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:

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.
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.
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

Pregnant workers and new mothers: risk assessment in the workplace

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently updated its guidance, following advice from the TUC, making it clear that employers must carry out individual risk assessments for pregnant workers and new mothers.

You can find the revised HSE guidance here.

The HSE’s guidance makes clear that employers have a legal responsibility to consider risks to pregnant women, new mothers and women of childbearing age in their general workplace risk assessments.

Once an employer is informed that a worker is pregnant, is breastfeeding, or has given birth within the last six months, the employer must carry out an individual risk assessment.

Background

In carrying out the individual risk assessment an employer must:

review their existing general risk management and controls for pregnant workers and new mothers
talk to the worker to see if there are any conditions or circumstances with their pregnancy that could affect their work
discuss any concerns they have about how their work could affect their pregnancy
consult with their safety representative or trade union if they have one and
take account of any medical recommendations provided by their doctor or midwife.

The guidance also makes clear that employers should review the individual risk assessment as the pregnancy progresses, or if there are any significant changes to a workers' activity or workplace.

Employers are legally required to reduce or remove risks to a pregnant woman’s health. If this can’t be done, then the woman has a right to be offered suitable alternative work, on the same rate of pay, or to have her working conditions adjusted. If none of these measures are possible, she should be suspended on full pay, based on her usual earnings, until the risk is gone.

The HSE guidance now makes clear what pregnant workers’ and new mums’ health and safety rights are and what employers must do to protect them in the workplace.

First published 10 June 2022

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