“Fight the Power” – Public Enemy

After thirty years, I may have finally taught my last lesson. I've just completed two years of A Level Film Studies (one of the best courses ever created) which, to complicate things a little, my daughter was one of its overly critical students.

Amongst a treasure trove of exceptional films was Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing from 1989. Public Enemy's Fight the Power is refrained throughout; not just a musical injection but a call to action.

Nothing much has changed for the communities explored by Spike Lee since 1989 - and these were hardly new issues at the time. Systemic racism, and sexism, and all other -isms are seemingly hard-baked into far too many organisations.

The NFER graph below is shocking, but few of us in education are shocked: it replicates what we have felt and seen for far too long.

Something in the system is preventing those from diverse ethnic backgrounds to navigate their way through the pipeline to headship. At every stage below, only people from white backgrounds are under-represented at the point of applying to initial teacher training; from that point onwards, they are the only ethnic group over-represented.

But what can we do about it? I would strongly recommend Evelyn Forde MBE's amazing book Herstory as a very strong exploration of both her own and others' experiences in the British education system.

On a more practical level, Frances Akinde's new book Be An Alley Not a Bystander is great for all phases, not just primary schools.

Outside of education, Kim Scott's book Radical Respect — Kim Scott is a critical read as is True North: A Story about Values, Family, and Systemic Oppression — Golden Threads by Sal Naseem. Why I Am No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge is an important but challenging read - and that's good, we should feel challenged.

Last autumn, Evelyn joined a panel convened by WomenEd, BAMEEd Network and Headteachers Roundtable to explore the barriers preventing colleagues from a global majority heritage succeeding at every level. At the end of this powerful session, we made a call to action and Jagdeep Pagba, partly because of her own experiences during her teaching career, subsequently established The National Diversity Awards - bloody amazing! Get involved.

Knowing that we needed to do MORE, we have organised an entire season during autumn 2025, now with the additional partner CST - please join us but also spread the word! Sign up HERE.

Unblocking the Equity Pipeline into Trust Leadership - 11.9.25 @ 7:00pm

Unblocking the Equity Pipeline into Headship - 24.9.25 @ 4:30pm

Smashing Down the Gender Pay Gap in Education - 29.9.25 @ 7:00pm

Unblocking the Equity Pipeline during your first five years and into Middle Leadership - 9.10.25 @ 4:30pm

Unblocking the Equity Pipeline into Governance and Trusteeship - 14.10.25 @ 7:00pm

Moreover, it is also about what WE as school leaders do to unblock the pipelines in our own schools. We have to be relentlessly and intentionally inclusive, particularly at the point of recruitment.

At my schools we have started to use the following wording for national adverts regardless of whether we need a full-time or part-time employee: We welcome qualified teachers, including those looking for full-time and/or part-time work. Returners to the profession are also welcomed and will receive our full support through our induction programme. We are a life and family-friendly employer. We particularly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and with protected characteristics, particularly those under-represented in our profession. We are looking for the right person to work as part of our amazing team.

It may not be anything groundbreaking, but signals to potential applicants that they are welcome and will be valued. We have to not just signal it loudly and clearly, but we need to then live these values even when it's challenging: it is finding a way grant flexible working; to appoint that person you suspect may be trying for a baby; not being put off that someone seems a little young - or a little old - for the role; for not worrying about whether the candidate looks like the rest of the school community or how parents may perceive them.

It is about doing the right thing and fighting the power.