Leading schools for equity and inclusion in multi-faith societies

This paper is the first of two focusing on leading for inclusion in relation to faith, exploring the extent to which schools are ensuring that they are equally appropriate for all, whatever the diversity of religion or secular... [ view full abstract ]

This paper is the first of two focusing on leading for inclusion in relation to faith, exploring the extent to which schools are ensuring that they are equally appropriate for all, whatever the diversity of religion or secular belief amongst learners. This paper presents data from schools in the UK. The second paper focuses on equivalent data collected in the Republic of Ireland. The Paris Declaration in 2015 committed the European Union to engaging with education as a means to embed the values of freedom and non-discrimination. The intersection of religion and ethnicity is at the heart of this intention to build social sustainability in Europe through inclusion in education. 

The concept of inclusion appears ubiquitously in policy and practice documents throughout the world. There is however little agreement on its meaning or how to achieve it. One key issue is the dilemma that in providing additional help and support to individuals and groups who have stigmatised characteristics they are thereby further positioned as falling outside a usually unstated norm. Achieving equity, that is all having an equal chance of a positive experience and outcomes, reflects a tension between treating all the same, and treating all differently according to need and or preference, including faith. Transformative leadership to achieve social sustainability in ever more diverse societies is founded on promoting inclusive practice, and so resolving the conundrum of sameness and difference. The paper explores leaders' different meanings of inclusion and practice in relation to notions of sameness and difference where diversity of faith shapes the context.

A purposive sample of six primary, secondary and all-age schools included a mixture of faith-affiliated and multi-faith schools drawn from varied geographic and socioeconomic locations. The principal and/or other senior leader was interviewed about their policy and practice. Analysis used a grounded approach to identify concepts of inclusion, concepts of equity and patterns of practice aimed at achieving both in schools with learners of diverse faiths.

Emerging lessons from the data demonstrate leaders insisting that learners are treated paradoxically as all the same and all different simultaneously. The data also offers evidence that focusing on doing what is right, that is, creating a curriculum around moral values rather than attainment standards is an effective way to raise attainment as added value to supporting the development of socially literate and tolerant citizens of the future.