£30,000 grants to train trans and gay teachers labelled ‘profoundly misguided'

Department of Education says suggestion people are promoted on basic of diversity is 'absolute nonsense'

A government-backed scheme designed to help encourage transgender and gay teachers into senior positions has been labelled “profoundly misguided”.

The Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund, backed by the Department of Education, aims to help teachers of “protected characteristics” - defined by the 2010 Equality Act, including age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief - go for leadership roles in schools.

Under the scheme, schools can receive grants worth up to £30,000 to provide training it is hoped will help plug the gaps in diversity in schools with low numbers of gay or transgender staff.

But David Green, founder of think-tank Civitas, said he believed it would result in schools hiring staff based on characteristics rather than skill.

“"The assumption behind the Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund is that there has been discrimination if there is not proportionate representation of any of the above groups in leadership roles,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

"It is highly likely that this would include every school in the land. A law against discrimination is at least understandable if it relates to an ascribed characteristic that the individual can’t change (such as race), but it makes no sense if the protected characteristic is chosen.

"If you go to one of these courses the Head and Deputy are under obligation to promote you, which may not be best for the children.

"I would abolish the whole thing, I think it's profoundly misguided and the money could be better spent on providing more teachers for children from disadvantaged backgrounds."

Labour’s shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell, also told The Daily Telegraph the money could be better spent elsewhere, saying "We support moves to diversify school leadership so that it is more representative of the communities schools serve.

"However given the teacher shortage crisis in this county it is important that this funding is properly accounted for and is not being used simply to help plug gaps given the failure of ministers to train enough teachers and at a time when more teachers are leaving the profession than ever before."

The Department of Education defended the scheme, stressing that the funding was to aid schools that have an imbalance of people from a protected group, and not as a reward to schools for hiring people from minority groups.

"This programme encourages able teachers with potential, who might otherwise not have the confidence to compete for such roles without targeted intervention, to move into leadership roles," a Department of Education spokesperson told The Independent.

"It is absolute nonsense to say that the people involved are promoted on the basis of diversity - all participants who apply for leadership roles must show they are the best person for the job to be successful."