Commenting on a report by the NFER which suggests that tackling racial disparities in teacher recruitment and retention could significantly contribute to achieving the Government’s target to recruit and retain 6,500 extra teachers, Matt Wrack, Acting General Secretary of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said:

“Teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds are as committed to teaching as their white colleagues, but are being held back by racial prejudice and discrimination.

“Our research and casework consistently demonstrates that black and minority ethnic teachers are, on average, paid less than their peers, commonly face discrimination and prejudice when applying for jobs or promotion and typically face both overt and covert racism in the workplace.

“Tackling this issue is not just critical to achieving recruitment and retention targets, it is a matter of basic social justice and equity. Ethnicity should not present any barrier to joining the teaching profession or career advancement and yet, for many teachers this is their reality.

“We welcome the NFER’s recommendations to place greater onus on the DfE, ITT providers, schools and academy trusts to take concrete actions to evaluate their own processes to identify and root out institutional bias. We need levers to force acknowledgement that racial discrimination exists at all levels of the education system, followed by reflection and positive action to ensure teaching is genuinely open to all and is a career in which teachers from all backgrounds can make the most of their skills and talents.”