Investigating the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers, and its relationship to school outcomes
Lead Research Organisation:
DURHAM UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Education
Abstract
England has the most ethnically diverse population in the United Kingdom, and the schools are no different. While it is estimated that 31% of the student population is from ethnic minority background, the majority of school leaders (93%), teachers and teaching assistants (86%), and other staff (87%) are White British by ethnic background. Addressing this mismatch between the teacher workforce and student populations matters for several reasons:
It can help address the low attainment of ethnic minority pupils, and second to create a more inclusive and diverse school community that reflects the wider society. In national exams, such as the GCSE in England, the lowest attaining pupils are the Gypsy/Roma and Irish travellers, followed by those from Black Carribbean background (DfE 2021). International evidence suggests that exposure to teachers from a similar race/ethnicity provides minority ethnic students with a role model that can help raise their aspiration and close the achievement gap. There is also evidence that increasing the proportion of minority teachers in schools also leads to increased representation of ethnic minority students in gifted programmes, reduced exclusion and lower drop-out rates.
Minority ethnic teachers bring different perspectives and life experiences, exposing our children to cultural diversity, which reflects the languages, cultures and ethnic background of the local community and society at large. To foster a diverse and inclusive society, it is imperative that staff of ethnic minority heritage should be represented across our schools, regardless of the demography of the school population, as this brings a rich cultural diversity to the school community, and fosters better understanding and tolerance among different groups of children.
There is currently no robust comprehensive research into understanding how we could raise the number of ethnic minority teachers in schools. Previous research tended to be small-scale or based on case studies, which are reliant on the evidence of a self-selected group of individuals. Such findings can be biased as they are based on the voices of volunteers. This new study will:
1. Map the demographic trends of recruitment and retention of minority ethnic teachers and pupils in England (for which good quality data is available) over the past 10 years. This will give us a clearer picture of the growth of minority ethnic student population vis-a-vis that of teaching staff
2. Establish the relationship between the ethnic composition of the teaching staff and the attainment of ethnic minority pupils at KS2 and KS4,
3. Examine the factors that influence the supply and attrition of ethnic minority teachers from international research that is relevant to England
4. Identify the barriers to recruiting and retaining ethnic minority teachers in schools in England
5. Identify those factors that facilitate the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers in schools in England
6. Determine promising approaches from international evidence to attracting and recruiting ethnic minority teachers, relevant to England
7. Make recommendations for policy and practice on best practice and effective programmes to adopt
The study will analyse official government data from the School Workforce Census. UCAS and the NPD. It will systematically review and synthesise international evidence on effective measures to attract and retain teachers. It will also conduct a nationwide survey on barriers and facilitators faced by schools in recruiting and retaining teachers. This will be supplemented by in-depth case studies of schools that have been known to be effective in recruiting and retaining ethnic minority staff.
The research themes together will provide a more complete and holistic understanding of the issue relating to the supply and retention of ethnic minority teachers in England.
It can help address the low attainment of ethnic minority pupils, and second to create a more inclusive and diverse school community that reflects the wider society. In national exams, such as the GCSE in England, the lowest attaining pupils are the Gypsy/Roma and Irish travellers, followed by those from Black Carribbean background (DfE 2021). International evidence suggests that exposure to teachers from a similar race/ethnicity provides minority ethnic students with a role model that can help raise their aspiration and close the achievement gap. There is also evidence that increasing the proportion of minority teachers in schools also leads to increased representation of ethnic minority students in gifted programmes, reduced exclusion and lower drop-out rates.
Minority ethnic teachers bring different perspectives and life experiences, exposing our children to cultural diversity, which reflects the languages, cultures and ethnic background of the local community and society at large. To foster a diverse and inclusive society, it is imperative that staff of ethnic minority heritage should be represented across our schools, regardless of the demography of the school population, as this brings a rich cultural diversity to the school community, and fosters better understanding and tolerance among different groups of children.
There is currently no robust comprehensive research into understanding how we could raise the number of ethnic minority teachers in schools. Previous research tended to be small-scale or based on case studies, which are reliant on the evidence of a self-selected group of individuals. Such findings can be biased as they are based on the voices of volunteers. This new study will:
1. Map the demographic trends of recruitment and retention of minority ethnic teachers and pupils in England (for which good quality data is available) over the past 10 years. This will give us a clearer picture of the growth of minority ethnic student population vis-a-vis that of teaching staff
2. Establish the relationship between the ethnic composition of the teaching staff and the attainment of ethnic minority pupils at KS2 and KS4,
3. Examine the factors that influence the supply and attrition of ethnic minority teachers from international research that is relevant to England
4. Identify the barriers to recruiting and retaining ethnic minority teachers in schools in England
5. Identify those factors that facilitate the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers in schools in England
6. Determine promising approaches from international evidence to attracting and recruiting ethnic minority teachers, relevant to England
7. Make recommendations for policy and practice on best practice and effective programmes to adopt
The study will analyse official government data from the School Workforce Census. UCAS and the NPD. It will systematically review and synthesise international evidence on effective measures to attract and retain teachers. It will also conduct a nationwide survey on barriers and facilitators faced by schools in recruiting and retaining teachers. This will be supplemented by in-depth case studies of schools that have been known to be effective in recruiting and retaining ethnic minority staff.
The research themes together will provide a more complete and holistic understanding of the issue relating to the supply and retention of ethnic minority teachers in England.
Organisations
Publications
Gorard S
(2023)
The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems
in Routledge Open Research
Gorard S
(2023)
The disproportionality of ethnic minority teachers in England: trends, patterns, and problems
in Routledge Open Research
Gorard S
(2023)
The Ethnic Proportionality of Teachers and Students and the Link to School-Level Outcomes
in Education Sciences
Gorard S
(2024)
Why are Ethnic Minority Teacher Paid Differently in England: A Preliminary Analysis of the School Workforce Census
in International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science
Gorard S
(2025)
Investigating the impact of student-teacher ethnic congruence on school attainment outcomes: an international review
in Cogent Education
See B
(2024)
Factors related to the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority teachers: What are the barriers and facilitators?
in Review of Education
Tereshchenko A
(2025)
Making teaching an attractive profession: What are the challenges and opportunities for minority ethnic teachers in England?
in British Educational Research Journal
| Description | The link between the ethnicity of teachers and students in England In general, the existing and prior evidence on this topic has tended to be weak and partial. Very little of the work offers evidence of a causal, rather than, correlational nature. Much of it is only descriptive, and tends to focus on the US, where the situation is very different. Level of disproportion in England Overall, there are fewer minority ethnic teachers in England, as a proportion, than minority ethnic pupils. This is especially so in London, where minority ethnic pupils are actually in a majority overall. Across England, all ethnic groups other than White British and Black Caribbean have many fewer teachers than might be expected. The situation for school leaders is even more extreme. Likely impacts of disproportion Overall, the disproportion means that many minority ethnic students will never encounter a teacher, much less a leader, of the same ethnic origin. This is especially true in the North East of England, and less so in London where there are so many more minority ethnic teachers (just not as many as there are students). This lack of congruence might influence student (and staff) enjoyment of school and aspirations. The main predictors of attainment at Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 4 (KS4) are prior attainment, SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and FSM status. There is no clear relationship between the ethnic congruence of teachers and students, and differential attainment, after accounting for other factors. If any impact is noted, it is chiefly for disadvantaged students, some ethnicities (Black in US), and in some subjects. In England, there is even some evidence of a negative impact on attainment. Maybe language matching of staff and students is more important. On the other hand, there are small but consistent links in the US between staff:student ethnic congruence and some school processes and wider outcomes. This may be linked to staff diversity, more so than precise ethnic congruence. Where exact matching or proportionality is not feasible, training teachers in multicultural, inclusive, and special education may have similar benefits. There is a clear link between congruence and student attendance at school, especially for US Black and Latinx students. Similarly, there is a link between teacher expectations/attitudes towards minority ethnic students and ethnic congruence. Ethnic matching is also associated with a higher likelihood of enrolment in advanced courses and gifted programmes. There is no clear link between ethnic matching and improved staff:student relationships. There is no clear link between congruence and disciplinary outcomes like exclusions in the US (although are some indications of differences in type of punishment in some studies). In England, there may even be a small negative link. At both KS2 and KS4, suspension from school is primarily associated with pupils' special educational needs or disabilities. There is no obvious racial element. The pipeline of supply Admissions to ITT In the US especially, entry qualifications and admissions criteria for teacher training programmes can be barriers for ethnic minority candidates, who tend to score lower on standardised tests and admissions requirements. Alternative certification pathways show mixed results, but some specific programmes with targeted support have been effective in recruiting and retaining ethnic minority teachers. Financial factors, like the cost of training, can be a deterrent for ethnic minority candidates. But financial incentives are not a major factor specific to ethnic minority teacher recruitment compared to other teachers. In England, for whatever reason, acceptance to ITT is markedly lower for minority ethnic applicants. There is no obvious shortage of minority applicants. This stratification needs to be addressed by policy. Recruitment to schools In the US, minority candidates tend to have lower academic entry qualifications and perform worse on teacher certification tests. Principals are more likely to hire teachers of the same race/ethnicity. And this is also linked to the diversity of the student body (schools in areas with high minority ethnic students are more likely to have minority ethnic leaders). In England, serving minority ethnic teachers are somewhat attracted to schools with a student mix and school leaders of the same ethnicity, or diversity. But this is a relatively minor factor compared to convenience, student discipline, and other "hygiene" factors that are common to most teacher responses. Pay Black African and Black Caribbean teachers in England tend to be paid considerably more than average. Chinese and Pakistani teachers tend to be paid less than average. However, these salary variations between ethnic groups of classroom teachers can largely be explained by other factors (age, region, qualifications). The reasons why teachers of different ethnicities teach in particular phases and regions may be part of the explanation for overall disparities in pay and proportionality. Promotion Classroom teachers were more likely to want to leave than teachers in promoted positions. Having QTS, at any stage of career, and being promoted to deputy head appear to be protective factors against leaving the profession Retention Working conditions and administrative support are important for retention of all teachers, but there' is no clear evidence that these factors affect minority ethnic teachers differently. Financial incentives are not a major factor specific to ethnic minority teacher retention compared to other teachers. Their impact is temporary anyway. Professional development, mentoring, and induction support can improve retention, though evidence is mixed on whether effects are stronger for ethnic minority teachers. The biggest and most important factor across all groups is work-related stress. This is linked by respondents to a good school leadership team that values staff and avoids unreasonable demands. In England. teachers generally report that their schools are welcoming and inclusive places, with very little experience of overt racism. Arab, Bangladeshi, Black African, Black Caribbean, Pakistani, Indian and Chinese teachers are more likely to report plans to leave teaching compared to White British teachers, when controlling for other factors. But there is no clear evidence that ethnic minority teachers are more likely actually to leave teaching compared to White teachers. Ethnic minority teachers are more likely to stay in schools with higher proportions of ethnic minority students. Principal congruence also has some relevance. There are some suggestions that implicit bias and discrimination may affect recruitment and retention, but strong causal evidence is lacking. There is evidence from the US that anti-bias training works. Studies need to distinguish better between reasons for moving schools, and for leaving the profession. Work-life balance, workload, and workplace stress are more linked to leaving teaching altogether. Factors that are easier to alter by changing/improving schools include wanting a school with ethnic diversity students/staff, not in a deprived area, or having high attainment. What are the most promising approaches to recruiting/retaining minority ethnic staff? [In progress] Other findings of interest Bangladeshi and Pakistani students tend to be the most clustered in schools with other ethnic minority students, both in primary and secondary schools. These groups, along with Traveller, Black Caribbean, and Black African students, are also the most clustered in schools in terms of FSM-eligibility. Chinese and Indian students attend the least segregated schools in terms of most indicators of possible disadvantage, except for English as a second or additional language. Implications/suggestions for policy and practice Overall, the evidence suggests that disproportion matters for pupils' experiences in schools, and should be addressed by policy and practice. Having a diverse staff in schools may be more important or relevant than the precise congruence of staff and students. The same would be true for diversity of students. So, anything that can be done to prevent ethnic segregation of staff or students between schools should be done. Where exact matching or proportionality is not feasible, better training of teachers in multicultural, inclusive, and special education may have similar benefits. School leaders can take genuine bias training to assist with recruitment and promotion issues. New, more detailed, research is needed on why minority ethnic teachers in England are less successful in admission to ITT. And once the most promising approaches to unblocking the pipeline have been identified these need to be robustly tested in England, and the successful ones promoted wider. In general, in England rather than the US, freely reported incidences of racism are rare. The problems re more structural than personal agency. Chinese, and to a lesser extent, South Asian teachers appear to fare the worst in terms of recruitment, promotion and retention. The situation for Black Caribbean and to a lesser extent Black African teachers is better, yet policy and even research focus seems to be mis-directed here. |
| Exploitation Route | New, more detailed, research is needed on why minority ethnic teachers in England are less successful in admission to ITT. And once the most promising approaches to unblocking the pipeline have been identified these need to be robustly tested in England, and the successful ones promoted wider. Overall, the evidence suggests that disproportion matters for pupils' experiences in schools, and should be addressed by policy and practice. Having a diverse staff in schools may be more important or relevant than the precise congruence of staff and students. The same would be true for diversity of students. So, anything that can be done to prevent ethnic segregation of staff or students between schools should be done. Where exact matching or proportionality is not feasible, better training of teachers in multicultural, inclusive, and special education may have similar benefits. School leaders can take genuine bias training to assist with recruitment and promotion issues. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education Government Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Mostly engagement so far. Stories about our findings have appeared in many news stories. We have presented to DfE round table, and held a full-day event for users to present our findings. It is even harder to assess direct impact than usual because there is a project run by NFER on a similar topic, although without the width or depth of ours. Gorard gave the 29/1/26 Keynote address to the Schools NE Academies Conference, on White Working Class Gorard, S. (2025) Diversity in the teaching force Roundtable, DfE: Oxford Gorard, S. and See, B. (2025) Improving the ethnic diversity of schools and their teachers in England, BERA 2025 Ethnicity not key factor in England school exclusions, The Guardian, 31/1/25, Ethnicity not key factor in England school exclusions, study finds | Race in education | The Guardian How do we tackle issues impacting minority ethnic children in education?, The Yorkshire Post, 7/3/2025, How do we tackle issues impacting minority ethnic children in education? - Matt Bromley Under government plans, new faith schools in England could allocate all their places on religious grounds - here's why that's a bad idea, The Conversation, 8/5/24, New faith schools in England could soon allocate all their places on religious grounds - here's why that's a bad idea (theconversation.com) |
| First Year Of Impact | 2025 |
| Sector | Education |
| Description | ESRC Festival of Social Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of early results at FoSS event for general publci |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Lack of diversity in teaching in England means minority ethnic pupils miss out, BBC Radio 5 Live, 29/8/23 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC5 Live interview |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |