January 2009 – Local authorities are not doing enough to support the career progression of black and minority ethnic (BME) teachers, resulting in a shortage of people from BME backgrounds in leadership positions, according to two reports. Currently fewer than 3% of head teachers are from BME backgrounds, and they tend to leave the profession earlier than their white counterparts.

Commissioned by the Training and Development Agency (TDA) and the London Borough of Hackney, the reports were conducted by Integrity Coaching. Both reports focussed on Diversity and Succession Planning and the key barriers and enablers to career progression for BME teachers and school leaders. 

Key findings from the reports are:
- There is a need to develop initiatives that will successfully bring more BME teachers through to senior leadership positions.
- How BME teachers manage others’ perceptions of them can be a primary barrier to career progression.
- Opportunities to work shadow and bespoke coaching were identified as key enablers.
- Local Authorities are not doing enough by implementing ‘enablers’ to support the career progression of BME teachers.
- High turnover of BME head teachers can result in ambiguity and questioning of LA’s commitment to diversity and equal opportunities.
- There is a need to develop a new type of CPD (continued professional development) that addresses the personal alongside the professional needs of BME teachers.
- The impact of Race Equality policies needs to be monitored to ensure they are having a positive effect on the recruitment, selection and retention of BME teachers in the  LA’s

Viv Grant, Director of Integrity Coaching, comments:
“Unfortunately BME teachers tend to face unique obstacles and isolation, which LA’s struggle to understand and address. As a result this stifles the ability of LA’s to help BME teachers progress their careers at the same rate as their white counterparts. Local Authorities must recognise that in order to make headship attractive to teachers from BME backgrounds, they need to demonstrate that they are aware of the additional challenges that they may face and that they are committed to supporting aspiring BME leaders.
   
“Apart from a few notable exceptions, this is a national issue, affecting the majority of Local Authorities. As Trevor Phillips has highlighted recently, the problem does not necessarily stem from overt racism, but rather from systems that fail BME teachers. Government admits to the need to advance the cause of minorities, but Local Authorities fall short when it comes to committing the required resources to attracting people from minority ethnic backgrounds into the education sector – and keeping them there.”

A third report produced by Integrity Coaching provides guidance to help Local Authorities become employers of first choice for BME professionals in the education sector. These include setting annual targets for recruitment strategies and understanding issues concerning BME recruitment, such as stereotyping.