Inclusive curriculum
Discover how we put together our inclusive curriculums, with our Inclusive Curriculum Framework and Inclusive Curriculum Consultants

Kingston’s inclusive curriculum
An inclusive curriculum enhances the higher education experience for all students.
On this page you can find out about our Inclusive Curriculum Framework and its design principles.
We also explain how our Inclusive Curriculum Consultants advise academic staff on how to create more inclusive course content. If you are student, you can find out how to become one of our Inclusive Curriculum Consultants.
Course teams and module leaders can also find the resources they need to create inclusive content.
What is an inclusive curriculum?
An inclusive curriculum recognises students come from a range of different backgrounds. It acknowledges that students differ by age, gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith and disability. As a result, an inclusive curriculum caters to students with different learning styles, educational experience and cultural capital. Varying levels of confidence and self-esteem are also considered too.
An inclusive curriculum has many benefits. The main advantages are:
- Improves student retention
- Improves progression and attainment
- Addresses degree awarding gaps
- Improves graduate outcomes and employability
The importance of an inclusive curriculum at Kingston
At Kingston University, more than half of our students identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME). Around 28% students are from overseas, joining us from over 140 different countries. Students also differ by gender, class, sexual orientation, disability, faith and age.
We recognise the inherent educational value of this diversity. Our inclusive curriculum places the student at the heart of the learning process. Yet it also recognises inclusivity does not mean treating everyone the same.
Inclusive Curriculum Framework
We have developed a set of design principles to help create our courses. We refer to these design principles as our Inclusive Curriculum Framework. Our staff use this framework to ensure courses are meaningful and relevant to our diverse student body.
Our Inclusive Curriculum Framework defines our academic offer. It promotes a universal approach to course design to improve the experience, skills and attainment of all students.
The framework also puts the student at the centre. As a result, we are moving away from pedagogic practices that disadvantage some of our student groups. By viewing the curriculum from a different perspective, basic assumptions are challenged and changed.
Design principles of the Inclusive Curriculum Framework
At the heart of our Inclusive Curriculum Framework are three fundamental design principles:
- Create an accessible curriculum
- Enable students to see themselves reflected in the curriculum
Equip students with the skills to positively contribute to and work in a global and diverse world
The design principles should be used:
- When undertaking internal subject reviews
- By course teams reviewing their course content
- By individual teachers rethinking their own learning and teaching practice
The result can be a transformative process for course teams and their students.
Inclusive Curriculum Consultants
Inclusive Curriculum Consultants are Kingston University students who advise on how to make courses more accessible to our diverse student body. They work with course leaders to help develop courses that are accessible, relevant and student focused.
The consultants review study materials such as course handbooks, module guides, online materials and assessment instructions. They then discuss their findings with course leaders.
Engaging with student consultants enables us to better understand and consider how students will engage with course content. We can then adapt material using the Inclusive Curriculum Framework.
Aims of our Inclusive Curriculum Consultants programme
Our Inclusive Curriculum Consultants were introduced in 2016 as part of an initiative to reduce the Degree Awarding Gap. By making our courses more inclusive and accessible to everyone, we help address the disparity in student achievement.
Our efforts to make a more inclusive curriculum also helps the University achieve its Access and Participation Plan Targets and direct institutional change.
The Inclusive Curriculum Consultants Programme is designed to:
- Support staff to embed inclusion into the curriculum and to reflect on whether their current practice is inclusive
- Promote student engagement and include diverse voices and multiple perspectives in the development of curricula
- Allow students to gain valuable work experience and develop their core skills and competencies in line with our Graduate Attributes for the Kingston Award
By sharing their diverse voices and perspectives, our students are shaping the very heart of Kingston.
What's it like to be an Inclusive Curriculum Consultant?
Inclusive Curriculum Consultants gain valuable professional insight and work experience. The role is a paid, flexible part-time position, which allows students to shape their work around their studies.
As part of the programme, student consultants have the opportunity to gain recognition for their work through the Kingston Award. They can also work towards the Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
We provide them with extensive training and support to help them gain the skills and knowledge they need for the role and beyond.
How course teams can create inclusive curriculums
If you are a staff member, we’ve got some advice on ensuring the course content you create is inclusive. You’ll find a list of prompts below relating to each section of a course. Use these prompts to question the course content at each stage of its development.
Is the course concept inclusive and accessible?
- Have you created a clear statement related to inclusive course values within student handbook?
- Have you addressed the ‘hidden curriculum' if acknowledged in the discipline area?
Do students see themselves reflected in the course concept?
- How have you challenged normative disciplinary attitudes to ensure that the course is meaningful and relevant to a diverse student body?
- Have you involved students in the creation of the course?
How does the course equip students to work in a global and diverse world?
- How will the course aim to develop university graduate attributes around global awareness and diversity?
Is the course content inclusive and accessible?
- Have you checked all the content is accessible to different groups of students and materials adhere to best practice for disabled students and students with a learning difference?
- Are you using inclusive language, avoiding colloquial language and providing a glossary of new and complex terms?
Do students see themselves reflected in the course content?
- Have you ensured that the case-studies and reading lists reflect the diversity in the learning community?
- Have you thought about how best to allow students to bring their own perspectives into the learning arena ensuring equality of engagement?
How does the course content equip students to work in a global and diverse world?
- Does the content extend understanding of diversity and allow students to recognise their own potential to make a difference in a rapidly changing international context?
Is the learning and teaching inclusive and accessible?
- Have you thought about how the delivery engages different learning styles?
- Will the course be delivered in an accessible mode and are there alternative options provided for students who cannot access specific delivery mechanisms?
Can students see themselves reflected in the learning and teaching?
- How does the L&T strategy ensure that the classroom environment is welcoming and inclusive and encourages participation from under-represented groups?
- Have the course team engaged in unconscious bias and equalities training?
How does the learning and teaching enable students to work in a global and diverse world?
- Are there structured opportunities for cross-cultural interaction to help students recognise the value of working with people from diverse backgrounds?
- Are students exposed to a range of culturally challenging views, opinions and contexts?
Are the course assessments inclusive and accessible?
- Are timelines (formative, summative and feedback) advised at the start of the course?
- Are a diverse range of assessments styles (including choice) used to reduce the need for reasonable adjustments and ensure that the assessment medium reflects their own strengths and educational backgrounds?
Can students see themselves reflected in the course assessments?
- Do the case-studies/vignettes used in the assessment reflect the diversity in our student body?
- Are there assessments where students can draw upon their own background? e.g. ‘open' assessment where students can apply a particular principle to familiar contexts?
How does the course assessments equip students to work in a global and diverse world?
- How will the assessment strategy ensure that students are involved in real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills?
- How does assessment develop the practical skills (including soft or work-ready skills) in students?
Is the course feedback inclusive and accessible?
- Are students offered exercises which develop their assessment literacies and effective ways to use their feedback?
- Are there processes in place to monitor which cohorts of students are accessing their feedback?
Can students see themselves reflected in the course feedback?
- How is the issue of ‘social distance' being addressed in feedback strategies? i.e. some students feel less confident or able to approach academic staff than others.
How does the course feedback equip students to work in a global and diverse world?
- How are students encouraged to actively adopt a reflective approach to their learning and facilitate the development of their feedforward strategies?
- How are peer-review practices encouraged to ensure that students learn to engage in constructive feedback strategies with each other?
Is the course review procedure inclusive and accessible?
- How will differential attainment be monitored?
- Are there opportunities to engage students in devising or re-visiting the content and learning and teaching and assessment strategies?
Can students see themselves reflected in the course review?
- How will the course team monitor how the course is being experienced by diverse cohorts of learners?
- How will the course team ensure that students from a diverse range of backgrounds get involved in the review and evaluation of the course or module?
How does the course review process equip students to work in a global and diverse world?
- How will the course team utilise alumni to review the ways in which the course/module best prepared them for the global workforce?
Contact us
Need more information?
Contact us to find the right person to reach out to, or call our switchboard on +44 (0)20 8417 9000.
