The recruitment and retention of teachers of colour in Wales. An ongoing conundrum?

Abstract

There are a disproportionate number of teachers of colour (ToC) in Wales in comparison to pupils of colour. Teachers are less ethnically diverse than the pupils they are teaching with only 1.3% of teachers categorising themselves as being from a non-White background. This paper sets out findings from research investigating recruitment into Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the career progression of ToC in Wales. Through a qualitative case study approach, employing participant voice, it gives participants a platform to articulate their experiences. Sixty-eight semi-structured interviews took place and participants were a mixture of 14+ learners and serving teachers/leaders, all from diverse backgrounds. As a multi-ethnic research team ourselves, we were aware of issues that participants faced within the Welsh school system, either as pupils or teachers, and were committed to carrying out the research, employing an empathetic lens. This was especially relevant as participants were relaying incidents of racism and racial trauma suffered, as well as sharing their achievements. This provided us with rich data, detailing lived experience and gave an insight into the unique experiences of teachers of colour, within a predominantly White school system in Wales and as a result, suggests what needs to change.