Alarming new research has found that almost half (48 per cent) of female teachers in the UK have experienced some form of discrimination at work.
The news comes after a survey of more than 350 British teachers, heads and governors carried out by the University of Nottingham revealed that many forms of discrimination are today worryingly commonplace in the education sector.
Almost a quarter (22 per cent) of respondents told academics that they had personally experienced sex discrimination at work, while a further 18 per cent said that they had suffered age discrimination in the workplace.
These two most frequently cited examples of discrimination in education were closely followed by maternity discrimination, which was encountered by 13 per cent of respondents.
A significant number of female teachers also reported difficulties progressing in the careers after returning from maternity leave, while one senior leader voiced concerns that there was “no proper policy to deal with maternity/career progression” at the multi-academy trust (MAT) she worked for.
Many respondents also claimed that there were “biases for white men” when it came to promotions and career progression at their place of work, while almost half (49 per cent) added that they had witnessed one or more colleagues being subjected to at least one form of discrimination.
Commenting on the study, Dr Kay Fuller, who acted as lead researcher on the project, said: “I was very surprised that such a high proportion of respondents reported they had suffered discrimination.
“A lot of the respondents experienced issues regarding maternity. They come up against what other research has called ‘the maternal wall’ and they haven’t expected to. I think institutions can improve the situation by recognising that they need family-friendly policies for women and men.
“This is not just a women’s issue and it is not just about maternity leave. It is about family-friendly policies for people with all sorts of caring responsibilities,” she said.