During the NAHT school leaders’ union conference last month, education secretary Nadhim Zahawi responded to a question on diversity and leadership by stating that school leadership was not representative when it came to race. He also agreed that there were not enough black headteachers.
This is definitely an issue that needs addressing. However, there is another area of school leadership where there is also a distinct lack of diversity: governing boards.
Statistics show the extent of the problem
According to the National Governance Association’s annual survey, the number of governors from ethnic minority groups remains significantly and consistently underrepresented.
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The survey’s results showed that 93 per cent of respondents were white, one per cent were from mixed or multiple ethnic groups, three per cent were Asian, one per cent were black and the remainder identified as other or “rather not say”.
Sadly, this figure hasn’t changed much over the last twenty years. Back in 1999, only five per cent of governors were from ethnic minorities.
In inner cities, the communities around schools are made up of many different nationalities and ethnic groups and this diversity should also be seen within your school, both in terms of teaching and learning and governance.
So how do schools go about ensuring there is diversity amongst their governing body and why is it important?
Well, diversity is important because it ensures all voices are represented and the student community are able to see themselves amongst those who make the decisions about their future.
When you have a diverse leadership team it also helps to ensure there will, hopefully, be fair representation and consideration in the decisions that are made.
Ways to improve governing board diversity
Creating a diverse governing body or board of trustees doesn’t just happen overnight.
It requires a clear plan of action and an intentional recruitment process which in itself requires school leaders and chairs of governors to be intentional in their pursuits.
When it comes to recruiting parent governors, elections are usually held as a result of those who apply.
But some parents don’t apply simply because they don’t really understand what the role entails or believe they don’t have the skills required to stand as a governor.
In these cases, it’s up to the headteacher and or chair of governors to ensure parents are given all the information they need in order to make an informed decision about whether to apply or not.
Make the role clear
This may include holding information evenings, ensuring the information that is sent out is in plain English rather than containing lots of jargon and also giving parents the opportunity to ask questions to gain clarity.
It may also be an idea to speak to specific parents who you feel may add value to your governing body and encourage them to apply for the role.
Another way of actively ensuring your governing body is representative of your school community is by identifying specific individuals within your community who can become co-opted governors.
These governors may bring a specific skill set such as HR, finance or business which can support development of the school aims.
It may take a bit more effort to seek out co-opted governors from amongst your community, but these individuals are there and often it’s about casting your net more widely than what you might ordinarily do.
For both primary and secondary schools, another group of people who may make great school governors are your ex-students.
Reach out to alumni
Many students love to give something back, especially if they’ve had a positive experience at your school. So putting a call out to students who may have just finished university and are looking for additional experience to add to their CV could become a win-win situation for both parties.
In all the suggestions listed above, social media can be a key player in seeking out new members for your governing bodies.
You may need to be explicit in your approach, mentioning in any posts that you are looking for members who are representative of your school community.
This will ensure those who may want to consider the role, genuinely know they can apply and that you’re not just looking for carbon copies of governors you already have serving on your boards.
School governors are a valuable asset and can help to ensure the culture that is embedded values all members of your school community.
It does take extra time and effort to create a governing body that is truly representative of your school community but it’s important to make that effort in order to reap the benefits.
