Specialist Spotlight: Creating belonging through inclusion (Cross-phase)

Online

10 Mar 2026 (15:30 - 16:30)

Universal SEND Services

Online Event

This session will explore how to create and embed a culture of belonging and inclusion for pupils in school using practical examples from The Marvell College, Hull to exemplify this. Vulnerable pupils sit at the heart of their offer in the school, and they are prioritised in all aspects of their work. In addition to this, positive relationships are the starting point of their practice, leading to improvements for pupils in attendance, behaviour, and engagement. Staff are essential in turning their vision into a reality and staff turnover is low with colleagues fully engaged and active in supporting the moral purpose of the school which has high levels of deprivation, PP, FSM and EHCP. Parents and carers are similarly an important part of the school’s belonging and inclusion strategy and examples of how increasing their engagement in school life has been achieved will be shared.

Meet your trainer

Damian Matthews

Damian Matthews is Headteacher at The Marvell College, Hull. Having previously worked in private industry, he has been a teacher for nearly 18 years, 12 of them in senior leadership roles. Whilst working in an outstanding school, he was first seconded to The Marvell College as Deputy Headteacher playing a key role in helping the school improve from special measures to good. Damian has a wide range of experience in managing system and culture change and has led a wholesale review of practice and attitudes in relation to SEND and inclusion in the school over the last 4 years.