Why I have put this pack together
I have been a school governor and Chair of Governors for over seventeen years. During that time, I have governed in a wide range of contexts and communities. I have also experienced racism and exclusion within governance spaces, sometimes overt, often subtle, but consistently impactful.
There have been occasions where I have been ignored in meetings, where my contributions have been taken forward without acknowledgement, and where ideas I introduced have been reframed and credited to others. I have been positioned, at times, as the token governor visible, but not always heard; present but not always valued. These experiences are difficult, and they take an emotional toll.
When such issues are raised, they are often defended or dismissed with familiar responses: “I’m not racist,” “I have Black friends,” “That wasn’t the intention.” What these responses miss is that racism is not only about intent, it is about impact, systems, culture, and power.
Many of the areas I govern in are affected by wider social realities: far-right narratives, visible symbols of division, media reporting of racism, and community tensions. These environments shape us. We are all imprinted by our families, our communities, our histories, and the narratives we grow up with. None of us are neutral.
I continue to govern because I keep pupils at the forefront of everything I do. I think about the children and young people who are watching how adults behave, how decisions are made, whose voices matter, and whose are sidelined. Governance sets the tone not just for policies, but for culture.
This pack, and the accompanying blog, bring together what families have told me, what I have observed directly, and what research consistently shows: that racism often goes unchallenged not through malice, but through discomfort, defensiveness, and avoidance.
I ask that this pack is read with an open mind, high expectations, and low excuses. It is not intended to blame, shame, or single out individuals. It is intended to strengthen governance, improve experiences, and ensure that our schools are places where every child and adult is seen, heard, and respected.
It will be interesting to see how this work is received and how it shapes my own experiences in the governing boards and groups I continue to attend: how people engage, how they include, and how they respond once these issues are named openly.
Ultimately, this pack exists because governance matters and because pupils deserve better than our silence.
“How inspectors may explore this”
This pack supports boards to evidence effective governance under the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, particularly within Leadership and Management, Behaviour and Attitudes, and Personal Development.
Inspectors may explore this area by asking governors and leaders:
- How they know pupils feel safe, respected, and able to be themselves
- How racist or discriminatory behaviour is identified, recorded, and learned from
- What oversight governors have of patterns in behaviour, exclusions, or complaints
- How the curriculum prepares pupils for life in modern Britain
- How staff are supported to challenge prejudice confidently and consistently
- How equality considerations inform leadership and improvement planning
Boards using this pack should be able to demonstrate:
- That anti-racism is treated as a strategic leadership issue, not an operational one
- That governors triangulate data, pupil voice, staff experience, and outcomes
- That learning from incidents leads to change over time, not isolated responses
This pack provides evidence of intent, implementation, and impact, and supports governors to speak confidently about their role during inspection conversations.
Anti-Racist Governance
A Strategic, Educational Pack for Trusts and Governor Networks
Introduction: Why This Pack Exists
This pack is designed to support governing boards, trustees and local governing committees to understand, evidence and strengthen their strategic role in anti-racism.
It deliberately moves away from superficial checklists and one-off training. Instead, it offers context, explanation, examples, and reflective prompts so that boards can:
- Understand why anti-racism is a governance responsibility
- Recognise what effective practice looks like in real schools
- Ask better, evidence-informed questions
- Monitor impact over time rather than rely on assurance statements
The pack is suitable for:
- Multi-Academy Trusts
- Maintained schools
- Governor networks and associations
- Board development and inspection preparation
1. Anti-Racism as Strategic Governance
What anti-racism means in a governance context
Anti-racism is not about individual opinions or political positioning. For governors, it is about how systems, culture, and leadership decisions either challenge or reinforce inequality.
Strategic anti-racist governance focuses on:
- Whether policies translate into lived experience
- How leaders identify, respond to, and learn from racism
- Whether pupils and staff feel safe, respected, and represented
- How equality is embedded into improvement planning
In practice, this means governors should be able to articulate how anti-racism contributes to school effectiveness, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, outcomes, and staff wellbeing.
Why this applies to every school
Schools with fewer ethnically diverse pupils often assume racism is unlikely to be an issue. Evidence consistently shows the opposite risk: that racism becomes less visible, less challenged, and more easily dismissed.
In these contexts, governors play a vital role in ensuring leaders:
- Do not rely on assumptions such as “we don’t have issues here”
- Actively prepare pupils for life in a diverse society
- Address racism as a safeguarding and wellbeing issue
2. Alignment to Ofsted EIF and Governance Expectations
Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF)
Anti-racist practice aligns directly with multiple EIF judgment areas:
Behaviour and Attitudes Inspectors consider whether pupils feel safe, whether discriminatory behaviour is tackled consistently, and whether expectations are clear. Governors should expect leaders to evidence:
- How racist language or behaviour is identified and challenged
- Whether patterns exist in sanctions or exclusions by ethnicity
- How pupils are taught to understand the impact of prejudice
Personal Development Inspectors look at how schools prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Effective anti-racist governance ensures:
- The curriculum includes diverse histories, voices, and experiences
- Pupils develop empathy, critical thinking, and respect
- Equality is not confined to assemblies or themed weeks
Leadership and Management Ofsted evaluates whether leaders create inclusive cultures. Governors should be able to demonstrate:
- Oversight of equality data and trends
- How leaders respond to concerns raised by staff or pupils
- How training and professional development support inclusive practice
Academy Trust Governance Handbook
The handbook expects boards to:
- Set clear values and culture
- Hold executive leaders to account
- Use evidence to inform challenge
Anti-racist governance directly supports these expectations by ensuring boards do not rely solely on compliance, but on impact, experience, and outcomes.
3. Educational Case Examples (What This Looks Like in Practice)
Example: Curriculum Oversight
A governing body noted that Black history was largely confined to a single term topic. Governors asked leaders to review curriculum maps across subjects. The outcome was a phased curriculum review that embedded diverse authors in English, global histories in geography, and ethical discussions in RE.
Example: Behaviour and Racist Incidents
A board identified that racist incidents were recorded inconsistently. Governors requested anonymised termly reports analysing themes, responses, and follow-up learning. This led to clearer staff guidance and improved pupil confidence in reporting.
Example: Staff Confidence
Staff surveys indicated discomfort with challenging racist language. Governors supported leaders to introduce scenario-based training and peer discussion spaces, leading to increased confidence and consistency.
4. RAG-Rated Board Self-Assessment Tool
Boards should use this tool as a discussion framework, not a scoring exercise.
Red – Limited or Unclear Practice
- The board relies on verbal assurance
- Data is not reviewed or is incomplete
- Racism is seen as unlikely rather than possible
Amber – Developing Practice
- Some data and reporting exists
- Training has occurred, but impact is unclear
- Curriculum intent is articulated but not fully embedded
Green – Secure and Embedded Practice
- Governors triangulate data, voice, and outcomes
- Leaders evidence learning from incidents
- Equality is embedded into improvement planning
Boards should record what evidence supports the rating and what actions follow.
5. Monitoring and Impact Dashboard (Narrative-Based)
Rather than tick-box monitoring, boards should receive termly narrative reports covering:
Culture and Belonging
- What pupils and staff say about feeling respected
- Themes emerging from surveys or pupil voice
Incidents and Response
- Number and nature of racist incidents
- How responses supported learning and repair
Curriculum and Teaching
- Where anti-racist learning is visible
- Examples of impact on pupil understanding
Staff Development
- Training undertaken
- Evidence of changed practice or confidence
Each section should answer: What has changed? What evidence supports this? What still needs attention?
6. Using This Pack as a Resource
This pack is designed to be branded and issued as:
- A MAT-wide governance resource
- A governor induction pack
- Evidence for inspection
- A board development tool
Logos, trust values, and local context can be embedded without changing the core content.
Final Reflection for Boards
Strong anti-racist governance is not about having the right words. It is about consistent curiosity, informed challenge, and visible leadership.
“How do we know our values are experienced by everyone, not just stated by us?”