Responding to a report from the National Foundation For
Educational Research (NFER), which explores the barriers and
solutions to achieving a more ethnically diverse teaching
workforce, Margaret Mulholland, Inclusion Specialist at the
Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“It is pretty depressing that teachers of colour continue to
encounter barriers to leadership and headship such as lack of
encouragement, racism and preconceptions linked to their culture
or faith. It’s not good enough that there is not a single
government initiative to encourage and to nurture teachers of
colour to ensure a sense of belonging and success within the
teaching profession. This has to be a priority, particularly at a
time when recruitment and retention is so challenging.
“A diverse workforce enriches pupils, schools and colleges, and
wider society and we support NFER’s call to make sure schools are
supported in improving ethnic diversity among teachers and
leaders. We’re committed to making school and college leadership
more diverse, and have set up equalities networks to help members
in these groups to support and empower each other and raise the
issues affecting them. However, this report starkly demonstrates
that there are problems throughout the pipeline from training
onwards and all of us with a stake in education, including the
government, need to redouble our efforts.”
