Not every interaction a young person has at school takes place in a classroom. The conversations in the corridor, at the reception desk, on the minibus, or in the lunch queue matter just as much — and the people who have them carry just as much influence.
Seen and Heard is a 15-minute on-demand CPD course designed specifically for support staff, office staff, school transport staff, and non-teaching roles. It explores what unconscious bias is, where it comes from, and how it can quietly shape the decisions we make and the way we engage with children, young people, families, and colleagues — often without us ever realising.
Using accessible language, relatable scenarios, and honest reflection prompts, this course helps staff in every role understand how bias operates and what they can do about it.
What the course covers
- What unconscious bias is — and why it is not the same as deliberate prejudice
- How the brain builds mental shortcuts and why they can carry bias
- Common types of unconscious bias including affinity bias, confirmation bias, and the halo effect
- How bias shows up in everyday school interactions outside the classroom
- The real impact of biased interactions on pupils, families, and colleagues
- Practical strategies for interrupting bias, including slowing down, checking assumptions, and seeking diverse perspectives
- The role of organisational culture and how fairness can be embedded across a whole school
Who it is for
This course is aimed at all school-based staff who work with or around children and young people but whose roles sit outside the teaching structure. This includes teaching assistants, learning support assistants, reception and administrative staff, school business managers, site and premises staff, catering and cleaning staff, school transport and minibus staff, and any other non-teaching roles in a school or educational setting.
