Diversity and Inclusion
Our Diversity and Inclusion team were formed in 2020 following our first Diversity report.
Our most recent Diversity report can be found here. To access reports from previous years, please contact us.
For The MTPT Project, ‘diversity’ means ensuring that parent-teachers from ethnic and cultural minority backgrounds, fathers, single and solo parent-teachers, LGBTQ+ parent-teachers, teachers who have become parents through adoption, fertility treatment and surrogacy, parent-teachers of blended families and parent-teachers from different faith groups have equity of access to our supportive network and empowering CPD opportunities.
Our Diversity and Inclusion team enrich our network, provide representation for these groups, and add important voices to our conversations. An important role of the Diversity and Inclusion team is to contribute to and review our annual Diversity report.
Kinza Barrett, @kinzalouise
Shared Parental Leave
After her own experience of Shared Parental Leave, Kinza set up her own website to support teachers in navigating the finances and administration associated with shared parental leave, particularly holiday periods for teachers.
Nicola Mooney, @nicksnooks
IVF and Fertility
Nicola already acts as our IVF and Fertility Advocate, providing invaluable support to teachers within our community undergoing fertility treatment. She also has experience of single parenthood and now has a blended family, and has reviewed our IVF and Fertility policy template.
Danielle Thomas, @danniisgreat
Black, African, Caribbean, and Black British Teachers
Danielle is a Primary Assistant Head in London, and was part of The MTPT Project’s Communication and Marketing Team during her first maternity leave. She hosted a panel of role models for our 2022 The Mother of All Pay Gaps event.
Sarah Ward
Single Parents
Mother of 3, Maths Lead and Class Teacher in South-West London, Sarah qualified to teach after more than a decade working in schools as an LSA/TA. She is now an ECT mentor, student teacher host and middle manager.
Sarah came into teaching as a single parent and navigates full-time work and solo parenting.
Madeleine Fresko-Brown
Jewish Teachers
Madeleine is an MTPT Project Trustee and a longstanding member of The MTPT Project community. She blogged for us during her first and second maternity leaves, documenting her maternityCPD and return to work experiences. Madeleine is an active member of the Jewish community.
Hollie Long
Neurodiversity
Hollie is a Head of Department in a Hertfordshire secondary school and mother of one. She contributes to the Diversity and Inclusion team by advising on issues affecting neurodivergent teacher parents.
Harroop Sandhu
EDI Strategy
Harroop is a senior leader and a qualified executive and life coach. As a mother of three, Harroop empathises with the challenges faced by working parents. A firm believer in flexible working, she embraces it as a means to retain excellent staff while allowing them to stay true to themselves.
Bennie Kara
Adoptive Parents
Bennie is a speaker, trainer and consultant on the curriculum, DEI in education and on language/literacy. She is a former school leader with 20 years experience. She is mama to two daughters, whom she adopted with her wife in 2023.
Paul Hunter
Fathers
Paul is a secondary Science Teacher and dad of two and has been building The MTPT Project’s community of fathers since contributing a case study about his experience of shared parental leave. He contributes to our social media campaigns, and is a great role model for fathers considering the option of part-time hours, or a career change into teaching.
Chris Reddy
Fathers
Chris is one of The MTPT Project’s Accreditation coaches and an active member of The MTPT Project’s social media community, creating connections between fathers and showcasing the balancing act between his fatherhood, teaching and coaching roles.
Claire Neaves, @claireneaves
LGBTQ+
As well as acting as a Trustee, Claire contributes to the Diversity and Inclusion team on behalf of LGBTQ+ parents. This involves educating the wider MTPT Project team on LGBTQ+ issues, and supporting us with wording in our communications and opening up important conversations within our community.