Schools must ‘decolonise' special needs curriculum, says Ofsted inspector
Priya Bhagrath said special needs students should be given an education that 'reflects who they are and the world they live in'.
She said special educational needs and disabilities (Send) schools have been 'excluded from the conversation' of 'decolonising the curriculum' following the murder of George Floyd in the US in 2020.
Ms Bhagrath, who is the head teacher of a Send school, said the incident 'forced mainstream schools to reckon with their complicity in systemic racism'.
Many special needs students belong to the so-called 'global majority', which refers to all ethnic groups except white British and other white groups.
Writing in Teach Primary magazine about Send schools, Ms Bhagrath said: 'The sector that serves our most vulnerable pupils, many of them also 'global majority', was excluded from the conversation altogether.
'There are four pillars that I believe are critical for truly anti-racist Send education: Multicultural education that goes beyond festivals and food, and instead recognises lived experience, cultural narratives, and history.
'Increased representation, particularly in leadership, where those making the decisions should reflect the communities they serve.
'Decolonising the curriculum so Send pupils are not fed a diluted, colour-blind education, but one that reflects who they are and the world they live in.
'Anti-racist practice embedded in every part of school life, from the language we use with parents to the expectations we hold for our staff - and the training we provide for them.
'This is a call for collective action. The pupils at the intersection of race and Send are not just underachieving – they are being failed by a system that was never designed with them in mind. The data on exclusions, outcomes, and engagement paints the picture clearly.
'We do not need more evidence, we need resolve. If you are a head teacher, a policymaker, a teacher, a parent, or someone working in education with a desire to lead with equity, then this plea is for you. It is not comfortable, but it is necessary.
'We cannot keep rolling out saris for sensory play and calling it multicultural inclusion. We cannot keep hiring diverse staff without opening up real pathways to leadership. We cannot keep writing off families for being 'hard to reach' when we have not even tried.
'If you believe inclusion matters, then intersectionality must be at the heart of your work.'
According to her LinkedIn profile, as well as being an Ofsted inspector, Ms Bhagrath is the head of Bishopswood School near Reading, Berkshire.
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