The Black [1] Teachers’ Consultation Conference offers a safe space to explore key issues and challenges you face in your career, share experiences with other Black members and contribute ideas for the future of your Union.

These events are FREE to eligible members and provide you with the opportunity to take part in seminars and workshops.

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Events will be listed in this section as they become available. Tap/click for details of the event and how to book.

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NASUWT conferences and events are strictly for adults only due to the nature of the content shared and no children will be permitted into any areas of the conference.

2025 Conference round-up

The 2025 Black Teachers’ Consultation Conference was held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel on Saturday 10 May under the theme Black Teachers, Bold Voices: Activism in Action.

NASUWT President Wayne Broom welcomed Deputy General Secretary Jane Peckham and Acting General Secretary Matt Wrack to give keynote addresses.

Jane Peckham opened her speech by pledging solidarity with NASUWT Black members, saying the theme of the Conference was designed to ensure that Black teachers’ voices and experiences are front and centre of the Union’s work on anti-racism.

We all lose, said Ms Peckham, when Black teachers leave the profession because of structural racism because they face barriers to progression, isolation and disproportionate disciplinary action as a daily reality.

Ms Peckham said, ‘More needs to be done to educate and encourage Black members to become active and we want to make sure support is available to them. The NASUWT Black Members’ Advisory Committee will be speaking later about their own journeys as activists and what routes you can take to become active to support and continue the work.’

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Feedback from members

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Ms Peckham said NASUWT has focused on policy and research-led action, campaigning and advocacy, and supporting and empowering members.

‘We published ground-breaking research into areas such as racial disparities in school workforce data, exclusionary disciplinary practices and exposing the lack of support for Black teachers in teacher training and induction. We use this to press for policy change within schools, MATs, local authorities and government.

She described how NASUWT has also played a key role in the TUC report on Black women’s experiences of sexual harassment, which has been adopted and integrated into our own programme of work on sexual harassment. 

The Union has campaigned for:

• anti-racist training to be mandatory for teachers;

• recruitment targets for under-represented groups;

• stronger accountability on racial disparities in schools and MATs; and

• an end to far-right populism.

She continued, ‘But, we don’t just campaign: we support.

‘NASUWT offers specialist casework for members facing racial discrimination, we’ve strengthened our Black members’ networks, supporting peer mentoring, leadership development, safe spaces to organise, as well as continuing our annual Black Teachers’ Consultation Conference.

‘And we’re not in this alone. We’ve led work on the TUC’s Anti-Racism Taskforce and Black Women’s experiences of sexual harassment, with grassroots coalitions and with international partners pushing for racial justice in education globally, and our work on tackling the far right and populism is international.’

‘We have focused on tackling the far right because we know that there are global attempts to roll back on what we have achieved in terms of anti-racism, equality, diversity and inclusion.’

Ms Peckham added, ‘The fight for racial justice is long, but we are in for the long haul. We will:

• expand training and mentoring programmes;

• strengthen our anti-racist workplace toolkits;

• hold employers and public bodies to account;

• continue to speak out loudly, clearly, unapologetically; and

• engage in the Government’s commitment to tackle the disparities in pay and progression experienced by Black workers.’

Ms Peckham was followed by Acting General Secretary Matt Wrack who said, ‘I want to speak to you today as someone who has spent a lifetime in the trade union movement campaigning for fairness, equality and racial justice.

‘These aren’t abstract principles to me. They’ve shaped my work, my leadership and my values.

‘My work with the TUC involved working with people across unions to strengthen our shared commitment to anti-racism.

‘I want to pay tribute to Patrick Roach’s work. I’ve always backed campaigns that go beyond slogans because we need structures, we need voice, we need power in the workplace.’

Mr Wrack focused on the parallels from his time as head of the FBU, but also highlighted the huge opportunities open to teachers.

‘Many of the same patterns we fought in the fire service are playing out in schools. Under-representation of Black teachers in senior roles, disproportionate disciplinary procedures and cultural isolation in workplaces.

‘But, there is huge potential for teachers to organise, build networks and demand change. And this union is determined to lead the way. We must strengthen the work: by using our decades of shared experience, we can amplify it and ensure it delivers the power to challenge systems, negotiate with power, stand with workers under pressure and lead uncomfortable conversations.’

‘Anti-racism is not a tick-box. It is a trade union issue, a workplace issue, a human issue.’

Mr Wrack emphasised that now more than ever is the time for us to build our capacity and our organising strength to fight the onslaught on anti-racism.

‘Last week we saw very worrying developments in local elections,’ Mr Wrack added. ‘People who want to play divide and rule, an ancient strategy we must resist. The trade union movement should be central to that. Our values are unity and solidarity - and we need to put them into practice.’

Mr Wrack continued to emphasise the importance of activists and leaders at local level building strength by concluding, ‘We need you to be a part of that. Join in, get involved. Let’s stand together against racism, for justice and for a better future for teachers, for the students you teach and for all working people.’

Members joined in a Q&A session with members of a panel discussing Defending Diversity: Black Teachers, Equity and the Challenge of Extremism. This was chaired by Claire Ward, Chair of NASUWT’s Equal Opportunities Committee, with panellists:

• Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent East

• Professor Joy Warmington, brap

• Johnoi Josephs, Co-founder, Black Men Teach

• Kudsia Batool, Director of Equalities, TUC

This was followed by a choice of workshops:

• Consultation Response - Conference Session on Pay Gap Reporting

  • Steve Sondhi, NASUWT Senior Official (Salaries, Pensions and Conditions of Service)

• Online Searches of Shortlisted Candidates - An Equalities Issue

  • Sarah Cull, NASUWT Principal Official (Education)

• Barriers to Leadership and How to Overcome Them

  • Gilroy Brown, Educational Consultant

• And Then it Clicked…Black Women’s Experiences of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

  • Kirsty Verrier, NASUWT, and Kudsia Batool, Director of Equalities, TUC

• Challenging Islamophobia: Protecting Schools, Empowering Communities

  • Kamel Benchouiha, NASUWT Organiser (South West Region)

• Beyond Diversity Towards Anti-racism

  • Professor Joy Warmington and Diane Rutherford, brap

Members then took part in an open discussion on the theme of Black and Active: Empowering Voices, Driving Change with the NASUWT Black Members' Advisory Committee:

• Natasha Logan, Yorkshire and Humberside

• Racquel Parchment, West Midlands

• Ava Verrier, West Midlands

• Andrea Welter, West Midlands

• Jay Welter, West Midlands

• Karen Williams, Eastern

Flickr Album

Equalities Weekends 2024

In 2024, NASUWT held two Equalities Weekends for Black, LGBTI, women and young teachers. Tap/click the button below to find out what happened.

Equalities Weekends 2024

Don’t miss out

If you’re not yet a member but want to attend our Black Teachers’ Consultation Conferences, and get access to other exclusive member benefits, why not join today?

You can find out more about why you should join us or go straight to our Online Joining site to take full advantage of our wider programme of events, training and discount scheme.

Want more influence?

The NASUWT is a member-led Union, which means you getting actively involved in your Union to support your colleagues and fellow teachers at work.

Getting active in the Union can take a variety of forms and will mean you get access to FREE training, support, and personal and professional development: you can be proud in the knowledge that you are undertaking a role that helps teachers in their workplaces.

Find out more

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Footnote
The NASUWT uses the term Black in a political and inclusive sense to describe those who self-identify as African, Caribbean and Asian identities and those with a common and direct history of racism, racist oppression and diminished opportunities in today’s society. This Consultation Conference aims to enable members to engage with the key issues and challenges facing the Union, share experiences, meet other members and shape the future of the Union.

 

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