LAURA MARKENDALE, DEPUTY HEADTEACHER INCLUSIONAn approach where a school aims to ensure that all children are educated together, with support for those who require it to access the full curriculum and contribute to and participate in all aspects of school life, GREAT ACADEMIES EDUCATION TRUST, UK
Inclusion in education is a well-established principle in the UK, enshrined in law and reflected in policy frameworks such as the Equality Act 2010, the SEND Code of Practice (DFEDepartment for Education - a ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England and DHSC, 2014) and the Teachers’ Standards (DfE, 2011). While considerable attention has been given to the inclusion of pupils with disabilities, with the introductions of the Code of Practice in 2015 and the continued focus from OfstedThe Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills – a non-ministerial department responsible for inspecting and regulating services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills on the welfare and progress of children with additional needs, less focus has been directed towards the inclusion of adults, particularly senior leaders with disabilities. A University of Cambridge study (2021) found that while disabled teachers in England are valued for their classroom skills, they often feel marginalised and unsupported. Schools must do more to support and promote senior leaders with disabilities and chronic illness. Such action is essential not only to uphold inclusive values but also to harness the specialised knowledge, unique perspectives and inherent resilience that leaders with disabilities bring to educational leadership.
The Equality Act 2010 provides a clear legal framework prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of disability and requiring reasonable adjustments to be made in the workplace. Schools, as public sector employers, are legally bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. However, the underrepresentation of teachers and school leaders with disabilities in senior roles (NEU, 2021) suggests that legal compliance alone is insufficient.
Education systems are called to embody and model the inclusive practices that they teach. Senior leadership should reflect the diversityThe recognition of individual differences in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical ability, religious beliefs and other differences of the community that it serves, and the inclusion of leaders with disabilities can send a powerful message to students and staff about the value of diversity, resilience and equality.
Barriers to leadership
Research from the National Education Union (NEU, 2021) and the National Association of Head Teachers (UK Parliament, 2024) highlights systemic barriers, including lack of reasonable adjustments, workplace stigma and unconscious bias in recruitment and promotion processes.
A survey by the Department for EducationThe ministerial department responsible for children’s services and education in England (DfE, 2018a) indicated that while 14 per cent of the general working-age population in the UK identifies as disabled, fewer than two per cent of school leaders disclose a disability. This gap may reflect not only barriers to promotion but also a reluctance to disclose, due to fear of discrimination or negative assumptions about capability.
Benefits of inclusions and diversity in leadership
Leaders with disabilities bring a wealth of experience that enriches educational settings. Their lived experiences can foster greater empathy, drive inclusive practice and enhance school policies to better serve all learners.
- Role-modelling and representation: Seeing disabled individuals in positions of leadership challenges stereotypes and inspires pupils with disabilities to aspire to leadership roles themselves
- Inclusive policy and practice: Leaders with disabilities often have first-hand understanding of accessibility issues and are well placed to identify institutional barriers and design inclusive policies
- Resilience and innovation: Navigating the world with a disability often cultivates problem-solving skills, adaptability and emotional intelligence – key traits of effective leadership
- Strengthening team culture: Diverse leadership can lead to a more inclusive and empathetic school culture, enhancing staff wellbeing and student engagement
- Limit the risk of losing out on specialist knowledge and skills: Leaders who find themselves diagnosed later in their career still have all of the acquired knowledge and skills that led them to be leaders in the first place; a lack of reasonable adjustments risks pushing these experienced leaders away.
Despite these benefits, many disabled leaders face considerable challenges (DfE, 2018b). These include:
- Physical and digital inaccessibility: Inadequate building access, inaccessible digital systems or a lack of assistive technologies can hinder performance and promotion
- Stigma and stereotyping: Misconceptions about the capability of disabled individuals often result in lowered expectations or exclusion from key decision-making roles
- Insufficient adjustments and support: Many schools lack the expertise or willingness to provide personalised support plans, resulting in burnout or attrition.
What can schools do?
Schools must take a proactive, research-informed approach to inclusion for all staff, in the same way that we do for students. This means moving beyond compliance to embed disability inclusion into the very fabric of school culture, policy and practice.
- Inclusive recruitment and promotion should be a priority. Adopt blind recruitment strategies, provide disability-inclusive leadership development programmes and ensure that selection panels are trained in unconscious bias.
- Establish clear processes for requesting and implementing reasonable adjustments, including assistive technologies, flexible scheduling and tailored workload expectations. Schools need to be able to adapt or they risk losing high-quality leaders to other professions (Roache, 2025).
- Invest in regular, high-quality disability awareness training – particularly for governors and senior leaders – to challenge misconceptions and promote inclusive mindsets, and allow all leaders to model what true inclusion looks like (Bezyak et al., 2024).
- This training needs to be in place for recruitment. ‘Focus group study identifying training needs to address implicit bias toward disabled applicants.’ (Bezyak et al., 2024)
- Mentoring and peer support are vital. Being diagnosed with a disability or chronic illness can be distressing and confusing. Facilitate networks or mentorship schemes for disabled staff to share experiences and navigate career progression collaboratively.
- Data monitoring and accountability is an important part of planning and promoting inclusion. Collect and analyse disability-related data on staff progression and satisfaction, to inform strategic planning and ensure accountability (Wool et al., 2023).
- Most importantly, listen. Schools cannot make assumptions about what they think is best for employees. Most employees want what they have always wanted: to make a difference in the lives of the communities that they serve.
- Beyond the individual school level, there is a role for national leadership bodies, unions and policymakers to champion inclusive leadership. The DfE, in collaboration with disability charities, should develop targeted strategies to promote the leadership potential of disabled educators.
- Leadership preparation programmes, such as the NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship), should explicitly address disability inclusion and offer accessible pathways for aspiring leaders with disabilities. Courses should also train all leaders in how to promote and support disabilities.
True inclusive practice in UK schools cannot be achieved without addressing the systemic underrepresentation of leaders with disabilities. By fostering a culture that values and supports disabled leaders, schools not only comply with legal obligations but also benefit from the rich expertise, innovation and moral leadership that they bring. Creating space at the leadership table for disabled professionals is not an act of charity but a strategic, ethical and educational imperative. If schools are to prepare every student for a diverse world, then they must first reflect that diversity at every level of leadership.
