The presence of Black headteachers matters. It shapes children’s sense of what is possible, strengthens communities and enriches our profession. Yet, as another Black History Month begins, it remains exceptional.
This year’s theme is ‘stand firm in power and pride’. This is something my Black leadership colleagues and I are continually required to do, and it comes with a whole raft of responsibilities that go well beyond those of and already-demanding day job.
Rightly or wrongly, we are held as representative of racial diversity in leadership – an additional level of personal scrutiny. Tragically, we also continue to combat racism in and around our schools.
Meanwhile, we have a duty to champion each other and the next generation of Black school leaders.
Power and pride
Take Nadine Bernard, headteacher, founder of Aspiring Heads and author of Your Leadership Matters: Empowering educators of the global majority and allies.
Nadine’s work is a powerful reminder that leadership is about lifting others up and ensuring that Black educators see a path forward. Her voice has been crucial in shaping a generation of aspiring leaders who may otherwise have questioned whether they belonged at the top.
Or Amanda Wilson, also a headteacher, combines her leadership role with mentoring through the Church of England’s Leaders Like Us programme.
Amanda’s work is about visibility and guidance, helping talented Black educators navigate the barriers to senior leadership while reminding the system that our presence enriches education for everyone.
Marva Rollins OBE stands as one of the great figures of Black British education. After 24 years as a headteacher, she now supports leaders at all levels through her consultancy.
Her career has spanned four decades of campaigning for equity, mentoring and developing school leadership teams. She is also a founder of several community organisations and a tireless advocate for young people and educators alike.
For her part, Evelyn Forde MBE endured 20 unsuccessful deputy head interviews, confronting racism along the way, before going on to lead one of the most successful schools in the country. The school achieved outcomes in the top 3 per cent nationally, and she won a headteacher of the year award in 2020.
A year ago this week, Evelyn published Herstory: A leadership manifesto, recounting the challenges she faced and inspiring a new generation to pursue their ambitions. She now works widely with schools and organisations on school improvement, coaching, curriculum and race equity.
Another former secondary headteacher, Diana Osagie places courageous leadership at the heart of everything she does. Through workshops and coaching, Diana develops confidence and resilience among both aspiring and established leaders.
She also challenges system leaders to create equal opportunities, recognising that without structural change, even the most resilient leaders will continue to face unnecessary hurdles.
Dawn Ferdinand won a primary headteacher of the year award last year for fostering community engagement in Tottenham. Her work with Black Educators Network (Islington and Haringey) has brought teachers and leaders together, creating solidarity and momentum.
More recently, her Roots to Excellence initiative is nurturing the next generation, reminding us that leadership development must start early if we are serious about equity.
From exception to expectation
The message from all of these stories is clear: Black leaders don’t just add diversity, they deliver excellence for children, families and communities. The problem is not a lack of ability but a lack of opportunity.
Celebrating trailblazers is vital, but systemic change is long overdue. We know what needs to happen, and it’s time it did:
- Trusts, governing bodies and local authorities need to collect and publish data on representation in leadership and hold themselves accountable for progress.
- The department for education must do more to mandate this and must make it a priority.
- Recruitment processes must be transparent, inclusive and designed to eliminate bias.
- Mentorship and sponsorship programmes must go beyond advice and actively advocate for Black educators’ progression.
- And crucially, we must broaden our view of leadership itself, embracing a diversity of styles and voices rather than expecting conformity to outdated norms.
Equity in school leadership will not happen by accident. It will only happen by choice. So, stand with us in power and pride, and together, let’s make the exceptional an expectation.
Patrick Cozier’s Calm Leadership will be published by Crown House in November
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