Promoting inclusive leadership: Why UK schools must do more for senior leaders with disabilities

LAURA MARKENDALE, DEPUTY HEADTEACHER INCLUSION, 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 (DFE 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 Ofsted 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