Students share powerful poem in response to SEND White Paper

Watch the student poem ‘Are You Really Listening?’

Written and performed by work-based learning students from Greensteps, a campus-based in Cheltenham where students develop employment, volunteering and enterprise skills, the poem reflects their experiences of education, inclusion, support and the importance of having their voices heard in decisions affecting their lives. Through honest and thought-provoking words, students challenge policymakers, educators and society to move beyond simply hearing and start truly listening. 

The idea first emerged when the group discussed the SEND White Paper and expressed how it made them feel. 

Carla Ingram, Greensteps Tutor, said: ‘My group struggle with writing things on their own, so we talked about doing a collaborative piece of work. I suggested that a poem might be quite a good thing to do, they all agreed.’ 

‘We discussed how they felt, what things in their previous educational establishments had been an issue, and they all came up with similar experiences. We started to craft this into a poem.’ 

As the poem developed, so did the confidence of the students involved. Performing in front of others was something several would once have avoided, yet they embraced the opportunity to bring their words to life. 

Carla said: ‘The students are over the moon to have been a part of the poem. Harry and Rox have avoided reading things but were keen to give the poem a go. Both were beaming when they had succeeded, it felt like they had put previous traumas and anxieties to bed. They said Greensteps has given them the chance to be who they truly are. They feel safe and able to speak up. When Chloe watched the video, she was so proud of herself for having been able to do it.’ 

The project also reflected how far the students have come since joining Greensteps. The students said they would not have had the courage or confidence to take part last September. Their class motto, ‘give things a go’, became the reflection of what they achieved together. 

Reflecting on the experience, Carla said: ‘I couldn’t be prouder. The students have such wonderful ideas and sometimes it just needs someone to find an alternative way to voice that. If we had not done the poem collaboratively, we could have lost an amazing piece of writing, which sadly tells the tale for so many young people. Hopefully, now people will listen to the voices of our amazing young adults.’ 

Nicola Noah, Work Based Learning Manager, said: ‘Seeing our students find the confidence to share their experiences so openly has been truly inspiring. Their courage highlights the importance of creating inclusive environments where every voice can be heard.’ 

Are You Really Listening? is more than a poem. It is a reminder that lived experience matters, and that when young people with disabilities are given the confidence and support to share their stories, their voices deserve to be at the heart of decisions shaping their futures.