What does real inclusion look like in schools, beyond slogans and surface changes?

In this episode of the EdVance Podcast, we are honoured to host Vijita Patel, Executive Director for Special Educational Needs at the Qatar Foundation and one of the UK’s most respected voices on neurodiversity. With more than 20 years of experience in education, including leading the Swiss Cottage School in London to seven consecutive “outstanding” Ofsted ratings, Vijita knows what it takes to build schools where every learner can succeed.

She explains how schools can move from tolerance to true celebration of difference: valuing every child, supporting teachers, involving families, and rethinking what success means by including social and cultural capital. From using technology to strengthen student voice, to building a culture of high expectations for all, her reflections offer both insights and guidance. She reminds us that inclusion is not an extra, but the heart of real school improvement.