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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's statement on the Black Lives Matter movement

NAHT national executive applauds and supports the efforts of the Black Lives Matter movement to bring about lasting change.

The strength of feeling across the world has created an energy and appetite for change that cannot be wasted.

NAHT, as a union of educators, is committed to playing its part in the efforts to eradicate racism. Education can play a pivotal role in tackling discrimination in society. It is through education that we can start to build a truly inclusive society. It is through education that we can change minds and challenge prejudice.

School leaders have a unique and vital role to play in this work and are committed to doing so as part of a societal-wide approach. From the overarching ethos of schools to the detail of the curriculum, their educational leadership has the power to help bring about the change we need to see. 

As a profession, we also need to be prepared to hold a mirror up to ourselves too. We know that our profession is not yet representative of the communities we serve and that this is a particular issue at senior leadership level. We have to be prepared to address this issue head-on.

As a union, we must also be prepared to challenge ourselves by identifying and resolving issues of inequality within our own structures.

The National Executive Committee re-commits itself to campaign against racism; to campaign to develop a profession that is representative - at all levels - of the communities we serve and to campaign for equality within our own structures. This National Executive Committee supports the links being made through the TUC, BAMEed and others to help NAHT play its part in creating lasting change.

We commend the work to date of the NAHT Diversity and Inclusion Group and will provide every support to their critical work, going forward. A report of progress will be made to the next full meeting of the National Executive Committee.

First published 25 June 2020
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