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.