We were delighted to host an Inclusive Education Roundtable in Bristol last Thursday, 27 November, bringing together a diverse group of local stakeholders committed to strengthening inclusive practice across the city.
The event took place against the backdrop of renewed national focus on inclusion, with both Ofsted and the Department for Education signalling an expectation that more children and young people with labels of SEND are meaningfully included in mainstream schools.
In a more literal sense, the event took place against the backdrop of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, a feat of engineering which can stand as a symbol of the innovative thinking that is needed as we head towards more education reforms.
For this event, CSIE brought together parents, educators, representatives from Bristol City Council and the University of Bristol, as well as members of the voluntary sector to explore how we can all support the development of more inclusive education in our home city.
The morning opened with an inspiring introduction from Professor Mel Ainscow who reminded us that every learner matters and matters equally. He stressed the importance of the collective will to make inclusion happen, and invited us to consider the three interconnected factors of what happens within schools, between schools and beyond schools. We remain grateful to him for such an engaging and inspiring introduction.
Participants shared a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience, alongside a strong collective commitment to developing more inclusive education locally. There was a clear appetite in the room to pool expertise, build on existing work and remain connected as a group to support meaningful change. Attendees expressed a desire to stay in touch and harness the energy generated on the day.
As a national charity with deep roots in Bristol, we remain committed to facilitating local collaboration as the foundation for wider change. We look forward to continuing this important conversation and hope to work closely with local partners to channel this momentum into practical steps that strengthen inclusive cultures, policies and practices across the city’s schools.
