school fails to offer a safe and secure learning environment as a consequence of prejudice and bullying. ‘The challenge for schools in the 21st century is to offer learning environments that allow Gypsies, Roma, Travellers and other minorities to maintain their identity, but also to acquire new and adapt old skills.’

1 Original blog post, published 11 December 2017: https:// www.bera.ac.uk/blog/sites-of-resistance-gypsies-roma-and- travellers-in-school-community-and-the-academy

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An educationally inclusive school has been defined by the Office for Standards in Education (2000) as one that offers new opportunities to pupils who may have experienced previous difficulties, and takes account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs. Inclusive schools monitor and evaluate the progress each pupil makes, and they promote tolerance and understanding in a diverse society. However, the search for ‘inclusive education’ is becoming an increasingly elusive goal. It is feared that cutbacks to school budgets are creating poor-quality learning experiences for many children, especially those at the margins such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils. Furthermore, oversized classes, a monocultural and inflexible curriculum, and creeping forms of selection are undermining educational inclusivity (Cemlyn & Ryder, 2017). One of the most alarming outcomes of austerity politics in the UK has been the savage reduction of Traveller education services, local authority agencies providing support on home–school liaison, classroom assistance and strategic guidance to schools. A comment from a Gypsy elder in the UK that has always stayed with me, is: ‘Gypsies need education: they need to live in the 21st century. I’d like to live how we did when I was a child but we can’t go back to those days. Most of them kids, they couldn’t cope with that life but they need to be able to cope for this life.’ The challenge for schools in the 21st century is to offer learning environments that allow Gypsies, Roma, Travellers and other minorities to maintain their identity, but also to acquire new and adapt old skills. Sites of Resistance argues that a prerequisite to such inclusive schooling is partnership and dialogue within broader policy frameworks which are based on recognition and redistribution. Endnote Roma is the term generally used to describe the Romani communities of Central and Eastern Europe because a growing number see the term ‘Gypsy’ as pejorative, although they belong to the same ethnographic group as British Gypsies who prefer to continue to use this term. Irish Travellers descend from ancient Irish nomadic groups. Gypsies and Irish Travellers traditionally have close-knit family and economic networks, and nomadism – or the possibility of it – remains a strong cultural value in a way that it does not for the mainly sedentary East European Roma. In documentation and discussions, ‘Roma’ can encompass diverse groups such as Roma, Gypsies and Travellers.

Sites of Resistance: Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in School, Community and the Academy 2 by Andrew Ryder is published by Trentham Books at UCL IOE Press.

2 https://www.ucl-ioe-press.com/books/social-justice- equality-and-human-rights-sites-of-resistance/

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Can schools alone raise Gypsy, Roma and Traveller inclusion or are wider measures needed? 2. What is the value and importance of learning about Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture in the curriculum? 3. How can home–school links with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities be improved? Ryder, A. (2017). Sites of resistance: Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in the community, school and academy . Trentham Books. Ryder, A., & Cemlyn, C. (2014). Civil society monitoring on the implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy in the UK . Decade of Roma Inclusion Secretariat Foundation. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309728014_Ryder_A_ and_Cemlyn_C_2014_Civil_Society_Monitoring_on_the_ Implementation_of_the_National_Roma_Integration_Strategy_ in_the_UK_-_Decade_for_Roma_Inclusion_Secretariat Gillborn, D. (2008). Racism and education: Coincidence or conspiracy . Routledge. Office for Standards in Education. (2000). Evaluating educational inclusion: Guidance for inspectors and schools . https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/4455/ REFERENCES Cemlyn, S., & Ryder, A. (2017). Education for citizenship and social justice: The Case of Gypsies, Travellers and Roma. In A. Peterson, R. Hattam, M. Zembylas, & J. Arthur (Eds.), The Palgrave international handbook of education for citizenship and social justice (pp. 163–185). Palgrave. Derrington, C., & Kendall, S. (2004). Gypsy traveller students in secondary schools: Culture, identity and achievement . Trentham Books. Foster, B., & Cemlyn, S. (2012). Education, inclusion and government policy. In J. Richardson, & A. Ryder (Eds.), Gypsies and Travellers: Empowerment and inclusion in British society (pp. 61–81). Policy Press.

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Coherent lives: Making sense of adoptees’ experiences in education through narrative identity

ANDREW BROWN UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

‘Who am I? Where do I fit in? What do I want to be?’ These are common questions we associate with adolescent development. 1 For young people who have left care through adoption, these questions about identity and self have added layers of nuance and complexity that may not be fully appreciated by peers, extended family or adults in the school workforce. These extra layers, and their potential implications for educational experience, are explored in this blog post and discussed in greater detail in our study (Brown & Shelton, 2024). Our study considers the potential of applying a ‘narrative adoptive identity’ perspective (Grotevant & von Korff, 2011) to answer questions about how 1 Original blog post, published 17 April 2024: https://www. bera.ac.uk/blog/coherent-lives-making-sense-of-adoptees- experiences-in-education-through-narrative-identity

adopted young people experience school as an ‘adopted’ person; that is, how does their lived experience as an adopted member of a school community impact on how they engage with their school, schoolwork and social network? We theorise that by taking this approach to understanding adoptees’ unique challenges, opportunities for better educational experience may be enhanced. ‘Our study shows a dearth of academic research into adoption and education,

and that the voice of adoptees is strikingly absent.’

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I hope the acid test was passed. We are hugely grateful to Rosie for her feedback. Our interaction has provided direction and purpose for future explorations in this space; but, most importantly, it has served to remind our academic and research identities of the centrality of voice. This blog post is based on the article ‘Coherent lives: Making sense of adoptees’ experiences in education through narrative identity’ 2 by Andrew Brown and Katherine Shelton, published in the British Educational Research Journal.

Our study shows a dearth of academic research into adoption and education, and that the voice of adoptees is strikingly absent. The irony of not being able to include the voice of the very adoptees we were writing about was not lost on us. Fortunately, I was contacted by an adoptee who had read our paper. This adopted young person, Rosie (pseudonym), offered unsolicited, but most warmly welcomed, feedback on the article. [For context, Rosie was taken into care at four years old (with her siblings) and found an adoptive family at age six (with her siblings). She is now 26 and living independently.] With some trepidation – because, with all due respect to peer reviewers, the response from adopted people is a critical acid test – I read her feedback. Rosie has kindly agreed for her comments to be used here: ‘I read this paper and cried. It’s extremely difficult to live normally and adapt quickly after adoption, which feels expected, and being academically smart like me and pretty well behaved, I just felt invisible. For the first time, when I read this paper, I felt seen. ‘I worked very hard to fit in at school, as I felt I must be perfect to have a proper family (this was self- inflicted). School was an area I felt I could prove [the adoption placement] was successful. I excelled at school, but socially I was the same. Academically, I think part of it was being terrified of being abandoned again, so yes, there may have been a natural aptitude, but that was further fuelled by fear. ‘[I] like science and logic and understanding WHY I am who I am, and the paper helped me understand why, as I have never met another adopted person like me. I know I’m lucky being in my position, but I have always struggled with being looked at as “fine” because I got A’s [GCSE and A-level; Rosie’s academic CV includes a 2:1 BA (Hons) and an MA]; finally, people can see that it’s not necessarily true!’ The ‘it’, of course, that Rosie refers to in the final sentence is that good academic attainment is not a proxy for wellbeing. Academically, Rosie is an outlier because an attainment gap persists in the UK and internationally for adoptees – a phenomenon we highlight and explore further in our study. Despite her academic success, Rosie’s adolescence wasn’t all plain sailing and challenges in resolving her adoptive identity remain. We had several exchanges with Rosie about other challenges adopted young people face in education, several of which are included in our study. For example, the impact of microaggressions from peers and staff alike; opportunities for open, sensitive communication about adoption; and constructing a consistent and coherent adoption narrative – all while simultaneously attending to academic demands.

2 https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ berj.3918

REFERENCES Brown, A., & Shelton, K. (2024). Coherent lives: Making sense of adoptees’ experiences in education through narrative identity. British Educational Research Journal , 50 (2), 495–512. https://doi. org/10.1002/berj.3918 Grotevant, H. D., & Von Korff, L. (2011). Adoptive identity. In S. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles (Eds.), Handbook of identity theory and research (pp. 585–601). Springer. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How can open, sensitive communication about adoption best take place in schools? 2. What would meaningful co-produced research with adoptees look like in schools, and what might it change? 3. What counts as a microaggression in this context, how might staff notice patterns and what practical responses might best protect privacy while improving belonging?

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

EDUCATING FOR ALL

Investigating ‘twice-exceptionality’ in English secondary schools

YUNUS EMRE DEMIR ANADOLU UNIVERSITY, TÜRKIYE

‘Twice-exceptionality’ describes high-functioning individuals who also have a disability or learning difficulty that demands additional support. 1 Twice- exceptional (2E) students may display creativity or excel in one or more areas despite the ‘special’ educational needs or disabilities (such as moderate learning difficulties, ADHD, autism, and emotional- behavioural and physical disorders) that co-exist with their high potential (Reis et al., 2014). Additionally, savants displaying high performance in one area and having similar social problems to those experienced by other autistic individuals are mostly considered as 2E (Demir & Done, 2022).

Conceptualising studies of twice-exceptionality commenced in the US in 1981, and the term twice- exceptionality is gaining recognition and importance globally. In the UK, these individuals are also described as ‘dual/multiple exceptional’ (Yates & Boddison, 2020). The fact that giftedness is a concept that is not measurable and has no fixed description indicates that twice-exceptionality is a research topic that needs to be addressed and developed. Most studies about twice-exceptionality are descriptive and conducted in the United States and Australia, while research in Türkiye adopts the definition used in other European countries (such as Germany) and tends to focus on high-functioning students with ADHD or learning disability.

1 Original blog post, published 1 August 2022: https://www. bera.ac.uk/blog/investigating-twice-exceptionality-in-english- secondary-schools

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

Recognition of 2E students can be problematic since their gift may obscure their special need or disability, and vice versa. Additionally, teachers may find the term to be paradoxical and confusing (Schultz, 2012). Emotional and behavioural disorders can arise in these students when their talents and disabilities are unacknowledged and their special needs are unmet (Gelbar et al., 2015). All these issues refer to a description problem and misconception of twice- exceptionality, and research is needed to gain a better understanding of 2E and prevent such misconceptions. It could be argued that twice-exceptionality should be approached as a special educational need. Eliminating prejudices and identification problems around high- potential students would enable more qualified solutions to be developed. It has been found that once a student is diagnosed as 2E, a sense of belonging through participation in school activities can be enhanced by membership of social clubs and group activities (Renzulli et al., 2007). ‘Recognition of twice- exceptional students can be problematic since their gift may obscure their special need or disability, and vice versa.’ Twice-exceptionality is an underresearched and contested area. In the UK, a lack of attention may be attributable to the disbanding of a Talented and Gifted programme in 2010 and to its omission from statutory guidance as a diagnostic category. This may explain the apparent reluctance of schools to participate in research on this topic. Research is in progress at the Plymouth Institute of Education that seeks to understand the experiences and perspectives of 2E students of secondary age, their teachers and parents. One of the project’s aims is to contribute to the development of a programme addressing 2E students’ needs and to provide ideas for different teaching methods.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. How does the fact that twice-exceptionality is not an official diagnostic category in the UK affect the recognition and support of 2E students in schools? How does this create a gap between policy and practice? 2. How can a student’s high potential ‘mask’ their special educational needs, leading to misdiagnosis by teachers? What strategies can schools develop to overcome this paradox? 3. Is it more functional to address twice- exceptionality as a separate category or within the scope of special educational needs? How might this choice affect students’ sense of belonging and school participation? REFERENCES Demir, Y., & Done, E. J. (2022). Twice exceptionality in neoliberal education cultures: Implications for special educational needs co-ordinators. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs , 22 (3), 266–273. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12564 Gelbar, N. W., Shefcyk, A., & Reichow, B. (2015). A comprehensive survey of current and former college students with autism spectrum disorders. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine , 88 (1), 45–68. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC4345538/ Reis, S. M., Baum, S. M., & Burke, E. (2014). An operational definition of twice-exceptional learners: Implications and applications. Gifted Child Quarterly , 58 (3), 217–230. https://doi. org/10.1177/0016986214534976 Renzulli, J. S., Gentry, M., & Reis, S. M. (2007). Enrichment clusters for developing creativity and high-end learning. Gifted and Talented International , 22 (1), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 15332276.2007.11673484 Schultz, S. (2012). Twice-exceptional students enrolled in advanced placement classes. Gifted Child Quarterly , 56 (3), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986212444605 Yates, D., & Boddison, A. (2020). The school handbook for dual and multiple exceptionality: High learning potential with special educational needs or disabilities . Routledge.

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

EDUCATING FOR ALL

The ‘Diverse Model’: A new way of perceiving disability?

KAREN ZECCA CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

‘In disability studies, neither the prevailing medical model nor the

The term ‘disability’ includes various impairments affecting physical, mental, intellectual or sensory abilities. 1 According to the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2 individuals with disabilities have long-term impairments that, when combined with barriers, may hinder their full participation in society on an equal basis. However, this definition is debated and needs further exploration. In this blog post, I will use ‘disability’ as a general category for all physical impairments (avoiding subgroup distinctions) and present a new model to broaden understanding and improve teaching approaches. In disability studies, the medical model perceives disability as an individual issue that can be cured through medical interventions. It focuses on limitations and attributes barriers to biological conditions. Oliver (1996) argues that this model perpetuates negative stereotypes and neglects societal factors in the formation of disability. On the other hand, the social model considers disability as a result of the interaction between individuals and their environment. It advocates for modifying the environment to accommodate the needs of disabled individuals and combating societal discrimination (Shakespeare, 2006). However, neither the medical model nor the social model fully captures the complexity of disability. 1 Original blog post, published 13 December 2023: https:// www.bera.ac.uk/blog/the-diverse-model-a-new-way-of- perceiving-disability 2 https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention- on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd

social model fully captures the complexity of disability.’ The biopsychosocial model of disability (Engel, 1977) attempts to integrate both medical and social influences, while also including psychological aspects that affect an individual’s disability experience. It has contributed to shifting the perspective from a purely medical model to a more comprehensive understanding of disability. Nonetheless, it is important to recognise the limitations of the biopsychosocial model. One of the main criticisms is its failure to fully encompass the diversity and intersections within the disabled community. Disability is a multifaceted concept that intersects with other aspects of identity, such as race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status and culture. The experiences and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities are shaped by these intersecting factors, which may not be adequately addressed within the framework of the biopsychosocial model. So it is necessary to develop a more holistic and nuanced disability model to account for both individual and social dimensions, while acknowledging the diversity within the disabled community. Previous models oversimplify disability as a binary concept, disregarding its fluidity across contexts and situations.

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

‘It is necessary to develop a more holistic and nuanced disability model to account for both individual and social dimensions, while acknowledging the diversity within the disabled community.’ Throughout my research, I have encountered various models of disability, yet none of them truly encapsulate the multifaceted realities of individuals with disabilities. Drawing from my personal experience as a disabled researcher and former wheelchair user, I have identified numerous overlooked factors that require attention, especially within the realm of education. My proposed ‘Diverse Model of Disability’ (DMD) (Zecca, 2023) incorporates legal considerations, and cultural factors that impact people with disabilities. When used in education, this model prioritises the individual, recognising factors that affect their academic progress and learning experiences. My research focuses on equitable educational opportunities for all children which includes examining the legal framework, including human rights principles that protect students with disabilities. Factors like impairments, environment, culture, attitudes and identities can impact learning and access for children with disabilities, so a comprehensive and inclusive approach is crucial to ensure these learners receive the education they deserve. My aim is to enhance and refine this person-centred Diverse Model to recognise the intersections of social identities (for example, gender, sexuality, religion) in shaping the life experiences of people with disabilities. This new model aligns with the UK Equality Act 2010, 3 which recognises learners’ entitlement to equal and meaningful education. Adopting a comprehensive and inclusive approach to people with disabilities is vital to ensure that these learners receive the education and opportunities they deserve. 3 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act- guidance/disability-equality-act-2010-guidance-on-matters-to- be-taken-into-account-in-determining-questions-relating-to- the-definition-of-disability-html

REFERENCES Engel, G. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science , 196 (4286), 129–136. https://doi. org/10.1126/science.847460

Oliver, M. (1996). Understanding disability: From theory to practice . St Martin’s Press.

Shakespeare, T. (2006). Disability rights and wrongs . Routledge.

Zecca, K. (2023). Increasing self-efficacy of secondary school physical education teachers via the creation of a framework to facilitate and better achieve EDI with respect to engagement in physical activity and education [Unpublished doctoral coursework]. Cardiff Metropolitan University.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 1. When considering a learner with a disability, what factors beyond the impairment itself might influence their learning experience in your classroom? 2. How might your teaching approach need to adapt to ensure that all learners, including those with disabilities, can meaningfully participate in learning? 3. How might a learner’s disability interact with other aspects of their identity or background (such as culture, language, gender, or socio- economic context) to shape their experience of education?

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL

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