The teaching workforce is predominately white and female (Francis and Skelton, 2005; DfE, 2011). This fact has been examined in response to concerns about the underachievement of Black and Minority ethnic (BME) children and boys particularly White working class boys (Carrington and Skelton, 2003; Maylor et al., 2007).  

From as early as the Swann Report in 1985, there has been recognition that the teaching profession must reflect the diversity of society (DES 1985). This continues to be important today (GTCE, 2005; Maylor, et al., 2007; TDA, 2010). Despite efforts to provide funding to support recruitment and retention strategies, the percentage of (BME) trainees fell from 11.6% in 2008/9 to 11.2% 2009/10 (TDA, 2009). The number of male trainees has increased slightly from 15% 2008/09 to 16.1% 2009/10 (TDA 2010) but there remains a low proportion of men within primary schools. The proportion of BME men in primary schools is even lower. Recent research on trainee teachers has highlighted that men on primary programmes are significantly more likely to withdraw from or less likely to complete teacher training programmes than women (Hobson, et al., 2006). BME trainee teachers withdrew from training for a variety of reasons including racism, personal and family reason and other issues related to their training (Basit, et al., 2006).
While there is a growing field of research on teachers, trainee teachers, men, BME trainee teachers and BME teachers there is a gap in the research literature where the experiences of BME male trainee teachers has not been examined. This research aims to fill this gap. For the purpose of this research reference to Black and minority ethnic includes those who identify as Mixed White and any of the Black and minority ethnic categories whether born overseas or in the UK.

The main objective of this pilot study is to understand the particular challenges faced by BME male student teachers and to explore how they conceptualise their maleness and successfully navigate their way through predominately White female school and university experiences. The key research questions will focus on the experiences of BME male primary trainee teachers on training courses and how they cope with the challenges of training in White female dominated environments. Why BME men choose to enter primary teaching and what support they draw on will be explored.
A qualitative case study approach will be used. The qualitative nature of the research will allow for an examination of the processes and meanings conveyed through the data. But it acknowledges that the nature of knowledge and lived reality is socially constructed and value-laden and often constrained by individual perspectives, but is recognised as valuable and offering a valid contribution to knowledge (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000). Critical Race theory will underpin the research by recognising and valuing the importance of student narratives to explore their experiences and accepts that ‘social reality is constructed by the formulations and the exchange of stories about individual situations’ (Ladson-Billings, 2004, p. 55).

Basit, T.N., Roberts, L., McNamara, O., Carrington, B., Maguire, M., and Woodrow, D. (2006) Did they jump or were they pushed? Reasons why minority ethnic trainees withdraw from initial teacher training courses. British Education Research Journal 32, 3, 387-410. Carrington, B and Skelton, C. (2003) ‘Re-thinking role models’: equal opportunities in teacher recruitment in England and Wales. Journal of Education Policy, 18, 3; 253-265. Denzin, N and Lincoln, Y. (2000) The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Department for Education (2011) Statistical First Release: School workforce in England November 2010 (provisional). SFR6/2011 London: DfE. Department of Education and Skills (1985) Education for all: Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Education of Children from Ethnic Minority Groups. London: HMSO Francis, B. and Skelton, C. (2005) Reassessing Gender and Achievement London: Routledge Hobson, A.J., Malderez, A., Tracey, L., Giannakaki, M.S., Pell, R.G., Kerr, K., Chambers, G.N., Tomlinson, P.D. & Roper, T. (2006) Becoming a teacher: Student teachers’ experiences of initial teacher training in England. Research Report 744. Nottingham: DFES publications. Ladson Billings, G. (2004) Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education. In G. Ladson Billings and D. Gillborn (Eds) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Multicultural Education. London: Routledge Lincoln, Y. and Guba, E. (1985) Naturalistic Enquiry. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Maylor, U., Ross, A., Rollock, N. And Williams, K. (2007) Black Teachers in London. London: Greater London Authority. Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) (2009) Annual Report and Accounts 2008-9: Developing people improving young lives. London: The Stationery Office TDA (2010) Training and Development Agency for Schools Annual Reports and Accounts 2009-2010. London: The Stationery Office