Equality, diversity and inclusion

A governing board needs a balance and diversity of volunteers with different skills, experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and attributes to fulfil its role effectively. It helps more robust discussions to take place and better decisions to be made. When the people around the table come from different places and think different things there is sufficient challenge which ensures better decisions are made in the interests of all pupils. Visit our Everyone on Board campaign page to find out more about board diversity statistics and the benefits of a diverse board.

NGA guidance and resources  

• The Right People Around the Table – a guide to recruiting and retaining school governors and trustees
• Model role descriptions – role descriptions for chairs, governors, trustees, governance professionals and clerks to help introduce volunteers to the role
• Virtual governance resources – find out how virtual governance and the future of a blended approach to board meetings can support recruitment and inclusion
• School Governance in 2020 – find out the latest information on governing board composition regionally and nationally

Other resources

• #DiverseGovernance webcast series – a series of free webcasts with governors and trustees sharing their experience and tips on a range of topics including board recruitment and board inclusion
• Department for Education Governance Handbook – sets out the expectations and requirements of boards in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion

NGA guidance and resources

• Equality and diversity: responsibilities, culture and impact - guidance for governing boards
• Equality and diversity: a practical guide for governors and trustees – a three unit eLearning module that will help you to understand the Equality Act and the practical implications for those governing, provide an understanding and awareness as to how the Act relates to pupils, as well as how the Act impacts recruitment, retention and the performance management of staff. 
• Being Strategic: a guide for governing boards and school leaders – a guide which encourages governing boards and executive leaders to work together to set a strategy for their organisation and monitor progress within an annual cycle.
• The board’s role in promoting diversity and equality in staffing – a session of NGA’s annual conference seminars including flexible working and men teaching in primary schools

Articles

• Influencing leadership: a Governing Matters article on how to encourage diversity, promote development and focus on wellbeing
• Tackling racial inequity in schools: a Governing Matters interview with Professor Paul Miller, founder of Education Equity Services
• Championing diversity: a Governing Matters article on how boards can promote equality, diversity and inclusion
• Supporting LGBT pupils: Young people thrive when difference is celebrated. Holly Green, education programmes manager at Stonewall, offers five ways to make that happen

1. NGA will conduct research on the experience of governors and trustees from Black, Asian or minority ethnicities and those aged under 40, and on the views and perceptions of people from these groups that do not currently volunteer. 

Our action: We have completed several focus groups and are currently writing a report explaining our findings. The research aims to better understand the experiences of current volunteers to identify how governing boards can achieve wider diversity in their composition and develop more inclusive practices, and how the sector can best enable those from underrepresented groups to govern. 

2. Support the creation of a BAMEed Network governance hub. 

Our action: We have developed this group in partnership with the BAMEed network. The group is open to anyone who wants to take action on the ground to progress the issue of race diversity on governing boards. It met for the first time in December 2020 and will meet again in the spring term. If you are interested in joining please email: megan.tate@nga.org.uk

3. Improve our information, guidance and e-learning for governing boards on equalities and diversity and ensure it is threaded through our suite of information and guidance.

Our action:

• Published guidance on ‘Equality and diversity: responsibilities, culture and impact’ which outlines governing board legal duties, what this means in practice and the importance of a culture that embeds equality and inclusion. 
• Produced a three-unit eLearning module on ‘Equality and diversity – a practical guide for governors and trustees’. 98% of users who have completed the module would recommend it to others and 91% of users say it will help them to improve their governance practice.
• Updated our popular Being Strategic guidance to cover the impact of a positive culture on diversity and equality
• Released an updated toolkit and new eLearning module on executive leader recruitment to emphasise the importance of a fair and inclusive recruitment process and of attracting candidates from underrepresented groups.

4. Re-energise the Everyone on Board campaign.

Our action:  

• We are conducting research into the experiences and perceptions of underrepresented groups that will further the work of the Everyone on Board campaign
• We arranged for three governors of Black and mixed heritage to take part in a the ‘conversations about race’ series on BBC Radio 4 World at One.
• We have developed partnerships with organisations including Operation Black Vote which include writing articles for their publication and presenting at events.

5. Continue to work with other national representative organisations to ensure as an education sector we are making progress and coordinating activity to maximise impact.

Our action: We have met and shared insight and progress with other national representative education organisations. In particular, we have met with representatives of ASCL’s BAME, women and LGBT networks and of NAHT’s Leaders for Race Equality network to hear directly from senior leaders about their experiences, what support they would like for their boards and to develop solutions for these needs.

6. Summarise and promote to governing boards a range of race charters, frameworks and audit tools that have been created for schools/trusts.

Our action: We are currently collating these and will be publishing the collection soon.

7. Continue to report on the diversity of our own board.

Our action: NGA’s trustees recognise that, while reflecting the school and trust governance community, the board does not reflect wider society and the community schools serve. For its autumn 2020 election NGA encouraged members to nominate Black, Asian and minority ethnic governors, trustees and clerks for its board. The board continues to consider how it can further improve its diversity in 2021 through co-option.

• NGA is a co-signatory to the sector-led statement of action and commitments on equality, diversity and inclusion in education published in June 2021. View the Statement of Intent.
• NGA is signatory to the Department for Education’s statement of intent on diversity, which was published in October 2018. Read more about the statement and our commitment.
• NGA is a strategic partner of the BAME forum, a local Birmingham network, where we have been involved in delivering a session on governance to current and aspiring leaders on the BAME forum’s development programme.
• Submitted a response to the government’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities consultation in November 2020.

These resources are not directly related to governance but may be useful in supporting your learning, reflection and action.

• BAMEed network website
• Diverse Educators website
• ASCL’s BAME, women and LGBT networks
• NAHT’s Leaders for Race Equality network