'A must-read for anyone genuinely committed to racial equity and representation.' Dr Muna Abdi, CEO, MA Consultancy Ltd.

Representation Matters is the essential book for teachers looking to promote diversity and inclusion in their school and create positive, lasting change for staff and pupils.

In this crucial book, former assistant principal, campaigner and TEDxBristol speaker Aisha Thomas demonstrates how race shapes the experiences of Black, Asian and racially minoritised teachers and pupils in the UK education system, and why representation is fundamental in every school. With a particular focus on the experiences of Black educators, parents and pupils, Aisha shares her own lived experience and features over 20 stories from those who have been affected by the racism that is endemic in the education system today. Through reflective questions, activities and discussion points, Representation Matters coaches educators to create an action plan for their classroom or school. It offers practical strategies to drive change and promote an anti-racist approach to education.

Covering a range of important topics, including:
- diversifying the curriculum
- challenging overt and covert racism
- using tutor time and PSHE to explore identity and culture
- interpreting the Equality Act 2010.

Representation Matters equips all teachers and school leaders with everything they need to understand the impact of race in education.

Aisha challenges our thinking and pushes us towards a more nuanced understanding of representation and why it matters. This book is a must-read for anyone genuinely committed to racial equity and representation. -- Dr Muna Abdi * CEO, MA Consultancy Ltd., @Muna_Abdi_PhD *
Aisha is an impassioned educator and champion of representation. Her work has been challenging but necessary to encourage any and all individuals to create a nurturing environment of true inclusion and representation. This book will engage and provoke readers to reflect and shape their environments to support true representation and equity. -- Lana Crosbie * senior leader in education, SENCO and equality and diversity lead *

Aisha draws on her own experiences as a teacher, parent and leading anti-racism advocate to ask us all to critically reflect upon what representation means in our own practice, and why representation really matters. A must-read for educators everywhere, through reflective activities and case studies, Aisha's experiences guide us throughout, offering us loving, practical and considered suggestions to help develop anti-racist and social-justice-led practice in our own educational spaces.

-- Malcolm Richards * educator, scholar-activist, independent doctoral researcher and co-founder of Bookbag *
This book should be required reading for all school staff and should feature on every staff library CPD bookshelf. -- Barbara Band, School Library Consultant, Trainer and Advisor * www.barbaraband.com *
Aisha's ideal goal for the future is to be in a place where an anti-racist practise is not needed because it is so embedded in the culture and values of a school, that a child will step in and feel like they instantly belong and can be truly themselves. -- Ellie Kendall * Bristol Post *
In the crucial book, former assistant principal, campaigner and TEDxBristol speaker Ms Thomas demonstrates how race shapes the experiences of Black, Asian and racially minoritised teachers and pupils in the UK education system, and why representation is fundamental in every school. -- Bethan Andrews * Bristol World *

Representation Matters beautifully
reflects the work that I and many others
do in schools to champion diversity,
equity and inclusion. Those looking
for “a tick sheet of how to become
inclusive” will be disappointed, but then
– as we should all know after the death
of George Floyd and the experience of
the pandemic – anti-racism requires
more heavy lifting than that. And with a
consistent, clear and challenging voice
that chimed deeply with me as a black,
female educator, Aisha Thomas here
provides the arguments and the tools to
begin to do just that.

-- Audrey Pantelis, director, Elevation Coaching and Consulting Ltd * Schools Week *
The book is full of timely and necessary content, and is one of the most important books I have read for a long time. -- Adam Marycz, Early Years Educator
This is a very important book, no matter where your school is. The content applies to school leaders, experienced and new teachers, and those working with school communities committed to equality and representation. -- Colin Hill * Founder, researcher and editor of UKEdChat *

Aisha Thomas is the founder of Representation Matters Ltd©, an organisation that provides workshops, talks and consultancy on diversity, equity and inclusion for schools and businesses. She was formerly an assistant principal at a large secondary school in Bristol. Aisha provides training on race in education at the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England and in schools nationwide. In 2018, she presented a documentary for the BBC investigating the low number of Black teachers in Bristol, and in 2019, Aisha delivered a powerful TEDxBristol talk called ‘Why Representation Matters’. Aisha is currently working on a number of local and national projects, including Beyond the 26, which collects stories and experiences from Black and racially minoritised educators in Bristol. She also contributed to a series of videos on allyship for BBC Teach. For more information, follow @itsrepmatters on social media and visit www.repmatters.co.uk.