Cranbrook Teachers Talking Teaching: Recap Corridor Cultures – A Co-Research Project with Sydney University

This term’s first Cranbrook Teachers Talking Teaching session explored the powerful and thought-provoking Corridor Cultures project, a multi-year collaboration with the University of Sydney. The research investigates how school spaces, particularly corridors, shape students’ experiences of identity, belonging and inclusion.

We were privileged to hear from presenters Andrew Benson, Angelique Sanders, Adam Catchpole, and Year 12 student Ed Chubb, who shared their experiences as co-researchers. Dr Victoria Rawlings, the project’s lead researcher, also joined us to share insights from the broader study across three schools and to contextualise the work taking place at Cranbrook. Together, the presenters offered a rich and layered perspective on how student voice can inform meaningful cultural change.

The project, which ran across three schools over two and a half years, was grounded in co-research methodology. Students were not simply participants; they designed surveys, led focus groups, analysed data and shaped findings. At Cranbrook, Ed played a central role in shaping the initial survey and interpreting the responses. Reflecting on the experience, he shared, “Being a student researcher was amazing. The focus groups enabled us to capture perspectives from students across different year groups of their experiences at school.”

One of the key findings was that a proportion of students reported not feeling a sense of belonging, and this figure was significantly higher among LGBTQ+ students. Dr Victoria Rawlings noted that the project deliberately focused greater attention on this group, as their insights had the potential to reveal important truths about school culture and how it might be improved. These students, she suggested, often notice and experience the aspects of school life that others take for granted. Their voices were therefore essential in shaping recommendations for a more inclusive and responsive Cranbrook.

Adam Catchpole shared a revealing moment from the research process. After staff and students came together to develop a set of collective goals based on the data, they separated into groups to prioritise them. When they regrouped, it became clear that the students’ rankings were the exact reverse of the staff’s. This dissonance underscored the gap that can exist between teacher intentions and student experiences. As Adam noted, “Teachers may think they’re making a difference, but that change may not be seen by students as significant. If we listen more to them, we can be better practitioners and create a more inclusive space.”

Andrew Benson spoke about the importance of recognising and responding to teachable moments. He gave examples of how subtle interactions — such as a dismissive joke or an offhand comment — can unintentionally reinforce exclusion. He encouraged staff to step in when they witness students being “othered” and to use those moments as opportunities to model empathy and reflection.

A recurring theme was that corridors are not neutral spaces. They are sites of social and cultural meaning where belonging is made visible or invisible. Angelique Sanders reminded staff that even subtle choices in the language we use each day play a central role in shaping student identity and belonging. This focus on language feels especially timely as Cranbrook prepares for its transition to coeducation in 2026. It presents an important opportunity for all of us to reflect on the inclusivity of our everyday speech and ensure it affirms students across the gender spectrum.

The session also celebrated a milestone: earlier this year, Cranbrook’s student and staff co-researchers presented their findings at the University of Sydney Symposium on Gender, Sexuality and Schooling, which explored how these issues impact wellbeing, relationships and belonging in schools. This was an opportunity to share the school’s work with a broader educational audience and to learn from the experiences of other schools undertaking similar initiatives.

The discussion concluded with a focus on practical next steps. Cranbrook will be working toward the aspirations articulated by the co-researchers:

• We confront community-based and structural sources of stigma, discrimination, injustice, and violence.
• We critically reflect on and challenge our own and others’ harmful behaviours and language.
• We celebrate diverse presentations of gender, sexuality, race, class, disability, religion, and other vectors of difference.
• We create a respectful environment for all where all individuals have opportunities to flourish.

To support this vision, Cranbrook will begin by implementing several key recommendations from the co-researchers. These include a clear and enacted commitment from school leadership to shared values and aspirations; using the Student Wellbeing Program (SWP) as a space for structured, student-led conversations; appointing Equity Champions to lead cultural initiatives; and developing a training module for new staff and coaches that aligns with the project’s values. These early steps will guide our ongoing work to embed inclusion, belonging and student voice into the fabric of everyday school life.

Hannah Thomas
Director of Professional Learning