Belonging, peer relationships and student voice
Make inclusion visible in everyday participation, not only in policies and events.
Support peer connections
Train buddies in welcome routines and help-seeking; rotate responsibilities and review the arrangement with the learner. Use purposeful group tasks with roles that give everyone a contribution. Avoid leaving learners dependent on one peer.
Open extracurricular routes
Explain clubs and trips clearly, show what participation involves and provide a named contact. Check practical barriers such as cost, equipment, timing and instructions. Invite learners to suggest changes to a club’s welcome routine.
Address exclusion
Teach respectful ways to discuss names, accents and languages. Make reporting routes clear and accessible. Follow the school’s response procedures for teasing or discriminatory behaviour and check back with the learner after action is taken.
Listen across the year
Use small group conversations, anonymous prompts and individual check-ins. Ask about lessons, breaks, clubs and communication. Share what changed in response, and offer a private way to raise issues.
What this can look like
At a club’s first session, the leader explains the routine with a brief demonstration, pairs newcomers with different members and gives each a useful role. A week later, newcomers are asked what helped them join in and what remained confusing.
Responsibilities and review
Tutors, pastoral leaders, club leaders and student representatives share responsibility. Review participation and students’ accounts of belonging, while respecting their preferences about activities and identity.
Plan one action
Choose a manageable action, give it an owner and decide how you will hear from learners before reviewing it.