Teach First launches bid to hire more staff from diverse backgrounds into London schools

A teacher training scheme has launched a campaign to recruit more black and ethnic minority candidates into London schools.

Teach First wants to boost the number of staff members from diverse backgrounds in classrooms, and ultimately in leadership positions.

The organisation, which parachutes top graduates into challenging schools, has launched an “Accelerate” programme to mentor prospective BAME applicants through the recruitment process.

James Westhead, Teach First executive director for communications, development and technology, said: “From day one, we have set out to diversify the teaching workforce, to ensure children have role models that reflect our society, and that staff rooms are not missing out on different perspectives.

“Whilst we have attracted high numbers of individuals from black, Asian and minority ethnicities, make no mistake, we know we can do more.

“Building on the success we have seen with our other efforts to diversify the teaching workforce, we want Accelerate to act as the next crucial step to recruit even more individuals from BAME backgrounds. With applications now open, we encourage anyone to see for themselves how Accelerate can help them make their first steps into one of the best careers out there.”

Currently 17 per cent of young people training with Teach First are from non-white backgrounds, including four per cent who are black.

In all schools about two per cent of teachers are black, while just 0.6 per cent of secondary school headteachers are black men. About 20 per cent of children in London schools are black.

A spokesman for Teach First said research carried out in America has shown that black boys are less likely to drop out of primary school if they have at least one black teacher.

The programme aims to help budding teachers develop their employability and leadership potential through one-to-one coaching before they apply for Teach First.

Successful candidates will start their Teach First training next year.