The benefits of a diverse education workforce are well-documented. Representation in the education workforce provides role models for learners and young people and can help improve their sense of belonging and identity. However, lack of diversity in the school workforce has been a persistent issue in Wales, with the education workforce currently failing to reflect the diverse society we live in.

Since 2019, we've carried out extensive research on behalf of the Welsh Government around diversity and ethnic minority representation among teachers and teaching assistants. Our first report on ethnic minority representation in the school workforce, completed last year, showed that the number of teachers and teaching assistants from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities has grown in recent years. However, this growth has been limited and, in terms of ethnic diversity, the school workforce has failed to keep pace with the changing demography of Wales.

The 2020 report also presented possible policy solutions which could help make the school workforce in Wales more diverse. It was based upon research considering strategies that had been used to diversify the school workforce elsewhere, and a wider variety of initiatives that had been used in other professions.

Final report and recommendations for the Welsh Government – summer 2021

Since publishing our first report in May 2020, we've met with practitioners, stakeholders and organisations representing diverse communities to gather feedback on the issues raised.

We’ve also held a series of focus groups with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic practitioners and other key stakeholders to understand their lived experiences of the education system in Wales, and to hear their thoughts on what needs to be done to make the school workforce more diverse.
The insight we gained from listening to others has helped us to develop our recommendations further. We presented those recommendations to the Welsh Government in July 2021, and they have informed an action plan on increasing the ethnic diversity of the school workforce in Wales. Read our final report on Ethnic minority representation within the school workforce in Wales

Find out about our research on increasing diversity in the school workforce

Engaging with research can play an important role in developing your ideas and professional practice. That’s why we’re launching Meddwl Mawr, a new book and journal club designed to support you on your professional learning journey.

We’ll be sharing regular recommendations, pointing you to some of the 4,500+ books and journal articles which are available on EBSCO - the world’s largest library of education research. As an EWC registrant, you get free access to EBSCO via your Professional Learning Passport (PLP).

Whether you work in a school, a college or a work-based learning or youth work setting, there will be something for everyone!

We’ve selected two books to kick off our recommendations. Both books look at different aspects of pedagogy and they are available for free on EBSCO.

Find out more about Meddwl Mawr and read our recommendations here.

The Education Workforce Council (EWC), has published the findings from a survey of 78,000 education professionals in Wales.

Conducted alongside the Welsh Government, trade unions and employers, the survey sought the views of staff in schools, further education, work-based learning and youth work.

The study, carried out between January and May this year, found there was optimism among respondents about their future in the profession, their own professional development, and the continued importance of online learning.

For the majority of practitioners, career development and progression is a top priority. Over two thirds said that they intended to continue to develop their practice over the coming years and progress to more senior roles.

Over 60% of practitioners saw the benefits of continuing with blended or digital learning after the pandemic, with many feeling confident in their ability to deliver this with further training, support and resources. While high numbers (around 70%) felt COVID-19 had impacted on their wellbeing over the past 12 months, they believed they had been well supported by their employers during this period and felt secure in their jobs.

However, of the 10,633 respondents, many reported high workload, excess paperwork and concerns over their readiness for the new curriculum.

Concerns over workload were most notable for teaching staff in schools and FE, with 65% and 70% respectively declaring that they were unable to manage their current workload. Support staff and those in work-based learning and youth work did not have the same level of concern.

Many school teachers and leaders do not feel prepared to deliver the new curriculum, due to be introduced in 2022. Around half (51.1%) of school leaders agreed that they felt prepared to deliver the new curriculum, compared with one third (33.3%) of school teachers.

Jeremy Miles, Minister for Education and Welsh Language, said:

“I’m grateful to EWC for their work on this survey, and am especially pleased to note the high proportion of practitioners who feel their workplaces have supported them throughout the pandemic.

“We recognise this has been a difficult time for everyone in education, and it’s good to see the level of confidence which staff have in the support provided by their employers – particularly as we go into the new school year.

“We recently published a refreshed Journey to 2022 document which sets out how the sector will work together to support schools in confidently delivering the new curriculum, and we continue to work with the sector across Wales to support staff and learners.”

David Evans, Wales Secretary of the National Education Union Cymru added:

“NEU Cymru was supportive of the survey as we need to continually ask key questions of everyone in the profession, if we are to ensure a clear understanding of the pressures they face on a daily basis.

"Education provision, and expectations on staff, is constantly changing. We have to know what those expectations are, and how we are able to improve matters for the benefit of everyone in education, including learners in Wales.

"Workload, wellbeing, new ways of learning, lessons learned during the pandemic, professional learning and the implementation of the new curriculum are significant issues for education in Wales. Most important now is how we react to the findings of the survey and NEU Cymru looks forward to being involved in those considerations.”

Hayden Llewellyn, EWC Chief Executive commented:

“These results lift the lid on many of the professional challenges faced by staff across the whole of the education workforce in Wales. We encourage government and key policy makers to take heed of what the profession has said.”

Read the survey report and a breakdown of open text comments

We’ve published our Annual education workforce statistics for Wales 2021. See unique data on registered practitioners across schools, further education (FE), work-based learning and youth work settings in Wales.

Read this year’s key findings
Download the full publication

Statistics are based on information from the EWC’s Register of Education Practitioners. The publication provides valuable insights into the make-up of the education workforce, such as age, ethnicity, gender, as well as qualifications and subjects.