Breaking Barriers: The Transformative Effect of Black Educators in Leadership
Written by Krystian McInnis
Krystian McInnis is a Religious Education consultant, advisor, and researcher specialising in decolonising and diversifying Religious Education. With a career that spans the public, private, and charity sectors, he brings extensive national and international experience in curriculum diversification and decolonisation. As the Co-Founder of Reimagining Education, Krystian is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable educational system where everyone feels seen, heard, and that they belong.
One percent. This is the stark figure of Black Headteachers in England with a slight increase to 1.3% for Deputy Headteachers, compared to 92.5% and 90.8% respectively for White British equivalent (DfE, 2023). With many of the positions held by Black senior leaders highly concentrated within inner London, the figures decline as we venture further afield from the capital, with the northeast of England the worst affected, where whilst children of Black-African origin make up 1.3 per cent of the student population, just 0.1 per cent of the region’s teachers identify in the same way (Gorard et al. 2023).
The data is there for all to see, and whilst the conversation about change has been ongoing for many years, with copious localised initiatives to address the issue, the results appear the same, with little momentum or genuine centralised government appetite for structural or transformative change. Whilst the implementation of short
lived ‘successful’ localised responses to this historic problem has led some to herald this as progress, worthy of celebration, I think it pertinent that we ask ourselves the following questions:
- How much work, dedication and strategic planning did it take for us to reach this mere one percent?
- What are the systemic barriers contributing to the underrepresentation of Black Headteachers and Deputy Headteachers, and how can they be effectively addressed?
- If achieving racial equity is a sincere aim that we are striving towards, why have we become comfortable with tokenistic adulations, for results that quite frankly fall below mediocre?
Navigating the Leadership Ladder: Obstacles for Black Educators in Advancing
The underrepresentation of Black educators in senior leadership roles is not due to a lack of eNort or ambition among teachers. In fact, Black teachers have repeatedly demonstrated a strong desire to attain leadership positions. Evidence shows that Black teachers nationally are able to successfully navigate to middle leadership, but the cliN that appears in front of them when stepping into senior leadership, is one that many fall oN (NfER, 2020). It seems there is little room for their presence around senior leadership tables, with many only able to sit on the periphery in newly formed roles such as secondee, associate assistant head or under the guise of being part of an ‘extended’ leadership team. The illustrious title of Assistant Headteacher or Assistant Principal, as the first step in senior leadership, appears for many, out of their reach. The actuality of one step forward, two steps back is far too apparent. Good enough to take on additional workload, but not good enough to be part of the substantive team.
Teacher Diversity and Its Impact on Student Experiences
Underrepresentation of Black teachers has been disproportionately low for decades in the UK and despite Black people making up 4.6% of the working age population, only 2.5% of teachers identify as Black (Glowach et al. 2023). The issues that arise however, are plenty. Gorard (2018) found that one of the downsides to a lack of ethnic minority teachers is the real possibility that this underrepresentation is not only having a negative effect on educational processes but on student outcomes too.
Beyond just students outcome however, what is interesting to note, is that ethnic minority students with similarly ethnic minority teachers are often less likely to be seen as disruptive (Dee, 2005), be referred for disciplinary reasons, be excluded (Grissom et al., 2009, Lindsay and Hart, 2017), or suspended from school (Gordon et al. 2023, Wright, 2015). With suspension rates at an all-time high (Busby, 2024), along with the fact that Black children are up to six times more likely to be excluded from school than their White peers (McIntyre et al. 2021), it appears clear that the recruiting of teachers from racially diverse backgrounds, might in fact help with this current crisis we find ourselves within.
Furthermore, even more intriguing, is that students with teachers from similar ethnic backgrounds to their own are also less likely to be classified as requiring special education (Stiefel et al., 2022) and in fact, where ethnic minority students have teachers of a similar ethnic minority to their own, they are more likely to be referred to a gifted programme (Grissom and Redding, 2016, Grissom et al., 2017, Ofori, 2023, Egalite and Kisida, 2016). Please note, this is not to suggest that students are being wrongly diagnosed by professionals, but rather creates a space for questions to be further explored. Historically however, the misdiagnosis of students from ethnic minority backgrounds was certainly the case, specifically those of Caribbean ancestry. The seminal work by Bernard Coard, ‘How the West Indian Child is Made Educationally Subnormal in the British School System’, written in 1971, explored the educational inequalities within the British educational system and found that West Indian students were disproportionately represented and often wrongly enrolled in ‘educationally subnormal’ schools. 50 years on, it appears this legacy continues.
Moving Beyond Tokenism: The Role of White Allies in Educational Reform
Now, allow for there to be no confusion to the argument being made. An increase in Black teachers and leaders is no silver bullet. It will not solve the abundance of issues within the educational system nor is there a golden percentage to be achieved. What it required, however, are meaningful steps in the right direction, the removal of barriers, and for many more White leaders and allies to go beyond mere rhetoric and delve into the world of action.
Whilst reviewing recruitment policies are fundamental, these are often used as a delay tactic to consciously, or subconsciously, buy time before genuine action is taken. With continuous delays and excuses, the cultural masquerading in many schools is far too prevalent. One of BHM celebrations, the monotonous assembly being delivered year after year on MLK Jr or Rosa Parks, where the only information changed is the date, or posters scarcely scattered about the school building pinned up, only to be pulled down on the Friday before the half term break, shoved back into a dark cupboard for another year. This must change. Note, I am not suggesting that these celebrations should not take place, but rather, they must be part of wider school initiatives instead of a plaster, attempting to cover over a gushing wound.
From Rhetoric to Reality: Creating Pathways from Middle to Senior Leadership
Delay tactics must be abandoned. Whilst many schools move towards actively considering the diversity of their workforce and have a staffing body that reflects the community they serve, much more work is required than to add a tokenistic phrase ‘we encourage applications from diverse candidates’ within job advertisements or the belief that by removing names from CVs all issues are solved in eliminating biases within recruitment processes. Schools must step out of their comfort zones on how they have always done things, a way which is no longer working (and arguably never has), and actively seek and develop talent. The time has come for leaders to go beyond providing a mere TLR to the only ethnic member of staff in the school to oversee all things diversity, as they are ‘the best fit’, and ensure it becomes part of the larger conversation around the leadership table.
For substantial and sustainable change to take place, leadership teams must collaborate with teachers and external organisations who in many instances, with the greatest of respect, are more knowledgeable than they are in areas such as this. Peaking over the horizon however, help is on the way. Through forward thinking initiatives such as the Leaders Like Us programme and Aspiring Heads programme to name a few, the current landscape supporting senior leaders from GMH backgrounds is shifting.
Therefore, as we move towards a brighter and more equitable future, I leave the following questions for you to ponder:
- In what ways does your organisation address and dismantle barriers that may hinder the advancement of minority ethnic teachers into leadership roles?
- What partnerships or collaborations do you have in place to support the leadership development of teachers from minority ethnic backgrounds?
- How are you ensuring your organisation is not pushing diverse talent of the middle leader to senior leadership cliff, but rather building a bridge for them to cross?
References:
Busby, E. (2024) Exclusions and suspensions hit record high as warning issued to all schools, Independent, Available at:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/school-exclusions-suspensions figures-record-b2581943.html
Dee, T. F. (2005) A Teacher Like Me: Does Race, Ethnicity, or Gender Matter? The American Economic Review 95(2): 158–165.
DfE (2023) School teacher workforce, Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts figures.service.gov.uk/workforce-and-business/workforce-diversity/school-teacher workforce/latest/#full-page-history
Demie, F., Kulwinder, M., Race, R. (2023) Ethnic inequality in the teaching workforce in schools: Why it matters, BERA
Egalite, A. J., Kisida, B. (2016) The Many Ways Teacher Diversity May Benefit Students, Education Next 24(3)
Glowach, T., Richards, M., Mitchell, R. (2023) More ethnic minority teachers are needed in UK schools – but teaching can affect their mental health and wellbeing, School of Education University of Bristol
Gorard, S. (2018) Education Policy. Bristol: Policy Press
Gorard, S., Chen, W., Tan, Y., Huat See, B., Gazmuri, C., Tereschchenko, A., Demie, F., Siddiqui, N. (2023) The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems, Routledge Open Research, 13(2) 1-28.
Grissom J., & Redding C. (2016) Discretion and Disproportionality: Explaining The Underrepresentation of High-Achieving Students of Color In Gifted Programs, AERA.
Grissom J., Nicholson-Crotty J., Nicholson-Crotty, S. (2009) Race, Region, and Representative Bureaucracy Public Adm Review; 69: 911–919.
Grissom J., Rodriguez L., Kern E. (2017) Teacher And Principal Diversity And The Representation Of Students Of Color In Gifted Programs, The University of Chicago Press, 117(3).
Lindsay, C. A., & Hart, C. M. D. (2017) Exposure to same-race teachers and student disciplinary outcomes for Black students in North Carolina, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 39(3), 485–510.
McIntyre, N., Parveen, N., Thomas, T. (2021) Exclusion rates five times higher for black Caribbean pupils in parts of England, The Guardian, Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/mar/24/exclusion-rates-black caribbean-pupils-england
NfER; Kettlewell, K., Lucas, M., McCrone, T., Liht, J., & Sims, D. (2020) School and trust governance investigative report: October 2020, London: Department for Education
Ofori, M. (2023) Lack of diversity in teaching in England means minority ethnic pupils miss out, The Guardian, Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/aug/29/lack-diversity-teaching-means minority-ethnic-pupils-england-miss-out
Stiefel L., Syeda S., Cimpian J., O;Hagan, K. (2022) The Role of School Context in Explaining Racial Disproportionality in Special Education, EdWorkingPaper: 22-661.
White, N. (2024) No Black or Asian teachers in more than half of English primary schools, report finds, Independent, Available at:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/no-black-asian-teachers-england primary-schools-b2544072.html
Wright, A. (2015) Teachers’ perceptions of students’ disruptive behavior: The Effect of Racial Congruence and Consequences for School Suspension, Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference.
Inclusive Recruitment: 20 Tips to Consider
Written by Hannah Wilson
Founder of Diverse Educators
‘Diversifying Recruitment’ and ‘Inclusive Recruitment’ are two terms that we often hear being mentioned frequently in education circles, but what is the difference in approach?
Diverse or diversifying suggests the focus is on finding diverse candidates. Inclusive or ‘inclusifying’ (phrase coined by Professor Paul Miller which we have adopted) suggests the focus is instead on including diverse candidates. A subtle and nuanced difference which makes the commitment more authentic and meaningful for all parties.
As fans of Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ from his TED Talk: ‘Start With Why’, we would suggest that you start in your thinking and in your discussions as an educational employer, by using the model (Golden Circle = Why > How > What) to map out and align the purpose of recruiting differently.
Example 1:
- Why do we want to diversify our staff body?
- How diverse is our community and how does this compare to our various stakeholder groups?
- What impact/ legacy are we striving for by diversifying our staff?
Example 2:
- Why do we want to make our recruitment process more inclusive?
- How inclusive are our existing policies, processes and practices?
- What is the impact of a more inclusive approach to our recruitment and to our workplace?
The clarity of understanding what we are trying to change and why we are trying to change it, is an important starting point in transforming how we do things. Moreover, becoming more conscious, confident and competent in identifying and removing/ reducing existing barriers facing candidates in the recruitment process is an ongoing training priority.
A shared understanding, a shared language and a shared approach will lead to a greater consistency in experience for all.
Some key language to consider and explore:
- ‘Unconscious bias’ – have we discussed this in advance of starting a recruitment process and have key stakeholders had training?
- ‘Glass ceiling’ – are we aware of where this sits above the women in education in the system and in our own organisation?
- ‘Concrete ceiling’ – are we aware of where this sits about the people of colour in education in the system and in our own organisation?
Moreover, have we discussed, are we values-aligned and do we have a strategic approach when it comes to topics such as flexible working and the pay gap?
We get asked a lot to support schools, colleges and trusts in their approach to recruitment, but the request is often too late in the process to make a real difference and to make changes meaningful. There are some quick wins you can make in the short term to create a more inclusive recruitment process and experience, but really this needs to be a medium to long term project and we need to be planning for Summer 2025 and Autumn 2025 activities to get us better prepared for the Spring 2026 recruitment.
Here are 20 tips to reflect on and discuss with colleagues:
Tip 1: Review the JD & PS – particularly look at what is down as being ‘desirable’ v ‘essential’ as some people will not apply if they do not meet all of the criteria. We are creating false barriers e.g. you must have the NASENCO or NPQH award to apply for this job is incorrect – they can be working towards it or start it once appointed.
Tip 2: Review the Job Advert – screen the wording for bias and especially review any gendered language. Some language choices will suggest only a certain type of candidate should apply e.g. for headship a leader ‘with gravitas’ might lead to more male candidates applying.
Tip 3: Articulate your DEIB Commitment – consider where in the initial documentation would a candidate know that you are on a DEIB journey and truly committed to change as an organisation. Do you have a DEIB statement that can be lifted and included? A policy and/ or a DEIB action plan that can be hyperlinked?
Tip 4: Share your Commitment to Flexible Working – research shows us that by mentioning an openness to flexible working you get an increase in applicants. Since the Flexible Working Bill was passed the system has had to consider flexible working as a recruitment tool as well as a retention tool. Make it explicit from the beginning of the process what might be possible so candidates do not waste your time and you do not waste their time either!
Tip 5: Consider where to Advertise – if we keep doing the same we will keep getting the same. Some Jobs Boards are very expensive and draw a certain audience. Diversifying where you are advertising can also lead to you finding more diverse candidates. E.g. for governance you can post adverts in special interest Linkedin groups and networks such as Black Governors Network.
Tip 6: Consider who is Sharing the Advert and where / to who – recruitment needs to become a team sport and not just the work of HR. If your staff are outward facing and are on socials, ask them to share opportunities with their networks. Push it beyond the immediate network around the organisation to find people beyond that.
Tip 7: Review the Application Form – you might already be doing all of the above and wondering why it is not working, but have you looked at the fields the candidate has to complete at application level and the information they have to read as often forms are out of date and undermine the DEIB work that is happening e.g. asking a question like What is your gender? With binary answers like M/F. How would someone trans or non-binary complete this question? How might this put off trans allies from applying too?
Tip 8: Review your ‘Shop Window’ – your organisation’s website and your social media accounts also need reviewing and updating so everything is harmonised. If you are saying in the call to action you are interested in hearing from diverse candidates who reflect the diversity of the local community, but your website imagery does not reflect this it creates dissonance. If the person running the social media accounts has not been briefed and is only amplifying white, male thought leaders and people who share exclusionary content online, this will contradict the DEIB commitment you have articulated and this will lead to further self deselection.
Tip 9: Create a ‘Blank’ Selection Process – lots of organisations pride themselves on running ‘blind’ recruitment processes. Consider how ableist this language is and how it might undermine your commitment to DEIB. Is there another way of sharing what you are doing to try to remove bias in the process from blanking out names, race, age, salaries and institutions candidates have worked/ studied at?
Tip 10: Diversify who is Involved in the Long and Short Listing Process – bias creeps in as soon as applicants start arriving. Different people reviewing and handling the applications will have their own biases around spelling, punctuation and grammar, around font choice and formatting, around language choices before you even start digging into the details. Consider who is involved in creating and applying the selection criteria and how you score the application.
Tip 11: Articulate in the Invitation to Interview what Support is Available – instead of waiting for diversity to wave at you and say ‘hey, I am different and need this from you…’ consider leading with what you can offer as adjustments and support, and share this with all candidates. E.g. On the day you will have access to allocated parking, a lift, a quiet room, a prayer room… we serve Halal food in our school kitchen. People will feel more comfortable confirming what they need to thrive at the interview, but this will also show all candidates that you are fully committed to inclusion.
Tip 12: Send out Interview Questions out in Advance – many institutions are now sending questions out in advance to support neurodivergent applicants with processing time. But this approach also benefits other candidates including those who are less confident, introverted or who have had some time out of the system. Everyone will perform better! There are concerns that people will cheat and use ChatGTP to craft responses but we will be able to identify a contrived response and interrogate further.
Tip 13: Create an Accessible and Inclusive Interview Experience – ensure the interview format, tasks and briefing documents are accessible for all candidates, thus removing any barriers. Build in a task or a question to check for values alignment to your organisational commitment to DEIB. Values tasks can be scenario-based but can also be sent out in advance to reflect on and prepare as a pre-task to share at the interview.
Tip 14: Consider all of the Candidate Touchstones – curate the range of people that the candidates will interact with at each point of the process from ringing up to book a visit, coming for a pre-interview tour, to the day itself and communications from the HR lead before, during and after. Where are the opportunities for candidates to see themselves and other diverse identities in the process?
Tip 15: Be Authentic and Honest, Avoid Being Performative – we get regular feedback from candidates that they appreciate transparency from prospective employers. If an organisation can identify and articulate their gaps/ shortcomings this acknowledges that they are aware of their gaps and they want to do better in representing the diversity of their community in the diversity of the staff body. We are also aware that some organisations use stock images of diverse staff and center a couple of children from marginalised identities in all of their marketing materials.
Tip 16: Close the Training Gaps for HR, SLT, Governors and Administrative Staff – creating a more inclusive approach to recruitment to diversify the staff, takes a lot of time and energy. This starts with identifying the training needs of all of the stakeholders potentially involved in recruitment. The DEIB training needs to be scheduled, in advance and form part of an ongoing commitment to upskilling all managers and leaders in HR matters to bring the people strategy to life. We know that we need Safer Recruitment training in place, wrap the DEIB and unconscious bias training around it.
Tip 17: Plan for Induction – finding and securing candidates is the start of the journey of onboarding new staff into your team to ensure they are included. As new staff are oriented into your ways of working, ensure that DEIB is a golden thread. Have a standardised DEIB session for line managers to deliver to all new staff at the start of each term, or get your DEIB lead to deliver it or pre-record it so everyone gets a consistent message.
Tip 18: Outline Development Opportunities – see the vacancy as an opportunity to showcase how you develop and nurture your staff. Find an opportunity at interview or in the interview documentation to share the talent management strategy and what CPD is on offer. This will inspire and motivate staff, and affirm that you invest in your staff including offering coaching and mentoring to empower them to have impact in their roles.
Tip 19: Focus on Retention as much as Recruitment – efforts are often focused on recruitment, but we also need to pay attention to staff retention. We need to regularly scrutinise and share our attrition data, identifying patterns and trends. If we are losing our mothers, how family-friendly is our school? If we are losing our neurodivergent staff, how neuro-inclusive are we? Exit interviews are too late to find out what is going on and what is going wrong, create feedback loops to listen and learn from staff surveys/ staff voice around levels of inclusion and belonging to make regular tweaks to the approach.
Tip 20: Give and Get Feedback from all of the Candidates – we hear from so many candidates who are not offered feedback following an interview, or who receive feedback that is not specific, constructive nor helpful for their development. Build into the process how feedback will be harvested and cascaded, see this as part of the value-add to all candidates but also as an opportunity to show your commitment to staff development. Also ask for feedback, be open to what worked and did not work to consider changes in future interview activities.
Our biggest advice is plan ahead and design for inclusion. These tips can all feed into a longer term piece of strategic work around your talent management process and people strategy. A strategic approach to inclusive recruitment and diversifying the workforce means we are focused on being proactive, preemptive and preventive instead of being reactive.
We have worked with some trusts where the training starts in May, the summer term is spent mapping milestones out with key stakeholders. The HR and recruitment team spend the summer period whilst schools are closed to review and update documentation. Then in the Autumn updates can be shared through meetings and training sessions for all stakeholders involved in recruitment. This means that our processes, policies, practices and people will be ready for the big push on recruitment from the Winter/ early Spring.
Our call to action is to be brave and to commit to doing things differently. This might include:
- Becoming more outward-facing as an organisation
- Creating a campaign about what it is like to work/ why you should consider working at the organisation
- Articulating your Employer’s Promise in multiple ways on your socials
- Growing the network around the organisation
- Holding recruitment days and open events for the organisation
- Hosting events and training to create a buzz around the organisation
- Keeping a pipeline of talent warm and informed about opportunities
For more information check out the following support and resources:
- Our Inclusive Recruitment Toolkit
- Our Inclusive Recruitment Training
- Our session on Inclusive Recruitment at the ASCL national conference
- Our #DiverseEd Jobs Board in partnership with Teacheroo
If you are an organisation who has already committed to using our #DiverseEd Jobs Board throughout 2025, we will be in touch regarding a free webinar to support you all in your inclusive recruitment efforts.
Power up your passion: Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and the drive for diversity in engineering careers
Written by Engineering UK
EngineeringUK is a not-for-profit organisation that drives change so more young people choose engineering and technology careers. Our mission is to enable more young people from all backgrounds to be inspired, informed and progress into engineering and technology.
As Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2024 approaches, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment to ignite excitement and purpose among young people for careers in engineering and technology. From November 11 to 15, EngineeringUK will host this nationwide celebration under the theme Power up your passion, highlighting how personal interests can lead to fulfilling and impactful careers in STEM fields. This initiative is not just about inspiring the next generation; it’s also about breaking down barriers to ensure engineering is accessible and appealing to young people from diverse backgrounds.
Understanding the importance of interest-driven careers
A recent survey conducted at the Big Bang Fair 2024 revealed that 64% of young people are driven by the idea of pursuing careers that align with their interests and passions. This statistic sheds light on a critical point: engagement and motivation in career exploration are heightened when young people can see a clear connection between their personal passions and professional opportunities. More than just a job, a career in engineering can be an avenue for self-expression, creativity, and problem-solving—qualities that resonate strongly with young minds.
However, translating this potential into reality requires us to address significant challenges and misconceptions that still exist, particularly around diversity and inclusion in engineering.
Bridging the diversity gap in engineering
The engineering sector faces a pressing diversity problem. As highlighted by the Science Education Tracker and UCAS Project Next Generation research, only 16% of girls feel that engineering is a suitable career for them, and women still make up a mere 18% of first-year engineering undergraduates. This gender disparity is compounded by the lack of visible female role models and the underrepresentation of people from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Furthermore, many young people have limited awareness of the post-secondary pathways into engineering, with 57% of 13- to 17-year-olds admitting they know little about options like apprenticeships or technical courses.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are not just buzzwords; they are fundamental to creating a robust and innovative engineering workforce. The sector thrives when a multitude of perspectives comes together to tackle complex challenges. Therefore, promoting engineering careers must actively consider the experiences of underrepresented groups, including girls, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
The role of Tomorrow’s Engineers Week
Tomorrow’s Engineers Week serves as a powerful platform to address these issues head-on by offering resources and experiences that inspire and inform. Teachers, career leaders, and students will have access to free, flexible materials that can be integrated into lessons and assemblies, making engineering careers relatable and engaging for young people.
One of the standout features this year is the Day in the life film series, which provides an authentic look at the daily work of early-career engineers from various fields. These films are designed to be flexible, fitting easily into lessons or form times, and they emphasise the real-world applications of STEM skills, particularly those that draw on creativity and problem-solving.
In addition, the Match your passion panel will bring young people face-to-face virtually with early-career engineers who can answer questions, offer tailored advice, and share how their own passions led them into engineering. This personalised approach is crucial in showing young people the diversity of pathways available and demystifying a field that is often perceived as inaccessible or irrelevant.
Supporting teachers and career leaders
Teachers and career leaders are essential allies in the effort to diversify engineering. Yet, according to EngineeringUK research, they often lack the support and resources to guide students effectively. With only 43% of young people having participated in a STEM activity beyond standard lessons and 46% of career advisers citing funding and time constraints as barriers, there is a clear need for more robust support systems.
Tomorrow’s Engineers Week aims to address these gaps by offering practical, easy-to-use resources that empower teachers. For example, lesson plans, interactive sessions, and career-focused panels can bring STEM subjects to life, making them more appealing and accessible. As Dr. Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, points out, the week’s activities are designed to connect young people with engineers who have turned their interests into rewarding careers, inspiring students to envision their own futures in the sector.
Engineering a more inclusive future
Ultimately, initiatives like Tomorrow’s Engineers Week are about ensuring that every young person, regardless of gender, race, disability, or socioeconomic status, has the opportunity to explore engineering careers. By focusing on interest-driven engagement, the campaign makes STEM more approachable and aligns with the principles of DEI that are crucial to our education system.
For more information on how to get involved in Tomorrow’s Engineers Week, and to access these invaluable resources, visit Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and join the conversation using #TEWeek24. Let’s make engineering a field where every young person sees a place for themselves—a future powered by passion, built on diversity, and driven by a desire to shape the world.
Together, we can power up the passions of the next generation and pave the way for a more inclusive, innovative engineering landscape.
How My Experiences with ADHD in Different Workplaces Led to a PhD and Training Programmes for Businesses and Schools
Written by Steve Ollington
ADHDer studying the pros and cons of ADHD in the workplace, with 19 years in digital marketing, and more recently running ADHD training.
I’m Steve Ollington, and I’m currently undertaking a PhD at Swansea University, supervised by Professor Brian Garrod, focusing on ADHD in the workplace. My research journey started with a personal observation: despite having a consistent skill set and high level of experience in my profession, I noticed that my performance varied significantly depending on the workplace environment. In some settings, I thrived; in others, I struggled to achieve the same level of productivity and job satisfaction. This discrepancy led me to examine how different workplace environments interact with ADHD traits, not just in terms of challenges, but also in enabling the often-overlooked strengths associated with ADHD.
Observing the Role of Environment in My ADHD Performance
In some roles, I was given autonomy and flexibility, which allowed me to excel. I had the freedom to approach tasks creatively, was trusted by managers, and felt supported by colleagues who understood different thinking styles. In these settings, I could harness the strengths that come with ADHD, for example innovative thinking and alternative (but effective) problem-solving. My performance was high, and I felt truly engaged in my work.
In other workplaces, however, I encountered rigid structures and strictly enforced processes with little flexibility. There was often limited understanding of alternative approaches to work, and I felt pressured to conform to methods that didn’t align with how I function best. This rigid structure amplified the challenges of ADHD, while stifling my ability to bring my strengths to the forefront. In these environments, I found myself struggling as a result.
Recognising the Potential of ADHD Strengths in the Workplace
Through these contrasting experiences, I realised that while my ADHD challenges remained constant, my ability to utilise my strengths was significantly influenced by the environment, including the acceptance of my differences by those around me. Some workplaces allowed me to maximise my capabilities, while others hindered them. This insight led me to pursue a PhD, focusing on ADHD in professional environments. Rather than just examining the difficulties faced by ADHD employees, I wanted to highlight the strengths and explore the specific workplace conditions that either foster or inhibit these strengths.
Research supports the notion that ADHD brings unique strengths. Dr Heiner Lachenmeier’s book ADHD and Success at Work, for instance, describes how people with ADHD often have a “wider breadth of association” due to a reduced filtering of incoming information, which enhances creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Research by Dr Nancy Doyle on neurodivergence in the workplace, combined with studies on creativity and imagination by White and Shah demonstrate that ADHD individuals can excel in environments that embrace cognitive diversity. Creativity, for instance, is often heightened in ADHD individuals due to the way they process information, thinking beyond traditional boundaries. However, these strengths can only be fully realised in workplaces that are flexible, supportive, and open to alternative working styles.
Dr Edward Hallowell also discusses this in his book Driven to Distraction at Work, noting that ADHD can fuel high energy, hyperfocus, and enthusiasm when supported in the right way. Additionally, Prof Amanda Kirby and Theo Smith, in The Power of Neurodiversity at Work, as well as Leanne Maskell in ADHD Works at Work, advocate for environments that understand and embrace neurodiversity, highlighting the benefits employees with ADHD can bring to the workplace.
Developing Targeted ADHD Training Courses
This studying inevitably led to increasing my own understanding of ADHD and its impact on my work, and the more I learned, the more it became evident that many workplaces lack the necessary understanding and support for neurodivergent employees. Despite increased emphasis on diversity and inclusion, neurodivergence (including ADHD) is still very often misunderstood, with much of the current training being very broad and general, not focusing enough on individual conditions. I saw, and experienced, the need for specific training to address not only the challenges but also the strengths associated with ADHD, and the resulting understanding from workplace peers who might have neurotypical only expectations of skills like communication and approaches to tasks.
This realisation led me to transform my PhD literature review into two targeted training courses. The first course is designed for businesses, specifically aimed at training managers, HR, and colleagues of people with ADHD, focuses on understanding ADHD from a balanced perspective, covering how ADHD employees think differently, the areas in which they may need support, and how workplaces can harness their unique strengths. It encourages flexibility, trust, and space for creativity, which are key to enabling ADHD employees to thrive.
The second course is geared towards educators, providing ADHD training for teachers, TAs, and SEN staff, to equip them with the knowledge to reassure ADHD children and teenagers on how ADHD doesn’t have to limit them as they grow up, and that in fact they their ADHD also brings strengths, such as creative thinking and resilience. By emphasising these positive traits, educators can help ADHD students see their future as one filled with potential and opportunity.
The one human skill that powers all others: Is empathy the secret to wellbeing, inclusion & the future of work?
Written by Ed Kirwan
Ed Kirwan is the Founder and CEO of Empathy Studios, an organisation using film to develop empathy, a vital human skill. A former science teacher and Head of Chemistry, Ed transitioned into filmmaking in 2018, launching The Empathy Programme in 2020. Ed also founded Empathy Week, the world’s largest empathy festival, reaching over 1.3 million students in 50 countries.
As an educator, you’re often faced with student situations you can’t anticipate. Those situations are almost always personal, nuanced and highly-specific to that individual. They require a human response. They require empathy.
Empathy is the skill to understand another and the ability to create space for someone to reveal their authentic self, whilst reserving judgement.
Empathy is no longer merely a nice-to-have; it’s essential and has been listed as one of the most vital skills for the 21st century. Is vital for conflict resolution, it helps increase creativity) and can even reduce cyberbullying. Empathy can be passed from generation to generation View here and so teaching it has far-reaching benefits beyond the immediate impact.
Neighbourhood diversity has doubled on average in the UK since 2001 and, in some towns, it has increased ten fold. This should be a wonderful opportunity of celebration and learning, yet we know from the UK riots this summer that cohesion and community isn’t a given. It also doesn’t come about from simply teaching students to ‘be kind’ and ‘be tolerant’. Empathy sits at the foundation of the human skills that enable inclusion, communication and adaptability that are crucial in our globalised world.
Since 2020, my team and I have been helping educators give their students the tools needed to develop empathy – and we continuously research the impact, in partnership with Cambridge University . In these last five years we’ve learnt a lot. Our Empathy Programme has engaged 175,000 students and our annual festival, Empathy Week, has reached over 1.3 million students in 50+ countries. But for me, it all started in the classroom.
At the age of 22, I began teaching science in North London at a co-ed state school – something I deeply loved. It taught me a lot about privilege, society and the importance of empathy. It also taught me that humans are complex social and emotional beings.
Much of my motivation comes from having taught the infamous (self-named) “U-gang” – a group of 24 boys who all received ‘U’ grades in their christmas mock exams.
They had a lot of anger and lacked motivation. In their eyes, they were already destined to be a failure. They hadn’t yet learnt how to communicate their needs effectively, or they were misunderstood – in all honesty I think it was both things at once. As I got to know them I realised they were, quite simply, scared young men.
Teaching that group was one of the most rewarding experiences in my teaching career. None of the “U-gang” ended up with a U grade, despite one of my students missing his Chemistry exam because he was in a police cell. They all passed.
Looking back now it’s not because I was the best science teacher, but because I took a genuine interest in them as individuals. Who did they live with at home? What hobbies did they have? What did they aspire to be? What made them tick?
I took as many steps as possible to understand and develop a healthy rapport with the class, including delivering science classes on the basketball court and shifting our practical lessons to be less daunting. I was using empathy, I just didn’t have language for what I was doing yet.
Empathy underpins everything needed to make a child feel seen, heard and understood. Everything that’s needed to make someone feel safe and like they belong and that’s what we’re all really after isn’t it? To belong?
Empathy is not a value or a trait. It is a skill which can be actioned and, crucially, taught. Our pilot research with Cambridge University explores the impact of our term long programme to develop empathy skills in 5-18 year olds. Teachers report a measurable impact to empathy levels – and excitingly they also report improvements to behaviour and increased global citizenship after completing the programme.
Crucially there are three drivers of success that manage to build empathy successfully:
1) Engage and entertain students – A lot of education content can be boring and only serves to transfer information rather than ignite genuine conversation and learning. Our programme and films are a trojan horse for empathy building. They excite students from the very start and in turn lead to conversations and connection.
2) Increase the amount & diversity of experiences of students – We can’t all fly around the world, but we can allow students to experience real life stories through film. From Lipa who talks about the right to wear a Hijab in sport to a Mexican paralympian who is now giving back,, students can gain insight into themes such as culture & identity, disability, bereavement, sustainability & mental health.
3) Skills building can’t be a one-off – Empathy is a muscle and the best results come with sustained and long-term intervention. It’s the schools that build empathy into a golden thread of their school that are seeing the benefits.
As educators and teachers, we need more support to help equip young people with the human skills they need. As the world becomes ever more connected and AI transforms the way we live and work together, it is our human relationships, adaptability and resilience that will allow us to thrive – and empathy is the one human skill at the foundation of this.
Equal Pay Day
Written by The MTPT Project
The UK’s only charity for parent teachers, with a particular focus on the parental leave and return to work period.
This Autumn, we celebrate International Equal Pay Day (18th September) and the UK’s Gender Pay Gap Day (probably around the 22nd November).
“Celebrate” is probably the wrong term for it, with the United Nations telling us that “Across all regions, women are paid less than men, with the gender pay gap estimated at around 20 per cent globally.”
Out of 146 countries, the UK ranked 15th in a 2023 World Economic Forum comparison, up there with the best and trailing just behind Iceland, Namibia, New Zealand and Rwanda, amongst others.
Fifteenth out of 146 sounds great but… it’s not that great. The UK still has a gender pay gap across all industries of 14.3% meaning that women are paid (on average) 86p for every £1 that men are paid.
In the education sector, it’s even worse, with the gender pay gap standing at 18.1%. Some multi-academy trusts (we won’t name them) fare terribly, with gender pay gaps of up to 44.6%. Why not enjoy the government’s brilliant Search and Compare tool that lays the facts bare in a simple click to satiate your curiosity?
While the graphs in ASCL et al.’s updated 2023 report indicate that a slight gender pay gap exists at almost all levels (female classroom teachers actually slightly outearn male classroom teachers), a seismic shift happens between the ages of 30-39, particularly between 35-39 when – you guessed right – teachers are most likely to become mothers.
57% of female teachers aged 30-34 are mothers, jumping to 77% for women aged 35-39. During this time, the gender pay gap increases by between £846 (“other leadership”) to £2,131 (headteachers) per year. Classroom teachers – previously outearning their male counterparts by £143 per year – suddenly suffer a wage gap of £1,253.
The explanation: of course, it is the motherhood penalty in action. Studies largely agree that “women’s inability to combine work with family seems to account for the lion’s share of the pay gap” and in Missing Mothers – a report co-authored by The MTPT Project and The New Britain Project – we explain how this impact is being felt in teaching.
Motherhood means that we are losing experienced teachers in droves; they are paid less when they remain in the profession, and are underrepresented at leadership level.
Solving the gender pay gap in any industry is complicated. The same goes for what we like to term more precisely, the “fiscal motherhood penalty in education”. But the Missing Mothers report lays out one simple recommendation to government: shift the investment currently focused on recruitment, to retention.
Specifically, focus on retaining and improving working conditions for women aged 30-39 by addressing and reducing the motherhood penalty.
Want to do more this autumn to reduce the impact of the motherhood penalty in education? Book in a 30 minute call with Emma at The MTPT Project between 18th September – 22nd November. She’ll share more about why the motherhood penalty exists and the right questions to ask, and strategies to implement to make a real difference in your organisation. The fun gimmick? She’ll charge you the rate of your organisation’s pay gap for the consultation session.
LGBTQ+ teachers don’t receive the training and support they need
Written by Dr Adam Brett
Adam has completed a doctorate exploring the experiences of LGBT+ secondary teachers. A presentation of his findings can be found here. He also co-hosts a podcast called Pride and Progress, @PrideProgress, which amplifies the voices of LGBT+ educators, activists and allies.
Originally posted on The Conversation in May 2024:
https://theconversation.com/lgbtq-teachers-dont-receive-the-training-and-support-they-need-228162
Republished with permission of the author.
LGBTQ+ teachers report feeling stressed and even discriminated against in the workplace due to their identity. This is a problem when keeping teachers in their jobs is vital. Teaching is facing a crisis in both recruitment and retention: in 2021-22, more than 39,000 teachers quit the profession.
But there is no formal support or training offered to LGBTQ+ teachers by the Department for Education. Supporting the teaching workforce who identify as LGBTQ+ and making teaching a welcoming profession should be a priority for the government.
For LGBTQ+ teachers, working in UK schools may no longer be the deeply traumatic and dangerous experience it was under Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, which was repealed in 2003. This law sought to ban local authorities and their schools from promoting the acceptability of homosexuality as a “pretended family relationship”.
But LGBTQ+ teaching staff continue to face challenges such as feeling unsafe in their workplace.
Throughout their careers, LGBTQ+ teachers are placed in the difficult position of deciding whether they should conceal or reveal their sexual or gender identity. This is not a decision they are trained to deal with, nor a decision they make just once. It is particularly tricky in schools where teachers must decide if, when, and how to be open with different groups – staff, students, parents, and others involved in school life.
As an LGBTQ+ former teacher, I know first-hand the emotional tax that comes with continuously negotiating LGBT+ visibility and identity within school.
Unsafe spaces
For my doctoral research I worked with 12 LGBTQ+ teachers from a variety of contexts, including faith, private, and single sex schools. The teachers took photos to represent the spaces where they felt most and least safe within their school, and described the significance of their photos.
The teachers changed how they behaved out of fear of being seen as LGBTQ+. They did this in particular in open or visible spaces, such as when on break duty, leading an assembly or in the staffroom.
In these spaces, the LGBTQ+ teachers were fearful of comments or incidents related to their identity that they felt unequipped to deal with. One teacher said:
I give my assemblies quite often, and I don’t hide my sexuality from anybody, so the student body knows that I’m gay … but when I’m doing my assemblies I feel, I feel scared and I don’t know if it’s because I know that they know that I’m gay and therefore, I’m like afraid of them … I don’t know hurling a slur or something.
By contrast, the teachers often described their classrooms as the spaces where they felt most safe. Here, they had created their own routines, relationships and systems.
Among the 12 participants, there were teachers who had been told not to discuss their sexual or gender identity. One teacher told me that they and others had been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement in a Catholic school: “We weren’t allowed to talk about the fact [that we were gay],” they said.
These are extreme examples. Generally, though, the assumption of heterosexuality in schools can lead to personal questions and situations that LGBTQ+ teachers often feel unequipped to deal with.
Cisgender and heterosexual teachers might be asked about their partners and families and would feel no fear of retribution or backlash in answering those questions. But what might be an entirely unremarkable conversation for a heterosexual teacher might well be deeply fraught for an LGBTQ+ teacher. This can be understood as “heterosexual privilege”.
Despite thousands of the teacher workforce identifying as LGB+, they receive no formal support or training for the challenges that they are likely to experience in their career. Sending LGBTQ+ teachers into schools without adequate support or training will probably lead to these teachers experiencing discrimination and stress.
Some teacher training providers ensure that trainees from minority backgrounds receive training and support to help them face the additional barriers they may experience in schools. However, implementation remains inconsistent.
Future reforms to the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, which outlines the minimum entitlement for trainee and early career teachers, must reflect these challenges to ensure a minimum and equitable level of provision for LGBTQ+ teachers. If they don’t, fewer LGBTQ+ teachers will enter or remain in the profession. Students and families won’t see themselves represented, and young people won’t be equipped for life in a diverse society.
LGBTQ+ people have the potential to make exceptional teachers and leaders. With the right support, they can thrive in the profession and provide young people with the role models that they desperately need.
#AllTheThings
Written by Helena Marsh
Helena is a WomenEd co-founder, mum of three and experienced school and Trust leader. In her ninth year of secondary headship, Helena has also held the role of MAT CEO. An advocate of flexible working, Helena co-wrote the ‘Flexing our Schools’ chapter in the first WomenEd book and has been an active supporter of the Flexible Working Ambassador Scheme and the MTPT Project.
Spending the day among some incredible inspiring women at the ‘Breaking the Mould’ event on 9th March at Milton Road Primary School, Cambridge, was a fabulous way to mark this year’s International Women’s Day.
Hannah asked me to contribute to the event when we met for an after work mocktail in May 2023. At the time, having this little spot of feminist joy to look forward to on the horizon really uplifted me at a particularly bleak moment in my leadership career.
Several months later, I was not disappointed. Featuring amongst a programme of kick-ass women gave me a real sense of personal and professional rejuvenation.
My session, entitled ‘What’s the point of cake if you can’t eat it?’, focused on my experiences, as a mum of three, of gendered perceptions of leadership. In my 15 years as a senior leader, I’ve been conscious of women stepping away from the profession, and their leadership potential, citing selfishness and a pragmatic need to focus on their families, as the reason.
To coin a phrase by Summer Turner, I questioned: ‘Are the boys also worrying about this?’ Do men perceive becoming a dad and maintaining their career as ‘having it all’?
Gender pay gap research reveals that they don’t. The Fatherhood Bonus, in stark contrast to the Motherhood Penalty, rewards men for becoming fathers. While women are stepping down or away to focus on caregiving and accepting the inevitability of this pause/permanent freeze in their professional journey, men are, statistically, enjoying promotion and pay progression when starting a family.
My presentation focused on the factors, institutional, societal and personal, that lead to women feeling as though progressing professionally is not a viable choice once becoming a mum. I concluded that wholesale changes to sector expectations of leaders is necessary. As Jill Berry wisely observes, if having a job and a life isn’t achievable, there’s a problem with the job.
The other inputs to the day complemented this theme. Particularly Niamh Sweeney’s rousing cry to tackle the injustices within the profession that inhibit and preclude. Niamh’s anecdote from her recent trip to the States chimed with many of us in the audience. The audacious goal of winning ‘all the things’ spoke to a refreshing cultural ambition. Meanwhile, many of the other talks highlighted the importance of acknowledging feminine leadership traits and valuing the benefits of diversity in leadership teams.
I left the day reflecting on how often ‘having it all’ is misunderstood for ‘doing it all’. My Mother’s Day stash of gifts that I received the following day from my little ones included various iterations of listing pads. As a fan of organisational stationery, I was chuffed with my haul. However, it did make me recognise how much of my sense of success as a mum and leader is measured through my accomplishment of ‘stuff’. Many women that I have worked with pride themselves on getting all the sh*t done and to an exceptional standard, often at the expense of their personal health and wellbeing.
As I acknowledged in my IWD talk, the weight of the mental load that mums carry, let alone mum leaders carry, is immense. It’s important that having #AllTheThings doesn’t necessitate us doing everything but having our fair share of whatever it is we strive for, whether that’s cake, career development opportunities or childcare responsibilities.
Should schools provide prayer spaces?
Written by Zahara Chowdhury
Zahara is founder and editor of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, a platform that explores a range of topics helping students, teachers and parents on how to ‘adult well’, together. She is a DEI lead across 2 secondary schools and advises schools on how to create positive and progressive cultures for staff and students. Zahara is a previous Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Education and Wellbeing Consultant.
The recent High Court decision, ruling in favour of headteacher Birbalsingh’s decision to ban prayer spaces has created quite the media storm. The decision has raised concerns about the precedent it sets for schools creating safe spaces for students and staff, Muslim students and staff in particular. It has also raised conversations about what schools are for and how schools and workplaces can fulfill their obligation to adhere to the Equality Act and The Public Sector Equality Duty – and how they can get around it too.
The responses to the verdict reveal that we live in a society and online world in which Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate is increasing; whilst we have ‘come a long way’ in overcoming Islamophobia since 9/11, a high court ruling like this makes me wonder if we’ve made any difference at all to the safety of Muslims for future generations? The verdict also reveals the disconnect that exists within the school system itself: we have some leaders who are not interested in creating unity and understanding within a diverse country – yet at the same time they ‘tokenistically’ take pride in multiculturalism too. And, we have other leaders in education giving us hope, embedding inclusive and equitable practices in everyday school life. I find it baffling that a simple question about prayer spaces ends up at the gates of a High Court. To me, this not only reveals a lack of unity and understanding in a school but also an absence of a critical skill that should be at the centre of schooling: listening.
Many educators and commentators have been sharing their concerns and outrage about the decision. It will also concern parents and students who regularly use prayer spaces in schools, maybe even at work (many teachers use prayer spaces too). It’s a disappointing decision and whilst several anti-woke keyboard warriors rejoice at the ruling, we cannot let it set a precedent for schools – and I don’t think it will. Schools absolutely should provide prayer spaces and they will continue to provide such safe spaces for students – it’s quite simply common sense. For this blog, examples and explanations are practical and experiential, based on what life is like ‘in school’. Whilst research and data are important, progress, collaboration and community cohesion are also nurtured by listening to the candid, lived experiences of staff and students in schools.
Time and space to pray
In line with the Equality Act, allowing students and staff to pray is reasonable and proportionate to a school and working day. It is comparable to allowing students to have break times, music lessons and god-forbid, toilet breaks. Different forms of prayer and spiritual practice are a part of nearly every faith. In Islam, praying 5 times a day is an integral part of the faith. It takes 5-10 minutes to pray. For the duration of that time, a prayer mat takes up just as much space as a two-seater desk. Depending on the time of year, prayer usually fits into a lunchtime. Just as schools host extracurricular clubs, music lessons sports fixtures and more, prayer can usually fit into this time too. It is not a big ask and it is not disruptive.
Some schools may have a designated prayer room, which is great. Other schools may allocate a classroom, usually near a space where a teacher is ‘on duty’ anyway; the last time I checked, prayer doesn’t require back flips, cartwheels or balancing on one’s head…the health and safety risks are fairly manageable. Some schools might even say, ‘if you need to pray and you have what you need with you (prayer mat, head covering, beads, holy book etc…), feel free to use a designated safe space. It does not need to be complicated.
Prayer spaces are not the problem
To blame prayer and collective worship for peer pressure and bullying is deflecting from the real problem. If children start praying as a result of seeing others pray, or if they simply observe with questions and curiosity, why is this such a problem? If they find it to be a positive experience, surely that can only be a positive learning experience. If the opposite happens, it’s not necessarily a problem either. Rather, it’s a teachable moment and reveals hostile attitudes any school should be aware of. Knowledge about the prejudices within our communities is the first step to safeguarding young people in education. ‘Cancelling’ or banning prayer spaces is not.
‘Banning’ or ‘cancelling’ (on and offline) doesn’t work. It is a power-based behaviour management tool fuelling a notion that education is based on ‘controlling the masses’. We all learn through conversation, discussion, listening, knowledge, understanding, boundaries and respect, not necessarily in that order. By no means are any of the latter ‘easy’ to achieve, but from working with teenagers I’ve found they’re open to a heated debate, discussion, learning, understanding and compromise.
School is a place of work and I’m not sure why we expect teenagers to just abide by ‘yes and no’ rules with little to no explanation. Plus, if they find a reasonable solution (like praying in a classroom for 10 minutes at lunchtime), what’s the big deal? Secondary school students are a few years away from further education and the workplace, which we all know thrives on innovation, creativity and autonomy. In this case, a blanket prayer ban in a school (their current place of work) completely contradicts the 21st century workplace they will inhabit. It doesn’t make sense.
‘It’s inconvenient: we don’t have time to police prayer spaces’
Like any theory of change, whether that be introducing a mobile phone policy or changes to a uniform policy, navigating any arising teething issues (by students, parents and the community), takes time and flexibility. None of this is impossible if it is built firmly into the school culture, relevant processes and policies. These policies and processes may be safeguarding, anti-bullying, behaviour management and curriculum. All of the above are part of a teacher’s and a school’s day-to-day functions; navigating prayer spaces is no different to introducing a new club or curriculum change. Plus, we somehow managed bubbles and one-way systems post-lockdown…I think schools are pretty well equipped to create a prayer space for all of a matter of minutes in a day!
Prayer is not ‘an add on’
Faith is observed differently, from person to person. It is a way of life, and an ongoing lived experience; for some it is an integral part of their identity and for others it is their identity. Prayer is a major part of several religious practices. Like some people are vegan and vegetarian, prayer is not just a choice and something to switch on and off – it is an intrinsic part of an individual’s life. Some individuals, as far as they possibly can, plan their days, weeks, holidays and more around prayer. Not only is it a religious obligation, it is also a source of wellbeing and peace. In a time where health and wellbeing are paramount in education, denying prayer spaces seems counterintuitive. Enabling some form of space (like we do options on a menu) for individuals to pray is a minimal request and something schools can do with minimal disruption. However, if cracks in the system are revealed and outrage spills online and at the High Court, there are bigger questions and concerns to address.
Schools don’t need to be ‘impossible’ or difficult spaces – and they shouldn’t be made out to be like this either. One high court ruling does not define the state of schooling in the UK. I have too much respect and experience (or maybe good fortune) of working in schools that enable, or at the very least, welcome conversations around inclusion, safety, flexibility and authenticity. None of the latter disrupts mainstream education and a student’s chances of attaining a grade 9. However, many other things do and those are inequitable opportunities, ‘belonging uncertainty’ (Cohen, 2022) and denying the identities of the young people we teach.
Why are we still denying part time and flexible working to those in leadership roles?
Written by Maz Foucher
Maz is Regional Representative for the MTPT Project in Devon and a former Assistant Headteacher and KS2 lead, based in Devon. Having juggled full time teaching, school leadership and parenting, she has a great understanding of the challenges faced by those with a young family. After moving on from school-based roles, Maz studied for an MA in Education Leadership specifically researching teacher retention, and now works in education publishing.
While researching teacher wellbeing and retention, I have often come across the suggestion that working part time or flexibly aids both the wellbeing and retention of staff. However, I have also found that this is still not an option available to many of those working at a leadership level, so let’s look at the facts.
24% of employees in the UK work part time and these are primarily women (ONS, 2022). This is echoed within the teaching profession, also at 24% (School Workforce Census, 2022). However, while the education profession is predominantly female, fewer women work part time in education (29% – School Workforce Census, 2022) compared to the overall UK labour market (36% – ONS, 2022). Additionally, when compared to different age ranges and genders, it is most likely that those working part time are women between the ages of 30 – 39 (ONS, 2022) This coincides with the age where many women start a family, and this is also the demographic most likely to leave teaching entirely (DfE, 2022).
If we look more closely at the 24% of teachers working part time, when this is broken down by role we can see that:
- 26% of class teachers work part time
- 11% of deputy heads work part time
- 6% of headteachers work part time.
(School Workforce Census, 2022).
It is clear from these statistics that, of the women in education who are working part time, the vast majority of these are not doing so at a senior leadership level. This could mean that they have decided for themselves that leadership is incompatible with part time working and parenthood. However, these statistics could also indicate that these women are not being encouraged, supported or allowed to work in senior leader roles part time. Indeed, despite ongoing headlines about the benefits of flexible and part time work, there are many schools and trusts who persist with a policy of no flex/part time at leadership level.
It could be said that it is preferable for leaders to work full time. The need for leaders to be present to deal with staffing, behaviour and safeguarding issues is a very real and relevant argument. From my own experience, I know that when headteachers and senior leaders are not present, it can lead to additional pressures on those within middle leadership roles. In a profession where 78% of school staff are experiencing stress (Teacher Wellbeing Index, 2023), it could be argued that exposing staff to additional pressures that they are not paid/contracted to handle is counterproductive.
Additionally, employers are within their rights to deny flexi and part-time working requests if they can prove that these will hinder business outcomes. In the case of education, I have heard arguments that part time leadership can impact on the smooth running of the school, its pupil outcomes, Ofsted ratings and pupil numbers, especially if parents consider leadership to be inconsistent and therefore chaotic.
However, there are also many positives to having leaders work flexibly or part time. And given that women, particularly those in the 30-39 bracket, are most likely to request this sort of contract, the all-too-common policy of no flex/part time options at a leadership level could also be seen to be seriously disadvantaging aspirational women in education, forcing them to choose between their family and their career. Is not uncommon to see female education leaders step back from these roles, leave teaching entirely or indeed find themselves demoted, when family commitments require them to reduce their hours at work.
The first question this raises is how valued these women feel within the workplace when their experience and expertise is suddenly overlooked once they become a mother and are no longer available for full time hours. I’ve heard this described as ‘Your skills are only valued if you’re there full time.’ I know many who suddenly feel like their level of competence or their commitment to their school is in question, made to feel like a burden on their workplace, that they are workshy or lazy if they can’t work in the same way that they could before motherhood. This additional pressure could be a catalyst for why these women often end up leaving education entirely. While there are many inspirational female teacher-parents who are forging the way forwards in leadership roles, it is clear from the data that very few mothers are finding that the workload, the pressure, their school’s policies and their own family set-up are allowing them to do this full time.
With all this in mind, if we also consider the persistently huge gender pay in education – the third worst across all sectors at 20.4% (BBC, 2023) – alongside the knowledge that women who are mothers are the demographic who are most likely to ask for part time work, we can begin to see how the policies which do not allow part time and flexi working at a leadership level are in fact indirectly discriminatory towards women. When we know that it is illegal to discriminate against the protected characteristics of sex and maternity/pregnancy (Equality Act, 2010), it begs the question as to how long it will be before cases of this nature end up in court?
Personally, I have often said that the teaching profession is full of intelligent and creative people who should be open and willing to rethink how we organise the workforce. Retention is always a better and cheaper option in the long run than recruiting and retraining new staff. In a teacher retention crisis, where we desperately need our experienced teachers to remain in the workforce to support and mentor the new teachers we require, we must celebrate and share examples of where flexible or part time working at a leadership level is proving to be a successful strategy for retention. There are many schools and trusts out there who are able to retain aspirational women at all levels of the profession when they become mothers by supporting them to work PT or flexibly. Imagine a world in which a mother returns to the profession with the conviction that they are still a very valued and an integral part of the workforce, even if they can only commit to part time work? Isn’t this better than losing them from the profession entirely?