Review by Zoe Enser

When Evelyn Forde’s Herstory landed on my doorstep, the timing could not have been better. I was reading Kim Scott’s Radical Respect, a book already making me consider how we ensure organisations tackle bias, prejudice and bullying. I had also recently engaged in some online communications which had made me think about what I, as a white woman, did and did not notice in my places of work.

We all like to think we are attuned to some of the barriers people encounter. Coming from a working-class background and being a woman, I consider myself an ally to those who are systemically prevented from achieving their potential, whatever that may be.

But while we like to think this, what does it mean for leaders like Forde?

We know there is a wealth of research which shows representation, especially representation of black women in school leadership, is a long way from where it should be.

So what better place to begin thinking about how to tackle this than from the perspective of someone who has been there. What better place to begin than with someone who rightly reminds us on page one of her book that ‘black leaders are successful’.

Forde also reminds us from the start that this ‘might not be your regular book about education’. She is right.

Herstory takes us on her journey, from a council estate in north-west London to being awarded headteacher of the Year in 2020 and an MBE for services to education.

It is a book though that doesn’t only chronicle her experiences, but is, as the subheading suggests, ‘a manifesto’. One where leaders, both those on the ground and at system level, are reminded we have a system which is set up in opposition to the success of already marginalised groups, from the pupils in our schools to ITT access and selection and leadership.

Without minimising the difficulties Forde faced, there is much in the book that resonated with me; being a mother who wanted the opportunity to offer something more for my son; the importance of seeing people like you making choices that empowered them, and, in turn, empowered you.

There are moments in Forde’s experience which will make you rage

There are moments in Forde’s experience which will make you rage. These include governors not appointing her as they weren’t sure how their ‘community’ might respond to a black woman in leadership, as well as explicit racial abuse from staff and parents.

And there are moments that make you stop as you think about how bias manifests itself within a profession where enlightened reflection should be baked in.

Although Forde states at the beginning that this is just one Black woman’s experience in education, she also gathers testimonies from other Black teachers and leaders as well as talking to students about their experiences. She enriches this with a wealth of data and research as she builds to the manifesto in the final two chapters.

Chapter 5 offers specific and practical recommendations for aspiring leaders, governors and policy makers. There is much to reflect on here, and it offers helpful advice for anyone wishing to move into leadership, or to support others to take this step. 

The book concludes with a final message for the new government and Forde’s own reflections on the writing process, which included an acknowledgement of her own biases.

Confronting these is uncomfortable for anyone and Forde recognises this. She states this may not be a book everyone is ready to read. At least not right now. But she knows Herstory is indelibly there in print for when people are ready.

She is right that some won’t choose to read this. Others may find something to disagree with the statistics used or the conclusions reached from them.

This is a slim book, and sometimes it does leave you yearning for more detail. But hearing human stories, even those that don’t immediately intersect with our own, and thinking about the experiences our colleagues, pupils and families have, can only be a positive step in helping us notice and in bringing change.

If Forde’s story lingers with us beyond the pages of this book, that can only happen.