Main photo credit: Belonging Effect 

Mid Essex ITT - a place where everyone feels welcome and valued and feel that they belong.

Mid Essex ITT is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in teacher training and celebrates a diverse and inclusive workforce. We aim to have a safe, inclusive culture and environment for our trainees, in which diversity is championed. We are proud of our diverse cohort and work hard to ensure everyone feels welcome and valued and feel that they belong. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Recruitment

Our aim is that all candidates and trainees have a positive experience, regardless of their backgrounds and protected characteristics.  

We closely monitor our diversity statistics with the aim to recruit high quality trainee teachers who are representative of the population. 

You can see the data for the Mid Essex ITT 2024-2025 cohort below:We encourage applications from under-represented groups and will make all reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process to address the barriers that these groups face. If you would like to discuss your requirements with a member of staff, please get in touch with our friendly team.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Central Team

• All of the central team at Mid Essex ITT complete annual training on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• The central team also attend the virtual conference hosted by Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators) where they hear from an inspiring and empowering range of speakers
• In 2025, our Director is taking part the Increasing Diversity in ITT project which is run in partnership with The Chartered College of Teaching and Mission 44. The project is focused on dismantling the systemic barriers that trainee teachers from Global Majority Heritage backgrounds face throughout the Initial Teacher Training journey, from application to leadership. Over the past three years, we have had between 10%-18% of our cohorts from a Global Majority Heritage backgrounds.
• In 2023, members of the Leadership Team completed Menopause Awareness training 
• In May 2022, central staff took part in a three-part course in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)  - a Masterclass run by Belonging Effect 
• In 2021, central staff completed training in inclusive recruitment run by Ignition Law

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Training

• All trainees attend a virtual conference hosted by Belonging Effect (formerly Diverse Educators) where they hear from an inspiring and empowering range of speakers
• In 2020, training on diversifying the curriculum was provided for trainee teachers and staff from The Black Curriculum 

Supporting trainees from Global Majority backgrounds

• In 2025, our Director is taking part the Increasing Diversity in ITT project which is run in partnership with The Chartered College of Teaching and Mission 44. The project is focused on dismantling the systemic barriers that trainee teachers from Global Majority Heritage backgrounds face throughout the Initial Teacher Training journey, from application to leadership.
• Over the past three years, we have had between 10%-18% of our cohorts from a Global Majority Heritage backgrounds.
• We regularly support trainees from Global Majority Heritage backgrounds on the course. You can read Aiysha's story here. 
• We have also supported trainees who have relocated to Essex to train. You can read Bernadette's story here.

Supporting trainees with disabilities and health conditions

• Each year, we support a number of trainees with disabilities and health conditions on the course. We recognise that these trainees may face additional barriers to their learning and well-being, so strive to create an environment where they feel able to share their needs and ask for help.
• We have a responsibility to ensure that trainees have the health and capacity to train to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm, whilst meeting the expectations of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the offer of reasonable adjustments. 
• All candidates who are offered a place will complete an assessment to with Corazon Health, our chosen occupational health provider. The initial assessment is a short, confidential questionnaire to check a candidate's fitness to train. Some candidates may then complete a longer, more detailed assessment over the phone or in person which may lead to the recommendation of reasonable adjustments.
• Mid Essex ITT strives to ensure that the recommended reasonable adjustments are put in place for trainees at training and at their placement schools.
• Mid Essex ITT supports trainees who are neurodiverse or neuro-different on its course. A number of the provisions which are in place for all trainees, are also "neurodiverse friendly", such as clear, consistent communication, regular weekly routines, advance warning of termly deadlines, structured weekly workload and regular reminders. 

Supporting career changers and parents/carers

•  Since 2020, Mid Essex ITT has been working with Now Teach, to encourage talented, experienced career changers to train as teachers
• In 2019, we introduced our Flexible Course offering a route into teaching for candidates who need to juggle other commitments at the same time.
• Each year, around a third of the cohort are parents or carers.  

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Objectives

Objective 1 To ensure that all trainees are trained in diversity, equity and inclusion and attend the Belonging Effect Conference in their training year

Objective 2: To ensure that all trainees understand the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and know about prejudice-based bullying

Objective 3: To ensure that all trainees are trained in the inclusion of learners with special educational needs and disabilities, English as an additional language, disadvantaged and looked after children

Belonging Effect

Belonging Effect website has an amazing directory here with further resources and sources of support. You can also download some of their resources below.