The We Lead Well Podcast Evelyn Forde - Making Schools More Equitable
Jul 1, 2025
Evelyn Ford, a former head teacher with 25 years in education and an advocate for diversity, shares her inspiring journey in the realm of school leadership. She discusses the obstacles she faced due to systemic prejudice and emphasizes the urgent need for diverse leadership in education. Evelyn explores the impact of unconscious bias on recruitment processes and highlights the importance of allyship and integrity in advocating for equity. She passionately calls for actionable reforms to address pay disparities and foster inclusive school environments.
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Evelyn Ford's Leadership Journey
- Evelyn Ford shared her journey from late education start to nine years as a successful headteacher.
- She led a challenging London school to top 3% outcomes with strong team support.
The Burden of Being Rare
- Black senior leaders face extra pressure being so few and highly visible.
- This dual responsibility leads to exhaustion alongside regular headship duties.
Mitigating Unconscious Bias in Hiring
- Acknowledge unconscious bias and then actively change recruitment behaviors to reduce it.
- Use diverse interview panels to help candidates feel welcomed and included.
