Study reveals significant gap between the proportion of minority ethnic students and teachers in English schools

A NEW study has revealed that almost half of schools in England have no black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) teachers. It added that even in diverse schools, leadership teams are almost always white.

The study by researchers at University College London's(UCL) Institute for Education has further stated that though there has been a small increase in the proportion of BAME teachers over the last decade, a significant gap exists between the proportion of minority ethnic students and teachers.

As a result, minority ethnic pupils can go through school without seeing their background represented in their teachers.

According to figures for 2019, 65 per cent of pupils and 86 per cent of teachers are white British. Analysis of the 2018 School Workforce Census and related administrative school census datasets, found that 46 per cent of all schools in England had no BAME teachers at all, reported The Guardian.

Half of schools (53 per cent) had BAME teaching assistants, a quarter (26 per cent) had no BAME staff at all, and only 16 per cent employed more than a fifth of their teachers from BAME groups, the report said.

It further revealed that BAME teachers had the same high levels of workload as all teachers, with an additional ‘hidden workload’ of coping with racism.

“As BAME teachers tend to work in urban schools with high minority and more disadvantaged pupil intakes, it is crucial that government resources are put into their retention," said Dr Antonina Tereshchenko, the report’s lead author.

"This would help manage teacher supply in these schools and would also reduce the negative impact of high staff turnover on the outcomes of disadvantaged children.”

The report urged that the schools watchdog, Ofsted, should evaluate the mix of diversity among the pupils, teachers and senior leaders in a school.

It added that there should also be a greater focus on the progression of BAME teachers into leadership roles, and all staff allegations of racism should be investigated and reported.

A department for education spokesperson has said that it has made diversity a feature of recruitment and retention strategy and are continuing to develop programmes that will support teachers from diverse backgrounds.