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Equality diversity and inclusion

Our commitment 

NAHT is dedicated to promoting equality for all its members, and this commitment is enshrined in NAHT’s constitution. 

NAHT’s work on equality is overseen by our diversity and inclusion group, a sub-committee of NAHT’s national executive.

NAHT’s role

Our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) work is centred around three aspects:

  1. Supporting our members as leaders: as school leaders, NAHT members are ideally positioned to create inclusive learning and working environments for all their pupils and staff, one which welcomes diversity and champions equality. NAHT’s role is to empower our members with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to do this effectively. 
     
  2. Supporting our members as individuals: we know members with certain protected characteristics face additional and/or specific challenges in their roles. As a Trade Union, our core purpose is protecting our members; whether proactively, for example campaigning to remove systemic inequities in the system, or reactively, aiding members who are experiencing particular issues in their workplace, through our representation and/or legal teams.
     
  3. As a democratic organisation: NAHT recognises that we are most effective in representing the views and needs of school leaders when we engage with all of our membership. We are therefore committed to ensuring our own democratic structures are inclusive and reflect the diversity of the educational professionals and learners that we serve.

NAHT’s equality networks

NAHT has three informal equality networks for members. These are led by members, for members.

Find out more about our networks, including how to join and planned meetings, by clicking on the links below. 

NAHT's EDI statements

Following a resolution at NAHT Annual Conference, we are developing a series of policy statements outlining NAHT’s views and commitments around equality, diversity and inclusion. These have been developed in conversations with NAHT’s equality networks, our diversity and inclusion group, and our national executive.

Click below to see our EDI statements:

Statements will continue to be reviewed and additional statements may be developed, as led by our membership.

Our statement of action and commitments on EDI in education for 2023/24

In September 2023, NAHT, alongside other key organisations working in the sector, outlined its new actions and commitments to help further equality, diversity and inclusion in education. Find out more and read our statement of action and commitments on EDI in education for 2023/24.

Resources

Advice and support

For more about the advice and guidance available from NAHT, along with resources to support members with EDI in their schools, see our EDI hub page.

TUC equality conferences

Every year, the TUC hosts a series of equality conferences that supplement the general work of TUC Congress. These conferences focus on supporting the advancement of issues that disproportionally impact minority groups. Find out more and how NAHT members can get involved.

Latest news and advice

NAHT outlines its actions and commitments to furthering equality, diversity and inclusion in education for 2021/22

NAHT has, alongside other key organisations working in the sector, outlined its action and commitments to help further equality, diversity and inclusion in education.

This public statement is intended to demonstrate our (and our co-signatories) commitment to playing our part in acknowledging the issues and furthering equality, diversity and inclusion in schools and trusts. We are doing so both independently and collectively. Signatories will hold each other to account for delivering on these aims, and will be held to account by our respective members and stakeholders. 

By being transparent about our actions, we hope to give confidence to pupils and families, staff and leaders and those governing that we are learning, listening and acting on their concerns and ambitions for equality, diversity and inclusion.

The progress and impact of these commitments will be reviewed every 12 months and an updated statement published.

For 2021/22 NAHT has committed to:

  • Continue to engage with (and where appropriate challenge) the government and key stakeholders in the sector to drive a continual and greater focus on equality, diversity and inclusion within the sector.
  • Continue to encourage school leaders to recognise and address the barriers to recruitment, retention and progression of staff with protected characteristics.
  • Continue to support members with equality and diversity work within their schools for pupils and students. 
  • Expand the advice developed for members, by providing a 'spotlight' on specific areas, which require more in-depth support and guidance.
  • Highlight the work of NAHT's Diversity and Inclusion group (a policy-making committee, part of NAHT's democratic structures, comprising of elected NAHT members) through our member channels, including our magazine and website. 
  • Support the growth of NAHT's Leaders for Race Equality and LGBT+ member networks – and explore the development of additional networks based on member demand. 
  • Launch NAHT's first equality and diversity member conference in 2021. 
  • Support members from our Leaders for Race Equality network in the development of a new book 'You Are Not Alone: Leaders for Race Equality.' The book will contain accounts from network members about their personal and professional experiences, to help raise the profile of Black, Asian and ethnic minority school leaders within the system and their journeys to school leadership.

 

As part of this ongoing commitment, NAHT joined other education sector leaders, trust executives, and front-line practitioners to discuss equality and diversity in the sector, at a roundtable event hosted by ISBL - a full record of the discussion can be viewed here.

You can access the full statement, along with an update on the work NAHT has already undertaken thus far here

 

First published 10 June 2021
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