An analysis from the UCL Institute of Education highlights imbalances between staff and students
Nearly half of all schools in England have no teachers from a black or other ethnic minority background, The Guardian reports.
A study from UCL’s Institute for Education also found that where schools do have diversity among teaching staff, senior leaders are predominantly white.
The report notes that there has been a small increase in the proportion of teachers from ethnic minority backgrounds in the past 10 years, but also highlights the fact that in 2019, 65 per cent of pupils were white British compared to 86 per cent of teachers.
Official census data for 2018 shows that 46 per cent of all schools in England had no black and minority ethnic teachers at all.
The report says minority ethnic teachers are concentrated in London schools, which have an ethnically diverse intake and high levels of disadvantage.
Lack of diversity on staff means that teachers from ethnic minorities can face a “hidden workload” of tackling racial inequalities in schools, which can lead to burnout and high turnover, researchers said.