Square Pegs: Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in – a guide for schools

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In recent years, many schools in England have started to implement strict policies around behaviour, curriculum and attendance. As the screws tighten, more and more square pegs (read ‘deeply distressed young people’) have started voting with their feet. When you stop going to school, it creates all kinds of problems: home visits, financial penalties and, incredibly, the threat of custodial sentences for the parents and carers of persistent ‘offenders'. The fact that so many young people should choose such strife over attending school should tell us something very important about their lived experience of our one-size-fits-all education system. It seems likely that increasing numbers of square pegs will continue voting with their feet until we reach crisis point. But this crisis can be averted if we listen to the voices of those affected now. This brilliantly curated book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in creating a more diverse, empathic, responsive educational ecosystem that works for all young people. I really enjoyed this book because it shows that you have to look at everything in a child's life that is helping/hurting them. Sometimes it is even the parents style of parenting that might be hurting the child. You should also consider that but never rule it out. If you are a helicopter parent, STOP IT, and let them live a normal live. If you are too free-spirited as a parent, then maybe providing some rules and boundaries will help them. Kids need structure but never at the level of what helicopter parents have. Since establishing Independent Thinking 25 years ago, Ian Gilbert has made a name for himself across the world as a highly original writer, editor, speaker, practitioner and thinker, and is someone who the IB World magazine has referred to as one of the world's leading educational visionaries. I LOVE the way the book is set up. Each chapter begins with a relevant quote and the chapters are easy to read, entertaining, informative and positive. At the end of every chapter are listed the Big Ideas as well as Action Items. assisted with a BBC news story and secured national coverage ( BBC Breakfast, regional TV, local radio) in September 2019

secured a project on persistent absence and its correlation with SEND as one of the Children's Commissioner’s 10 strategic priorities for 2020/21 The Penguin imprint will donate 300 titles to the campaign this year, starting with Rukmini Iyer’s India Express (Square Peg). Books by Warsan Shire, Diana Evans and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah will also be among the 300 titles, as will debuts from Jacqueline Crooks and Ore Agbaje-Williams. I've come across this "rote memorization" argument a lot lately when reading about education reform. But when I hear a 7th-grade math teacher say that her students don't know what 3 times 4 is, I have to argue that, actually, there is still a place for memorization in our children's education: times tables, for instance. The Free Books Campaign is an initiative set up by Sofia Akel, which aims to get physical books by authors of colour to those who cannot access them, for free. Overall, I found this a very interesting, informative and powerful book to read. The easy-to-read, jargon-free style and the clear structure allows the reader to access topics that are of interest. Whilst I feel the content is most useful for school managers, there are certainly resources, information and tools that could be used in EP practice and EP training.Key features of the compelling, insightful and at times challenging book is that it encourages practitioners at the coal face, in a wide range of roles, to discuss what works for them by offering positive and practical strategies for teachers at all levels. Overall, "Square Pegs" is a valuable resource for those working in schools. The book provides insightful and empowering perspectives on the experiences and challenges faced by individuals who do not fit ordinary school criteria. It is a thought-provoking read that challenges readers to reconsider their views on inclusivity, compassion, and fitting in. This book is a must-read for educators and school leaders seeking to create a better future for our students. The book is well-structured and guides the reader through definitions, current issues and practical tools in a clear and accessible manner. Each chapter is written with a distinct focus by a different author, and each offers approaches to support young people as well as inspiring reflection upon current systems, highlighted by real-life experiences, whilst maintaining statutory duties… Key points, theories and support strategies are regularly clarified by clear diagrams, visual representation of theories, tables providing clear action plans, and illustrations and children’s word, all of which provide useful summaries and points of reference throughout the text. I am at the midpoint in the book where he is starting to get his act together. Up to this point I think he is a sociopath who is coddled by his mother. His father seems a distant and strict character who does not try to make any attachment with him and does not try a more personal approach to modifying his behavior. As a child he is totally self-involved with no desire to control his behavior (and, again, not much real help in getting it corrected). He proved that he could have changed his behavior any time it benefited him when he reinvented himself at the new school ... and again when his girlfriend got pregnant and he decided that it behooved him to become responsible. At both of these times he was, again, self-serving and it continued to be 'all about' him. At this point, also, I don't see how he gave any indication of being an innovator, visionary or out-of-the-box thinker; he was just a stinker. attended the inaugural conference of INSA (the International Network for School Attendance) in Oslo in October 2019, and now sit on two INSA committees

Anyway, being in this Facebook group has really opened my eyes to the struggles many of our students face in the classroom today. It's truly amazing how the system can fail so many of our children, and yet still be good-intentioned. In an engaging, thought provoking and practically realistic analysis, Fran Morgan, Ellie Costello and their wide range of associates have unravelled the implications for learners of all ages who fail to ‘fit in’ or ‘conform’ within certain schools and colleges. They highlight the continuing inadequate responses to promote effective access, inclusion and strategies for engagement and progress for a growing number of learners. Despite this limitation, the book offers valuable insights and inspiration for those working in education. It reinforces how it is essential that we prioritise supporting our square pegs in schools and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable education system for all. Equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to support these pupils can have a lifelong impact on their academic, personal, and professional development.

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If you want your child to end up just like the author did, read this book and pray, but don't rely on the first option. This story made me so angry! And even though that was probably 20-30 years ago, things like this still happen quite commonly in our educational system.

The two authors primarily act as editors, as the book is a collection of works from a wide variety of over 50 individual contributors, including headteachers, lawyers, parents and people with lived experience. Fundamentally, the book is a guide for schools and is aimed at teaching staff. However, the content is not weighed down with heavy educational jargon and is therefore easily generalisable to parents or those working outside of direct education such as social workers or support workers... They need to know that you are always there for them, even in very hard times, otherwise they lose hope in themselves. I've been reading a lot about education lately. I got this book because of this NPR article, "Standards, Grades And Tests Are Wildly Outdated, Argues 'End Of Average,'" Feb. 16, 2016 ( http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/0...). I also watched his TED talk, https://youtu.be/4eBmyttcfU4. Budget cuts, the loss of support staff, an overly academic curriculum, problems in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and difficulties accessing mental health support have all compounded pre-existing problems with behaviour and attendance. The ‘attendance = attainment’ and zero-tolerance narrative is often at odds with the way schools want to work with their communities, and many school leaders don't know which approach to take. In the face of the pressures on libraries, community centres and families across the UK in the cost-of-living crisis, Sofia’s work to make books more accessible is vital. We couldn’t think of a better place to celebrate our renewed partnership than the 2000 Community Action Centre, with a day-long, family friendly programme of talks and workshops. It is great to be working with the community centre team, Sofia and authors and colleagues across Vintage to put together an event where everyone feels welcome and can take home a free book by an author of colour.”

Furthermore, the book challenges readers to think deeply about the ever-shrinking school budgets, which are responsible for the limited resources and support available to educators. While the book does not offer solutions to this issue, it highlights the need for a deeper exploration of this problem and how it affects our education system.