The Chartered College of Teaching is delighted to announce that, in partnership with Chiltern Learning Trust and Being Luminary, we have secured funding from Mission 44 to test solutions focussed on increasing diversity in teaching through Initial Teacher Training (ITT). 

Working with School-Centred Initial Teacher Training providers (SCITTs) and schools across the country, we will look to increase the acceptance rates of teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds into ITT, and their successful completion of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS); improve the experience of ethnic minority applicants through their training, to improve longer-term retention rates; and increase the numbers of ethnic minority staff working in ITT.

While a high number of people from ethnic minority backgrounds apply for teacher training, they are less likely than their white counterparts to receive and accept an offer, and less likely to successfully achieve QTS. They are also less likely to stay in the profession and progress into leadership. Early career teachers told us they had experienced bias, stereotyping, lack of support, and overt racism during their training.

This project, funded by Mission 44’s Diversity in Education Fund, will test ideas to address the systemic barriers, including:

– training coaches from ethnic minority backgrounds to support SCITTs with assessing applications and the award of QTS

– developing training for staff at SCITTs and placement schools to ensure inclusive provision for ITT students

– running funded Chartered Teacher cohorts for teachers, leaders and mentors from ethnic minority backgrounds to support progression into careers in initial teacher education.

We believe that these linked projects can provide both relatively quick and long-term solutions to the systemic issues, including practices at ITT providers and schools, that lead to the disparities in acceptance and progression rates for teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Jason Arthur, CEO of Mission 44:

“I’m delighted that Mission 44 is launching the first partnerships from our Diversity in Education Fund, to tackle the systemic barriers that teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds face at the recruitment and selection stage. Alongside six brilliant organisations, we hope this work will highlight real solutions that can be adopted across the teacher recruitment sector, to ensure our teaching workforce is representative of the diverse student population it serves.”

Alison Peacock, CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching:

“Increasing diversity in the teaching profession is vital and requires us to challenge the barriers faced by new teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds. I’m delighted that, along with the Chiltern Learning Trust and Being Luminary, we can bring together expertise in professional development, supporting providers to address the systemic issues that lead to unequal treatment.”

To learn more about Mission 44 and their impact, please visit: https://mission44.org/