Our EDI Audit helps you assess your current position, existing data and identify gaps in knowledge. Our skilled consultants are experienced in collecting data and well-versed in data protection and participant privacy. We will intersectionally analyse the data collected through the lenses of all protected characteristics as well as from a social equity perspective. Together we will work to co-create a targeted EDI action plan best suited to you and your organisation based on the evidence collection from our audit and our associated recommendations. Undertaking an audit on a regular basis will allow you to measure the effectiveness of your current and recommended EDI initiatives; your progress; and identify areas for improvement.
Beckfoot Trust is a multi academy trust with ten locations around Yorkshire, comprising four primary schools, four secondary schools, and two schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Equal Group assessed the equality, diversity and inclusion metrics of each individual school, measuring both quantitative demographics to learn how representative staff were of their local communities, as well as qualitative metrics to understand how staff and students feel. We also visited Beckfoot Trust's schools and conducted several one-to-one or group conversations with stakeholders, including:
Our comprehensive research enabled us to make data-driven interventions to improve inclusivity within each school, and across the Trust overall. We highlighted the fantastic work taking place at individual schools regarding broadening of the curriculum (making it more representative of pupil intake including decolonising subjects), and raising aspirations by actively discouraging stereotyping, particularly around STEM subjects. Those particular schools’ multi-faceted responses were held up as the foundations from which to develop Trust-wide standardised approaches.
The Equal Group also made recommendations including developing the Trust’s DEI strategy using industry best practice, enhancing the use of equality impact assessments, and measuring the use of policies to track whether they are disproportionately used in managing underrepresented groups. We also suggested delivering training to colleagues across all schools to build awareness of DEI issues.
As a result of our work, the (then) CEO of Beckfoot Trust, David Horn, said “I am supremely confident we chose the right partner for this project”.
