Staff Room Reads
Reviewed by Professionals for Professionals
SAfE’s Programme Lead, Emma Johnston, shares her thoughts on Hannah Wilson’s book, Cultivating Belonging in Schools
Cultivating Belonging in Schools offers a thoughtful and practical exploration of how schools can create environments where every individual feels seen, valued, and included. Hannah Wilson draws on her experience as Director of Belonging Effect, Co‑Founder of #WomenEd and #DiverseEd, and her 20‑year career in schools across Kent, London and Oxfordshire to explain why Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI&B) should be the ‘golden thread’ running through every part of school life.
Wilson begins by clarifying the key terms and definitions associated with DEI&B and how they relate to one another. Each chapter includes useful resource recommendations, case studies and reflection prompts, encouraging readers to examine their own practice and apply ideas from the book to their own setting. The content is presented in bite‑size sections, supported by quotations and diagrams, making it effortless to digest.
As the book progresses, Wilson explores the theory and psychology of belonging. What does it mean to belong? What is the impact on us as individuals when we feel included? What happens when we don’t? The discussion of identity markers helps us better understand our own identities, while also highlighting how labels can become harmful when we assume rather than ask. The concept of intersectionality is introduced as a valuable tool for recognising that each person’s lived experience is unique: “It recognises that these intersecting identities can lead to overlapping systems of oppression, rather than just additive effects of each individual identity.”
Wilson also examines the idea of culture, from societal culture to whole‑school culture, and then into the staffroom and classroom, gradually narrowing the lens to show how belonging can be cultivated in each of these spaces. She seamlessly blends theory with lived experience, making the concepts feel both accessible and actionable. The call to action at the end of the book provides a clear and compelling set of steps for becoming an inclusive ally.
The book feels authentic and relatable, and it is highly practical, offering ideas that can be implemented immediately. Whether you are a senior leader, classroom teacher or pastoral practitioner, it invites you to pause, think and re‑imagine what your school could be.
For me, the most lasting takeaway is the idea that belonging is cultivated – not assumed – and that every adult in a school community plays a role in shaping it.
Cultivating Belonging in Schools is a helpful, timely and deeply human book. Wilson offers a roadmap for creating school cultures where everyone feels they matter – a message that feels more essential than ever.
