GTC Scotland produces report on increasing diversity in teaching for Scottish Government
GTC Scotland has published a report on increasing diversity in teaching by using a Sponsoring approach to enhance career progression among Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) teachers.
The report, ‘Sponsoring for Diversity in Teacher Progression’ was funded by the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education Programme (AREP) as part of their central aim to identify measures which will address race inequality which remains evident in schools.
What is a Sponsoring approach?
Sponsoring describes a particular relationship between a BME teacher and a more senior colleague. It is a strategy aimed at improving progression rates among BME teachers.
Sponsors invest in the career progression of their sponsored individual and take three key approaches to achieving this:
- Networking - creating opportunities for networking ensures access to spheres of influence
- Spotlighting - highlighting the strengths and accomplishments of the sponsored individual and giving space to allow them to shine
- Advocacy - using their voice to talk up their sponsored individual in spheres of influence
Why is Sponsoring needed?
Currently, a larger proportion of early career BME teachers are out of work or leave the profession compared to white teachers, and comparatively fewer go on to promoted roles, with research also indicating that BME teachers can be less likely to be encouraged to go for promotion. Proactive approaches such as Sponsoring are needed to help achieve the national goal of a more diverse teaching profession.
Who is the report for?
GTC Scotland is inviting stakeholders including Scottish Government and Education Scotland to consider their roles in supporting enactment of the approaches set out in the report.
Employers of teachers have the lead role in realising a sponsoring approach, and the report is designed to support them to design Sponsoring approaches in their own context.
Dr Pauline Stephen, Chief Executive and Registrar, GTC Scotland said:
“The success of Sponsoring lies in the enactment of approaches in local contexts. Through this report, we have identified three themes to help our stakeholders implement this approach. The first is that ongoing support for employers is needed. The second is the need for Sponsors to have at least a baseline level of racial literacy. The third and final theme is that all BME teachers should be able to request a Sponsoring experience.”
Professor Khadija Mohammed, Chair of AREP, said:
‘‘This Sponsoring report has the potential to be a game changer for the career progression of teachers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This should encourage proactive discussions with employers on how they can shine a light on the cultural wealth minority ethnic teachers bring to the profession. Their diverse cultural and linguistic skills should be acknowledged and nurtured creating opportunities for them to show their strengths and grow as leaders.”
Read Sponsoring for diversity in teacher progression
