The drive for diversity in teaching

Britain’s diverse and multicultural society means that schoolchildren of all ages benefit hugely by coming into contact with teachers from a wide range of backgrounds. For example, cultural diversity and social inclusion can be promoted, racism and bigotry tackled, and positive role models provided in schools and in wider communities. In schools where many pupils speak English as an additional language, the presence of teachers with foreign language skills can make a real difference to the success of those pupils, by making learning more accessible and encouraging integration of parents as well as pupils. Teachers who can connect with their pupils’ experiences can also provide a crucial point of contact for counselling and advice.

In short, teachers should reflect the full spectrum of society – and with an increasingly diverse population in the UK, that means a diverse body of teaching staff is essential.

Facts, figures and initiatives

The population census of 2001 suggested that the black and ethnic minority population (BME) in Britain stood at around 9 % and yet in 2003, only 2.4 % of teachers in the classroom came from BME backgrounds. Since then, there have been various government-led and -funded initiatives to recruit and support more teachers from BME backgrounds. The TDA is now reporting that 12 % of new entrants to the ITT programme come from these backgrounds.

For example, the Training & Development Agency for Schools (TDA) runs special three-day taster courses throughout the UK for BME graduates to check out teaching by going on placement in schools and having the opportunity to talk to teachers first hand. The Teachers for the 21st Century project, a consortium of universities in Yorkshire and Humberside, was set up to promote the recruitment of students from B&ME groups into initial teacher training. Their aims are to identify student teachers from B&ME backgrounds, offer help and support to improve recruitment and retention, develop greater links with local communities and recruit B&ME teachers as mentors. A similar scheme has been set up in the Newcastle area.

Training providers throughout the UK can apply to the TDA for grants to fund innovative recruitment events to attract a wider pool of potential teachers into teaching. With a high drop-out rate of BME students (9 %) compared to their white counterparts (5 %) from initial teacher training, these initiatives should start to move things in the right direction.

Making the most of available talent

Teachers who have qualified within the European Economic Area (EEA) are eligible to teach in the UK (provided that their standard of English is sufficient) and can apply for jobs in the usual way. The government is also keen to harness the talents of teachers from further afield: their diverse experiences and language skills can be of great benefit in supporting our diverse pupil population. The Overseas Trained Teacher Programme has been set up to help teachers from beyond the EEA gain qualified teacher status (QTS), while the Refugees into Teaching project, funded by the TDA and run by the Refugee Council, offers support and advice to trained teachers that have entered the UK as refugees.

We would like to thank the staff of the Ethnic Minority Foundation, the Training & Development Agency for Schools and Peterborough City Council’s Children’s Services for their help with this article.