Equality, diversity and inclusion campaign

NGA has published a series of commitments to demonstrate how we have committed to improving diversity on governing boards, particularly in relation to race. Read the blog on our commitments. We are also involved in various projects and initiatives around diversity and governance, and engage with governors, trustees, governance professionals and education professionals to understand experiences, needs and insight.

Campaign

15/05/2023

Baroness Berridge, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, writing in the Governance Handbook, October 2020
"More than ever we also need diverse boards, and the Handbook has been updated to emphasise the expectation that recruitment processes should encourage volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and perspectives, that better reflect the communities they serve."

Commitments and progress

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 published the Increasing participation in school and trust governance report in June 2021.

2. 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:

Produced a three-unit eLearning module on ‘Equality and diversity – a practical guide for governors and trustees’. 99% of users who have completed the module would recommend it to others and 94% of users say it will help them to improve their governance practice.
NGA has partnered with ASCL to develop a programme of e-learning modules intended to focus on creating an inclusive culture through practice, and going beyond compliance by giving users the knowledge, understanding and tools to do so.
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.
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.

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

Our action: We developed the NGA and BAMEed steering group on governance and race with the BAMEed network. The group focussed on taking action on the ground to progress the issue of race diversity on governing boards.

4. Re-energise the Everyone on Board campaign.

Our action:

We hosted a podcast on Increasing participation in Governance. Speaking to three Chairs and Governors, we discussed why diversity on boards is important. We explored how boards diversified their membership and supported new governors and trustees when they joined.
We hosted a podcast on Being a young governor (episode 18). In their own words two members of NGA’s Young Governors’ Network, talked about their experiences of being a young governor, the importance of diversity of thought and representation on boards and what they have learnt from governing.
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.

NGA is a co-signatory to the sector-led statement of action and commitments published in June 2021 and updated in 2022.

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: You can find the round-up in the Knowledge Centre.

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 and 2021 election, NGA encouraged members to nominate Black, Asian and minority ethnic governors, trustees and clerks for its board and promoted the opportunities widely.

Our other EDI work

NGA is a co-signatory to the sector-led statement of action and commitments on equality, diversity and inclusion in educatio. View the Statement of Action.
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.