Equality and diversity

The Department for Education (DfE) aims to set an example as an employer and develop policies that make opportunity equal for children and young people.

Overview

Under the Equality Act 2010, we have a legal duty to publish information that shows compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and our equality objectives, which will be published later this year.

Equalities in policymaking and delivery

Equality and diversity are critical to delivering DfE’s vision: we enable children and learners to thrive by protecting the vulnerable and ensuring the delivery of excellent standards of education, training and care. This helps realise everyone’s potential – and that powers our economy, strengthens society and increases fairness.

Specific examples of our equality analysis

To deliver on our wider equality and diversity objectives, we invest in excellent analysis and research, some good-practice examples of which are provided here.

Equality impact assessments:

Equality analysis:

Research and analysis:

All education statistics and data can be found on the Explore our statistics and data page.

Equality and diversity within DfE

The diversity and inclusion work at DfE is directed by our diversity and inclusion strategy 2022 to 2026. Our aim is to create an inclusive DfE that nurtures talent and reflects the diversity of the country we serve.

Workforce breakdown: DfE equality workforce data, December 2020 to December 2024

Whole workforce

Dec 2020 Dec 2021 Dec 2022 Dec 2023 Dec 2024
Black and minority ethnic 19.3% 19.4% 19.5% 20.2% 20.7%
Women 58% 59.3% 59.7% 60.4% 60.7%
Disabled 10.8% 12.5% 13.4% 14.5% 15.6%
LGBO 7.1% 7.4% 7.7% 8.3% 8.7%
Headcount 7,527 8,200 8,290 8,129 7,987

Senior civil servants

Dec 2020 Dec 2021 Dec 2022 Dec 2023 Dec 2024
Black and minority ethnic 9.2% 11.3% 11.3% 12.9% 13.5%
Women 54.4% 58.3% 57.8% 58.5% 60.1%
Disabled 9.6% 9.0% 10.6% 12.3% 11.0%
LGBO 6.8% 6.6% 7.0% 7.0% 6.9%
Headcount 253 270 265 263 263

Source: HR System, March 2024.

The table shows the percentage of employees paid through the DfE payroll who have declared their ethnicity, disability status and sexual orientation.

Wellbeing support within DfE

DfE wants to make sure colleagues enjoy a good work-life balance and have access to guidance and tools to help them take care of their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as that of their colleagues. We encourage openness so that colleagues feel they can talk about their wellbeing and mental health with an active mental health first aider. Mental health first aiders have undertaken training with Mental Health First Aid England and provide confidential support to individuals, including offering encouragement and signposting to sources of professional help and other support.

DfE staff networks

We have a variety of staff networks and groups for all employees to join. Those networks help us to create an inclusive and diverse environment so that everyone who works at DfE can bring their best to work. Networks in DfE include:

  • 50+
  • Adoption
  • Apprentice
  • Armed Forces reservist
  • ​​​​​​​Bereavement
  • Black, Asian, minority ethnic
  • ​​​​​​​Carers
  • Christian
  • Dementia support
  • ​​​​​​​Disability
  • Eating disorder
  • Fertility
  • Hindu
  • ​​​​​​​HM Forces veterans
  • International
  • Jewish
  • ​​​​​​​Long COVID
  • Menopause
  • Muslim
  • ​​​​​​​Neurodivergence
  • Parent
  • Pride
  • ​​​​​​​Sex Equality and Equity (SEEN) ​​​​​​​
  • Sikh
  • Social mobility
  • ​​​​​​​Women’s
  • Women in digital, data, technology
  • Women of colour
  • ​​​​​​​Working through cancer
  • Vegan
  • Young people
Contents