The personal information section of your GovernorHub profile is designed to help boards collect and publish board diversity data in line with Department for Education (DfE) guidelines. This information will enable boards to meet DfE expectations for transparency, and we ensure that the data is anonymised for privacy.
What We Ask and Why:
We use questions that are largely based on the 2021 census. This allows us to make comparisons with census data and use our existing Community Insights tool for schools. Below is an overview of how we ask the questions and why we ask them:
Age:
We ask for your date of birth using the same wording and options as the 2021 census to identify your age group.
Disability:
We ask about disability using the same wording and answer options as the 2021 census. This helps gather consistent data on disabilities, and its impact on governance.
Ethnicity:
We use the 2021 census ethnicity categories to identify your ethnicity. These groups are explained in more detail in here.
Religion:
We ask about religion using the same wording as the 2021 census. This allows for consistency in data collection across various organisations.
Sex:
We ask about sex as registered at birth and gender identity separately. Gender identity may differ from the sex recorded at birth, and we aim to capture both for a more accurate understanding of diversity.
We have used the same wording as the 2021 census for both questions and their answer options.
Gender Identity:
This question is about gender identity, as it may differ from sex as registered at birth. We ask both questions separately to ensure that individuals can express their identity accurately.
We have used the same wording as the 2021 census for both questions and their answer options.
Sexual Orientation:
We use the 2021 census wording and options to ask about sexual orientation, allowing for broad, consistent data on how sexual orientation is represented across governing bodies.
Education Level:
We ask about your highest level of education, merging two questions from the 2021 census:
"Have you achieved a qualification at degree level or above?"
"Have you achieved any other qualifications?"
These two questions are merged into one to give us a clear view of the education levels of governors and trustees, making it easier to compare data regionally and nationally.
Why So Many Questions?
We aim to reflect the broadest possible range of diverse characteristics to ensure that governing boards have members from varied backgrounds and life experiences. The goal is to understand if any particular groups are underrepresented on school governing boards.
By collecting this data, we can help boards ensure they reflect the diversity of the communities they serve, which is essential for effective governance.