A campaign is being launched today to recruit more young and ethnic minority school governors to tackle under-representation that has lasted for at least two decades.

Figures show that just 4 per cent of school governors are from ethnic minorities, while just 1 per cent are people under the age of 30.

The Inspiring Governance and the National Governance Association have joined forces to launch a new campaign that will share the experiences of six serving governors.

Speaking ahead of the NGA’s annual conference in Manchester today, its chief executive, Emma Knights, said: “Our Everyone on Board campaign is encouraging people from ethnic minorities and younger age groups to volunteer in school governance and counter the stark under-representation that has persisted for two decades.

“Governors and trustees donate their skills, time and expertise to ensure all children can achieve their full potential; having diverse and balanced governing boards avoids groupthink and results in better decision-making.”

According to the annual school governance survey 2017, just 4 per cent school governors and trustees are from an ethnic minority.

‘People making decisions should be diverse’

This compares to around a third of pupils being from an ethnic minority, and 13.5 per cent teachers being from an ethnic minority.

Figures also show that 10 per cent of school governors and trustees are aged under 40, with just one per cent aged under 30 - though ethnic diversity does increase in younger age groups.

Research from 1999 commissioned by the then Department for Education and Employment showed that 5 per cent of those governing came from an ethnic minority, indicating that there has been no progress made in two decades.

Yinka Ewoula, chair of governors at Cobourg Primary School, in London, is among the six people who will be profiled as part of the campaign.

She said: “Education is so powerful and one of the biggest tools for social mobility, so people making decisions about education need to be the best and the brightest and, by rights, should be diverse.

“I strongly believe that everyone should do their bit to make things better and that people that want to see change in education should roll up their sleeves and be part of making that change happen.”

There are an estimated quarter of a million school governors and trustees volunteering in state-funded schools in England, with one in ten school governing positions vacant.

Speaking at today’s NGA conference, education secretary Damian Hinds will urge business to persuade employees to become governors.