Creating an Anti-Racist Curriculum for Children with Special Educational Needs: Moving Beyond Saris, Samosas and Steel Drums

This thought-provoking and experience-led book guides teachers and leaders to create anti-racist practices and to develop a curriculum for children with SEND, promoting cultural representation and giving all pupils a voice and a sense of belonging.

Informative and practical chapters challenge the reader to review their whole school system and policies, taking them on a step-by-step journey through three main parts. The book enables educators to understand how this work can be meaningfully applied when working with SEND pupils and families in all settings, with topics covered including:

• exploring what an anti-racist curriculum is and why it’s needed for pupils with SEND
• establishing buy-in from school staff and meaningful support from key stakeholders
• creating an action plan and establishing accountability
• providing opportunities for high-quality CPD for all stakeholders
• how to create a cultural calendar and curriculum offer of representation
• developing whole school practices to link to home and the community
• preparing pupils for life beyond school.

Pupils with SEND can access complicated topics if the subject matter is presented in a way that makes sense to them, with purpose, clarity and relevance to their lives. This book provides essential content and guidance for professionals to follow and implement for the benefit of SEND pupils and will be key reading for educators working in mainstream education, additional resource provisions, SMEH provisions and special schools.

Priya Bhagrath is the Headteacher at Bishopswood Special School in Oxfordshire, UK. She has over 20 years of experience as a teacher and senior leader in mainstream and SEND schools. She has also worked as a Specialist Leader in Education and set up an Outstanding Additional Resource Provision. Priya is a co-founder and co-national leader of the BAME Education SEND hub, launched in 2023, and a South-East regional lead for Women’s Education.