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NAHT’s EDI Strategy

NAHT is dedicated to promoting equality for all of its members, and this commitment is enshrined in NAHT’s constitution. In order to support NAHT in achieving this commitment, we have a union-wide strategy that outlines how we embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at the heart of our activities.

NAHT’s work in this area, including the progress of our strategy, is overseen by NAHT’s national executive (via our EDI committee).

This strategy is centred around three main aspects; these are underpinned by the work NAHT does to empower, upskill and support NAHT staff.

Supporting our members as leaders: As school leaders, NAHT members are ideally positioned to create inclusive learning and working environments for all of their pupils and staff – one which welcomes diversity and champions equality. NAHT recognises the need to support and empower our members to effectively achieve this.

To achieve this, we have the following core objectives:

Increase our support for members to effectively embed EDI within their own settings. This includes work to:
1. Maintain our resources hub and develop our own advice and guidance as appropriate
2. Support members to mark key EDI dates throughout the year (eg LGBT+ History month)
3. Run three free EDI webinars for members, alongside paid EDI training and courses for members
Ensure our campaigning and policy work (in relation to pupils and school staff) explicitly considers and includes equality to achieve our aim of embedding EDI throughout the education system.
1. Areas of policy focus may include: RSE implementation and/or review, transgender pupil policy for schools, SEND/ALN/SEN sector (including funding and support), refugee pupils, accessibility in assessments and exams, inclusive curriculum and pupil mental health/well-being.

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 (such as aiding members who are experiencing issues in their workplace, through our representation and/or legal teams).

To achieve this, we have the following core objectives:

Increase our ability to effectively represent and negotiate on behalf of all members and press forward on wider equality gains in the system. This includes work to:
1. Increase the training and support for our paid and lay officials to support them in tackling discrimination in their line of work
2. Improve our monitoring of cases to tackle discrimination in the workplace, and any equality gains achieved as a result
Continue to extend our insight into the challenges faced by school leaders or future school leaders with protected characteristics. This includes work to:
1. Increase the growth and profile of our equality networks, and explore the need for any further networks
2. Ensure all key NAHT research (focused on members as individuals) includes demographic questions, and that data analysis is considered from this perspective
Ensure our campaigning and policy influencing explicitly includes equality (in relation to our members) to achieve our aim of embedding EDI throughout the education system
1. Areas of policy focus may include gender pay gaps, representation within leadership (including renewal of government funding to support this), EDI training in NPQs, flexible working, reasonable adjustments in schools and during inspections, workload and well-being, and mandatory anti-racism training.
Increase our international presence in relation to EDI issues, recognising that much of the equality legislation and rights of members comes not just from domestic law and conventions, but are part of wider international agreements.

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.

To achieve this, we have the following core objectives:

Increase the amount of demographic data we hold in relation to our members and improve our analysis of this data
Increase representation within NAHT’s democratic structures
Continue to empower and upskill our lay officials around EDI issues. This includes work to:
1. Launch a new regional equality rep pilot
Increase the inclusivity and accessibility of NAHT’s communications
Continue to increase representation in NAHT communications and events. This includes work to
1. Increase the diversity of members representing NAHT, providing training as appropriate
2. Development of an EDI comms plan for 2024 and 2025
Increase the inclusivity and accessibility of NAHT’s events. This includes work to:
1. Develop an online (and hybrid) accessibility policy to support member engagement at online events, guided by input from our Disabled Members' Network
2. Develop an accessibility policy to support member engagement at in-person events, guided by input from our Disabled Members' Network
Ensure that our policies, processes and/or practices enhance both democratic and general NAHT engagement for all NAHT members and reflect our wider EDI goals/values. This includes work to:
1. Keep our democratic processes and procedures under regular review, with consideration of EDI as part of any updates and amends

NAHT’s equality networks

NAHT has four 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 an NAHT Annual Conference resolution, 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

Coordinated by NAHT, this statement of action sets out commitments from 13 education organisations to advance equality, diversity and inclusion. In December 2024, we published an update to the statement. Read the statement of action and commitments on EDI in education.

NAHT culture survey findings

Creating an inclusive union where every NAHT member feels respected, listened to and supported is central to our values and is set out in our constitution. In 2024/25, we asked members to share their experiences through our anonymous culture survey.

Find out more about this survey's findings (NAHT members need to log in to view this).

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

Members represent NAHT at the TUC Black Workers' Conference

This April, NAHT attended the 2026 TUC Black Workers' Conference, which brought together trade unionists from across the movement under the theme ‘From equity to action: transforming work for Black workers’.

The conference provided space for honest and challenging conversations about the realities facing Black workers. Discussions highlighted the growing prevalence of racism in the workplace, including microaggressions, harassment and abuse - with clear parallels drawn between wider society and the experiences of Black staff in schools and education settings.

There was a strong focus on building an explicitly anti‑racist trade union movement. This included improving representation in senior union roles and recognising that anti‑racism must go beyond access to leadership, creating conditions where Black leaders can remain and thrive once in post. Delegates also debated the rise of far‑right rhetoric, the impact of hostile immigration and asylum policies, and the responsibility of legislators to set national standards that protect rights and promote racial equity.

NAHT members played an active role throughout the conference, ensuring the realities facing Black leaders in education were heard and the impact of racism in schools and colleges was clearly recognised.

National Executive member Danielle Ashley spoke powerfully on tackling racism at work, emphasising that anti‑racism is essential not just for entering leadership roles, but for staying in them. She highlighted how racism faced by leaders is often palpable and deeply entrenched.

Dr Rashida Sharif addressed delegates on confronting the growing influence of far‑right politics, calling for national‑level change to set clear expectations around rights, equality and educational responsibilities. She also stressed the importance of explicitly teaching racial equality within the curriculum.

Get involved in future conferences

The TUC Black Workers’ Conference is a vital space for Black members to shape trade union policy, influence national priorities and connect with activists across sectors.

Attendance helps ensure NAHT’s work is grounded in collective learning, shared experience and solidarity across unions - and that education is not left out of national conversations on race and workplace justice.

Leaders for Race Equality Network

NAHT's Leaders for Race Equality Network is an informal group for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic members. Please sign up to the network if you are interested in becoming a delegate next year. Find out more about the network and sign up.

First published 27 April 2026