Illuminative research is a technique using 'draw and write' to find out where children or adults are in their thinking about a particular issue. For example, a class of children aged eight years old was asked "Draw a picture of yourself in our classroom, feeling good about being here and feeling you can learn and do your best work." Then "Draw a picture of yourself in our classroom on a day when you are feeling not so good about being here and feeling you can't learn and can't do your best work."

From their answers we can identify what enhances their learning environment - friends, good teachers, a quiet classroom and fun lessons - and what are the barriers to their learning - tiredness, being upset, noise and having no one to play with. Raising achievement is the main aim of the healthy schools programme and we now have 100% of schools participating. With inclusion in mind, schools can use this technique to involve every pupil on roll. They can then use the information and work with it to enrich the learning environment further and reduce the barriers to attainment.