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Leeds Trinity University has introduced an inclusive mentoring framework to address racism, dismantle barriers, and support Black, Asian and Global Majority (BAGM) student teachers to succeed.
The framework consists of a series of direct interventions for a small cohort of BAGM students on the Primary Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course and was introduced following recent research, which revealed a need for targeted support.
Research by Dr Naziya O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education and Dr Stephen Campbell, Disability Services Manager at Leeds Trinity highlighted inequalities in BAGM students’ experiences and outcomes, including lower pass rates for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and higher likelihood of suspending their course, compared to their white peers.
These findings reflect a wider issue across the higher education sector, where students from minoritised backgrounds continue to face attainment gaps, feelings of not belonging at university, and a lack of trust in their institutions to acknowledge and address race-related incidents. This leads to degree awarding gaps between BAGM and white students, which across the sector are currently at 11.5%.
With Leeds Trinity recognised as a sector leader in anti-racism, having reduced its awarding gap to 2.3%, and ranked first for the Black Awarding Gap category in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, Dr O'Reilly explained: "Inequality stems from BAGM students feeling like they lack a voice, which contributes to a limited institutional understanding of the challenges related to race, culture, and ethnicity they are facing. One such challenge is the prevalence of racialised experiences reported by BAGM students while on placement.
"These worrying findings prompted us to take immediate action to ensure our students benefit from the right support, so they are retained on the course, feel valued and respected both on campus and in the schools where they complete their placements, and ultimately leave with the skills and qualifications they work so hard for."
The inclusive mentoring framework begins with one-to-one check-ins during induction, giving students opportunities to discuss their experiences openly and identify the support they need. These conversations initially highlighted the importance of feeling understood and connecting with others, which resulted in the creation of racial affinity spaces, where students can share lived experience in a safe environment, both on campus and online.
Inclusion agreements have been introduced to address students’ hesitation to report or talk about racialised experiences, which is largely caused by failure to acknowledge the issue, or long waiting times for it to be dealt with. Adapted from traditional student inclusion plans, inclusion agreements help students and mentors identify barriers, discuss racialised experiences, and agree practical steps to support retention and progression.
Early findings from an initial review of the programme have been positive. Withdrawal rates among BAGM students have decreased from 17% to 10%, reflecting the importance of addressing issues proactively and fostering a culture where students feel confident to seek support.
Dr O'Reilly added: "At Leeds Trinity, we are committed to widening participation, but the work does not stop at dismantling the barriers that might prevent these students from accessing higher education. We must also ensure they receive the support they need to complete their studies and progress into their chosen careers. This is particularly important for teacher trainees from the global majority - supporting them to thrive ensures we contribute to a teaching workforce that better reflects the communities it serves."
Following their efforts to embed anti-racism across the Primary PGCE provision, Dr O'Reilly and Dr Campbell have been invited to contribute to a parliamentary roundtable, which will bring together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and equality specialists to discuss why teacher training at all levels needs to include specific reference to racism.
Leeds Trinity was named University of the Year for Student Experience and ranked 9th for Social Inclusion in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, underpinning its commitment to anti-racism, widening participation, teaching excellence, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential.