This blog is written by Jo Philips. Jo is the Marketing Manager at GovernorHub and behind their 2022 research, 'The Missing Pool of Talent on School Governing Boards', which focuses on public perceptions of governance and the diversity of the volunteer workforce, also, 'Women's Work', GovernorHub's 2023 report into gender, pay and working conditions for school governance clerks and governance professionals, plus, 'The Trust Governance Professional', GovernorHub's 2023 research into the role and seniority of the governance professional in multi-academy trusts. Jo has been a governor herself at a maintained school for more than 7 years. 

Academy trusts that listen and work meaningfully with their school communities are widely considered to be fulfilling one of their key functions - strategic engagement with stakeholders.

At GovernorHub, we recently published research into how trusts are currently doing this work, the extent to which governance is being used to monitor its success, and what factors potentially influence this. 

This research was conducted against a backdrop of increased focus from the Department for Education (DfE) on community engagement as an indicator of a trust’s quality.

We ran two surveys: one with local governors and one with trustees and between them, reached nearly 1,700 respondents. We also reviewed Edurio’s parental engagement data, against a few selected measures, to explore which, if any, affect parental engagement. 

We landed upon five key lessons to be shared with the sector:

1. Make community engagement a priority across the trust 

Our data shows that both governors and trustees value community engagement, but among those surveyed, it is not being prioritised as widely as they would like across the work of governing bodies and trusts. Competing priorities and more urgent issues appear to be the cause of this.

So while the DfE advocates 'strategic engagement' as a key purpose of governance in a trust and highlights the importance of engagement with stakeholders and acting in the interests of the local community, there's a gap between what's advocated and what seems practical at ground level, given other priorities.

Perhaps to overcome this, community engagement might be better viewed as a golden thread running through other priorities - rather than a one-off or discrete activity on its own. This might mean incorporating community engagement, in some form or other, into a trust or school's vision or values.

2. Improve mechanisms for reporting on community engagement

The trust board is tasked with overseeing strategic relationships with stakeholders but to be truly effective it should put in place processes for this information to be gathered and shared ‘upwards’ appropriately. 

Does your local governing body report to the trust board on community engagement? Governors base size: 672

Source: Academy trust governance guide, DfE

Among governors who say the local governing body is responsible for monitoring this area, less than half (39%) say their LGB reports on it to the trust board. Indeed, 2 in 5 trustees surveyed stated that they are “slightly aware” or “not at all aware” of what’s happening regarding community engagement locally.

Have you read your trust's scheme of delegation? Base sizes: governors: 1,078, trustees: 189

Source: Academy trust governance guide, DfE

This could be resolved by trustees formally requesting feedback/reports on community engagement from governors who are responsible for monitoring this. 

If trusts also develop systems to allow subsequent actions to be shared, this could improve the flow of information between trust and local tier, and give governors a better sense of how their work is making an impact.

3. Make better use of the local tier

There were a few instances where we heard from governors who did not feel that the model of governance in their trust was enabling the local community to be heard. This appears to be a missed opportunity for a trust to make full use of the local tier to support and improve community engagement - and to give governors a sense of purpose and value. 

Source: The local tier of governance in school trusts, Confederation of School Trusts

Local governing bodies are especially well-placed to take responsibility for community engagement, as their members are likely to live within the local community, giving them an understanding of the local context. Many of our survey respondents expressed a desire for community engagement to be a key objective, indicating that governors would likely welcome a more active role in this area. 

There is a clear need to improve connection with parents, according to Edurio’s data, which shows a fifth (20%) of parents have low satisfaction with their school’s efforts to engage them, and a further 21% are only “moderately satisfied” (parents base size: 19,047).

Source: Edurio - In general, how satisfied are you with the school’s efforts to engage you as a parent? Parents base size: 19,047

It seems that using the local governing bodies is likely to be a trust's best bet when it comes to understanding any barriers that parents might face, beyond hearing from parents themselves.

4. Clear up confusion about ‘who does what’ in academy governance  

We found a degree of confusion over roles and responsibilities which led us to conclude that governors and trustees need more support and training to understand the ‘who does what’ of governance in their trust - including, crucially, their own responsibilities. This could include:

• Comprehensive induction, including a strong emphasis on the scheme of delegation
• Simplifying the language and format of the scheme of delegation
• Utilising concise summaries and providing more 'narrative'-style explanations for governors, where possible
• Ensuring that governors can see “at a glance” what falls in their remit
• Encouraging governors to read their scheme of delegation more regularly - and perhaps even quizzing them on it periodically

The various governance structures now available to trusts mean it is particularly important to clearly define responsibilities, so that governors have full transparency regarding what their role entails. 

Find out more about how your trust can engage meaningfully with its school communities by accessing our Trust community engagement resource hub. Read the full report here. 

How Edurio worked with GovernorHub?

Edurio’s insights team reviewed the dataset, and provided with aggregated and anonymised data to guide GovernorHub's analysis as their research partner. GovernorHub used Edurio’s 2022/23 parent survey dataset to see if the type of delegation a trust has and the geographical spread of a trust influence the levels of parental engagement.

Here’s a blog post from our Head of Customer Success, Molly Henson. She leads the Customer Success team to ensure customers are at the heart of Edurio. She has guided numerous schools and trusts across England on their improvement journey and helped them collect, analyse, and implement feedback from thousands of stakeholders.

Thank you for your valuable feedback

As the summer term draws to a close and we all look forward to a bit of R&R (and hopefully even a dash of sunshine!), I wanted to take this opportunity to share some findings from a customer survey we ran earlier this term relating to your needs and experiences with Edurio, to make sure you’re being kept in the loop and can see how your feedback is leading to action. 

Thank you to everyone who participated. Your insights are invaluable and will play a crucial role in shaping the future of how we work together. 

Survey highlights

Respondents

Edurio works with 160+ trusts and over 2000 schools. This includes some of the largest trusts in the UK.  This diverse representation across the sector allows us to ensure that we’re tailoring our services and support to meet the varied needs of organisations, and take productive strides together in helping schools to become thriving communities. 

What You Value Most

From the feedback, it's clear that you greatly value access to national benchmarks (91%), the results platform with features such as filters, matrix view, and word clouds (71%), and access to your own internal benchmarks (53%). These insights emphasise the importance of us providing robust tools for data analysis and comparison, particularly as we start to see data and AI become more prevalent within the sector. We are committed to enhancing these features further in the coming months.

National benchmarks provided by Edurio platform

Areas for Improvement

With the launch of Edurio Unlimited just around the corner, we found it interesting to learn that while many of you feel confident in designing your own surveys (75%), there is a recognised challenge with getting survey structure right. This indicates a need for additional support, which we are developing over the summer and will continue to evolve in the new academic year. Our goal is to ensure you have the resources and confidence needed to create effective surveys yourselves; surveys that give you clarity on the things that matter most, as soon as you need it. 

What Next for the Edurio community?

Continuation of excellent support 

We are delighted to hear that most of you appreciate the assistance provided by our Edurio colleagues in building survey content and structure (73%) and administering surveys on your behalf (71%). Given the high appreciation for our expert support, we plan to expand our resources and training sessions to further assist you in creating effective stakeholder feedback strategies and well-structured surveys.

Enhanced communication and updates 

We observed a strong preference for being able to regularly access survey response rates during a live survey. To address this, we will work on enhancing our communication to keep you better informed throughout the survey process, making it much easier for you to see response rates whenever you need to. 

Edurio Unlimited 

As we transition to Edurio Unlimited, we are excited to announce several key improvements that will be rolled out in September:

• Automatic question benchmarks: Users of Edurio Unlimited will be able to see which questions contain an Edurio national benchmark, with the benchmark automatically added to the results platform when you close your survey.
• New survey builder and template library: Offering a more intuitive and flexible survey creation experience as well as lots more survey templates for all of your feedback needs.
• Custom Filters: Allowing you to create and add your own filters to the survey platform as soon as you close your survey. 
• Trusts and schools launch their own surveys: Do you want to run a Trust wide temperature check at the start of term? No problem! Both Trusts and Schools will now be able to create and launch their own surveys directly from the Edurio platform. 
• New Help Centre: Featuring FAQs and how-to guides to support you in using our platform effectively.

The entire Edurio team is very excited about the upcoming improvements and I look forward to sharing more updates with you in the autumn term.

In the meantime, thank you for your continued support and for being a part of the Edurio community - I hope you have a lovely summer period.

Following the general election on July 4th, we now have a Labour majority government with 411 of the 650 seats in parliament. Changing from a Conservative government to a Labour government after 14 years naturally brings uncertainty and many potential adjustments.

In this blog, we will examine some of Labour's Manifesto promises and explore the areas that weren’t covered, posing challenges to the sector.

The new Cabinet

With a new government comes a new Cabinet and, of course, a new Prime Minister. 

Bridget Phillipson

Bridget Phillipson has been appointed as Secretary of State for Education. She joined Labour at only 15 and was elected MP for Houghton and Sunderland South in 2010. She was made Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2020-2021) and Shadow Education Secretary from November 2021 to July 2024.

Phillipson’s key education policies as Shadow Secretary include:

• Funded breakfast clubs for all primary school children in England;

• Reform of Ofsted and moving away from single-word judgements

• VAT on private schools to fund more teachers;

• A full curriculum review and a greater emphasis on speaking and listening skills.

Catherine McKinnell

Catherine McKinnell has been appointed as Minister of State for Schools at the DfE, although her brief is yet to be confirmed. Her parliamentary background includes being elected as Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North in 2010 and first appointed to the Labour frontbench as shadow solicitor general.

In 2011, Catherine McKinnell joined the shadow education team as shadow children’s minister. She has also worked in the shadow cabinet as shadow attorney general and has most recently rejoined the shadow education team as shadow schools minister.

In a recent Tes interview, McKinnell said she wanted to bring the joy of teaching and learning back into schools. She has also highlighted issues such as student mental health and teacher recruitment as priorities for the Labour government.

What was promised in the manifesto?

In a recent blog, we explored what each party promised in its manifesto. In this one, we highlight only the promises made by labour and explore where further development is possible.

Workforce

• Recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects and review bursaries/retention payments;
• Teacher Training Entitlement for continuing professional development;
• Reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body;
• Specialist mental health professionals in every school;
• 'Excellence in Leadership Programme', is a mentoring framework that expands leadership capacity to improve schools.

Curriculum

• Expert-led review of curriculum and assessment;
• Early-language interventions in primary school;
• Support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16, ensuring accountability measures reflect it;
• Protected time for PE;
• National Music Education Network;
• Guarantee two weeks of work experience and improve career advice in schools.

Supporting services/other

• Community-wide approach to SEND to improve inclusivity in mainstream and ensure special schools for most complex needs;
• 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries through upgrading space in primary schools;
• Free breakfast clubs in every primary school;
• Limitation on branded items of uniform and PE kit;
• A single unique identifier to improve data sharing across services;
• Strategy to reduce child poverty, working with the voluntary sector, faith organisations, trade unions, businesses, local government and communities;
• Network of Young Futures Hubs, with youth workers, mental health support workers, and careers advisers to support mental health and avoid young people engaging in knife crime;
• Youth workers in every PRU.

Commissioning, Accountability and Regulation

• All schools to cooperate with LAs on admissions, SEND inclusion and place planning;
• Replace single grade judgements with a report card system, trust-level inspection, and annual review of safeguarding, attendance and off-rolling;
• Regional Improvement Teams to enhance school-to-school support and spread best practices.

What's missing from the manifesto?

Stone King’s blog by Graham Burns perfectly summarises the differences between the 2019 and 2024 Labour manifestos. It highlights that Labour's manifesto for 2024 is less detailed and shorter than the 2019 one.

The blog also highlights that the 2024 document focuses on continuity and includes specific policies, such as VAT on private school fees. It also emphasises practical policies, such as addressing specialist teacher skill shortages.

Another comparison area is the dual school system of maintained vs. academy schools. The blog points out that this is not addressed in the 2024 manifesto in the same way it was in 2019. Stone King does, however, specify that there are glimpses of future policy on further MAT regulation (such as the introduction of Ofsted inspections for academy trusts) and the reform of Ofsted in the 2024 manifesto.

Furthermore, the blog shows that there appears to be no planned systemic change, and the key issue of school funding levels is not addressed in detail. 

It is also suggested that Labour's manifesto implies a stronger role for local authorities in the school system, particularly for admissions. This may affect the current level of autonomy of academy trusts.

What's next for education under a Labour government?

What are the immediate priorities with the possibility of a Labour-majority government for the next five years?

According to an article recently shared by TES, some time-sensitive/pressing decisions must be made. Here, we highlight some of those and look at the long-term priorities that need to be addressed.

Short-term areas of focus for education

• A New Education Select Committee is to be formed;
• School Teacher Pay and Conditions Board recommendations (to be agreed on Nov 24 and backdated from 1st September 24, provisions made in budgets);
• Support Staff pay recommendations (backdated to 1st April 24);
• RAAC improvement delays;
• March awarded CIF bids;
• Regional Advisory Board decisions on schools joining, leaving and Trusts merging.

Long-term priorities to address

• Funding - General Annual Grant (GAG) revenue funding- running costs; Capital funding - school estates (80%+ of all school costs are staffing); According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2019-20, the UK was the highest spender in the G7 on schools and colleges delivering primary and secondary education as a share of GDP;
• Recruitment - 6,500 more teachers, address specialist subject gaps, and recruit more support staff;
• Retention - see our latest report;

• Attendance - as above;
• Curriculum - new National Curriculum? Post 16 funding for schools;
• Behaviour - societal issues causing a continued increase in disruptive behaviour;

• Qualifications - disparity among awarding boards, vocational courses (T Levels / BTEC / GNVQ);
• Ofsted - reform called for and promised by this government pre-election;
• Unions - better relationships needed to avoid strike situations;
• Support services - CAMHS, Social Services, Policing (inc Prevent, County Lines, CSE), Alternative Provision;
• Future of structure - MATs / Regional / LAs;
• Accountability measures - KS2 SATs, KS4 Progress 8 and Attainment 8, KS5 L3VA and Attainment;
• Nursery provision promised needs scoping for realistic implementation;
• A single unique identifier to connect public services together needs a plan of what, who, how, and when.

What can schools and trusts do to improve?

With change expected in the sector, it remains as important as ever to listen to your stakeholders, whether it is about new policies, their wellbeing or the operational and cultural experiences of staff. 

With Edurio Unlimited, you can ask what you want whenever you want and keep your finger on the pulse of your school's community members.

This blog is written by Scott Owen. Scott is a former teacher who spent 6 years working in secondary and special needs schools in the 1990s before leaving the profession. Subsequently, he has worked in education recruitment, most recently with Supporting Education Group, where he helped MAT leaders adopt new approaches to finding teaching and support staff.  

Edurio's new report, Staff Retention in Academies, presents a stark reality for school and MAT leaders. The report's key findings reveal significant and potentially systemic challenges in retaining teachers and teaching assistants.

The report's findings are particularly concerning for younger teachers and teaching assistants. They are disproportionately more likely to leave their roles or the education sector, underscoring the severity of the issue.

Staff Retention in Academies, Edurio 2024

Overall, 50% of teachers and 45% of teaching assistants had considered resigning in the last three months, compared to 28% of senior leaders and 39% of administrative staff. While 48% of middle leaders had also considered resigning, 60% of those would likely stay in the profession. Only 54% of teachers and 44% of teaching assistants planned to remain in education if they resigned.

Staff Retention in Academies, Edurio 2024

When broken down by age group, staff aged 25 to 35 were the most likely to consider resignation constantly, often, or sometimes. Looking at the teacher cohort, the tendency to consider resignation is highest for those with between 2 and 5 years of experience. When looking at the main reasons, people have considered resignation, overwhelming workload, and feeling undervalued are the top reasons by some distance.

Does this sound familiar?

The figures are disappointing, but are they unexpected? Young teachers and teaching assistants who have invested less in their careers, have less experience managing their workload and can switch jobs with less friction choose to look elsewhere.

If it were any other industry sector, these figures would be less concerning (in retail and hospitality, two sectors disproportionately reliant on younger staff, these retention figures would be considered miraculous). However, education remains societally essential, even if the teaching profession is not held in the same esteem as medicine or is as well remunerated as financial services.

Combining the figures in the Edurio report with the missed teacher recruitment target (50% for secondary and 4% for primary teachers) for 2023/24, we paint a picture of a profession approaching crisis point.

What can be done?

With too few people entering the teaching profession and too many leaving, the arithmetic is straightforward. Either increase one side of the equation or decrease the other. But what if the answer was to do both?

Too few young people enter the profession, and the money spent on promoting the ITT route is not helping. Conversely, when people take the ITT route into teaching, they are too quickly ground down by workload and feel undervalued. The reality of teaching is not how it seems in the adverts.

One way of squaring this circle is to increase the number and variety of young people experiencing work in schools and provide effective pathways to quickly get those with the aptitude and attitude to succeed as teachers into the workforce.

Alternative pathways  

The existing graduate Apprenticeship and next year's non-graduate route into teaching provide forward-thinking schools and trusts with a way to use the apprenticeship levy to expand the number of young people experiencing work in school.

These flexible approaches allow aspiring teachers to earn while they learn. These programs can provide practical, hands-on experience in the classroom while they complete their training.

Working with apprenticeship providers means schools can quickly adopt an apprenticeship programme and learn what is required to create a successful environment to convert apprentices into full-time, long-serving staff members.

Initiatives such as United Learning's Future Teacher Programme offer structured pathways for graduates to enter the teaching profession. The programme converts the supply budget into something more progressive.

Case Study: Swindon & Wiltshire Teaching School Hub

Graduates gain first-hand experience working in a school by doing a year of cover work. After a period of extended hire via an agency, the school directly employs successful future teachers. After a year, they are placed on a SCITT programme within the academy they have been working in.

The program lets graduates hone their classroom management and curriculum delivery skills before training. The MAT makes a substantial commitment to Future Teachers, but anecdotal feedback from those involved suggests it is worth it. Many graduates take on positions of responsibility more quickly and stick with the trust for longer than their non-Future Teacher Programme counterparts.

Making schools youth-friendly

There is much schools can do to make themselves more attractive to younger employees.

Much has been written about the need for flexible work, career development opportunities, and supportive work culture, particularly within the secondary sector. However, looking at the statistics for new entrants to secondary teaching, it is hard to see the delivery model continuing unchanged indefinitely.

In the short term, schools need to foster an inclusive environment where young teachers and teaching assistants feel valued and heard while changing working patterns, reducing workload, and managing individuals more compassionately if they want them to remain in post.

None of this is easy, but schools and MATs must change to avoid the alternative of a hollowing out of an ageing teaching profession, rising class sizes, and AI used to mitigate falling teacher numbers rather than reduce the workload burdens of teachers and teaching assistants.

While we at Edurio aim to remain politically impartial, we understand the concerns and worries of those in the sector as the UK General Election 2024 quickly approaches. Therefore, we've prepared a clear update on what parties are promising for the education sector.

The CST recently published their manifesto summaries for Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. In this blog, we also include the Green Party and Reform UK. We will examine the key themes emerging in the party manifestos and consider what that means for the education sector.

Workforce

We recently launched our Staff Wellbeing in Academies and Staff Retention in Academies reports, which identify some of the challenges and eye-opening experiences of staff in English schools. 

Our data shows a clear need to focus on the workforce in the education sector. Around 44% of staff are considering resigning from their roles—the highest it has been since we started collecting data on this topic.

While staff retention and flexible working are often discussed in the sector, to aid school improvement and retention, staff wellbeing must also become part of these conversations.

Here are some of the promises made by parties in their manifestos that specifically relate to the workforce in education.

Conservatives

• Expanded recruitment and retention premium, with bonuses for new teachers in priority areas, such as STEM and technical subjects, over five years (expanded to FE colleges).

Labour

• Recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects and review bursaries/retention payments;
• Teacher Training Entitlement for continuing professional development;
• Reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body;
• Specialist mental health professionals in every school;
• 'Excellence in Leadership Programme', a mentoring framework to expand leadership capacity to improve schools.

Liberal Democrats

• A workforce strategy to ensure every secondary school child is taught by a subject specialist;
• Reform of STRB to be ‘properly independent’;
• Funding teacher training ‘properly so that all trainee posts in school are paid’;
• A funded programme of professional development.

The Green Party

• £2bn for a pay uplift for teachers.

Reform UK

• Not outlined in their Manifesto.

Curriculum

Last September, we brought CST's Building Strong Trusts guidance and DfE's High-Quality Trusts framework to life with feedback from 175,000 staff, parents, pupils, and trust leaders across English schools. One of the topics we explored in this report was curriculum and learning, which, unsurprisingly, is also one of the main themes in party manifestos. 

Some pledges include reviews of assessment methods and strategies, topics to be included or removed from the curriculum, or promises to improve the fundamental skills that pupils leave school with.

Here are the key commitments parties made in their manifestos related to the curriculum.

Conservatives

• Introduce the Advanced British Standard;
• Mandate two hours of PE every week in primary and secondary.

Labour

• Expert-led review of curriculum and assessment;
• Early-language interventions in primary school;
• Support children to study a creative or vocational subject until they are 16, ensuring accountability measures reflect it;
• Protected time for PE;
• National Music Education Network;
• Guarantee two weeks of work experience and improve career advice in schools.

Liberal Democrats

• Standing commission to build consensus across ‘parties and teachers’ to broaden the curriculum and ’make qualifications at 16 and 18 for the 21st century’ (to look at IB and ensure skills like critical thinking and creativity);
• Improve the quality of vocational education;
• Strengthen career advice and links with employers;
• Include arts subjects in the English Baccalaureate and give power to Ofsted to monitor the curriculum;
• Expand the provision of extracurricular activities and introduce a free entitlement for disadvantaged children.

The Green Party

• Review assessment targets in schools so that arts and vocational subjects are treated equally within the curriculum, children are supported to play and learn outdoors, and every child can learn about the climate and biodiversity crisis to equip them for the challenges ahead;
• Ensure effective delivery of the new Natural History GCSE;
• Retain a full, evidence-based and age-appropriate programme of Relationships, Sex and Health Education, including LGBTIQA+ content and resources.

Reform UK

• Ban Transgender Ideology in Primary and Secondary Schools;
• Ban Critical Race Theory in Primary and Secondary Schools;
• A Patriotic Curriculum in Primary and Secondary School;
• Increase Technical Courses and Apprenticeships. Value young people with vocational talents. Britain needs skilled workers in engineering, construction, IT, and other high-demand sectors;
• Life Skills Classes at School. Subjects such as home economics and social media risk should be part of the school curriculum.

Supporting Services and Additional Pledges

In addition to some specific themes in the party manifestos, such as workforce and curriculum, parties have also promised additional support for wider services that benefit education and young people.

Our Pupil Wellbeing in Schools report highlights that in 2022/23, just 38% of pupils reported feeling well physically and mentally. This number has declined significantly over the last three years. It is not surprising that some of the party promises aim to combat such a challenging statistic. 

In addition to pupil wellbeing, parties have also emphasised pupil behaviour. Many have pledged to improve services that support pupils with challenging behaviour. Our Behaviour and Safety: Key Trends and Challenges report shows that around 40% of staff and pupils report regular lesson disruptions. Within the party manifestos, behaviour and pupil safety feature multiple times and are considered a priority for some parties in this year's election. 

Here are some of the party promises that specifically relate to supporting wider services in education.

Conservatives

• Banning the use of mobile phones during the school day;
• A Family Hub in every local authority;
• Fund School Games Organisers to encourage more competitive sport between schools and create UK-wide competitions;
• Compulsory National Service (either year-long, full-time military placement, or 'civic service' - one weekend a month, or 25 days, volunteering in the community);
• 30 hours of free childcare per week from 9 months to school start.

Labour

• Community-wide approach to SEND to improve inclusivity in mainstream and ensure special schools for most complex needs;
• 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries through upgrading space in primary schools;
• Free breakfast clubs in every primary school;
• Limitation on branded items of uniform and PE kit;
• A single unique identifier to improve data sharing across services;
• Strategy to reduce child poverty, working with the voluntary sector, faith organisations, trade unions, businesses, local government and communities;
• Network of Young Futures Hubs, with youth workers, mental health support workers, and careers advisers to support mental health and avoid young people engaging in knife crime;
• Youth workers in every PRU.

Liberal Democrats

• Five additional hours of early years provision per week for children aged three and four (expanded to aged two when public finances allow);
• Tackle bullying by promoting pastoral leadership in schools and delivering high-quality relationships and sex education;
• Pupil Premium Plus funding to children in kinship care and a guarantee of any child to be taken into care at a school place within three weeks if required to move schools;
• Extend FSM to all children in poverty and expand to all primary children when public finances allow;
• Tackle child poverty by removing the two-child limit and benefit cap;
• Independent commission to recommend increases in Universal Credit to ensure it covers ‘life’s essentials’;
• Mental health hubs for young people in every community and regular mental health checkups;
• Extend young people’s mental health services to age 25 and introduce a statutory Student Mental Health Charter for universities.

The Green Party

• £1.4bn per year to be invested by local authorities in Sure Start Centres;
• Protect provision of free school breakfast clubs for all primary school pupils;
• Fully restore the role of the school nurse, ensuring that all schools have access to an on-site medical professional;
• Give children and students at all state-funded schools and colleges access to a qualified counsellor.

Reform UK

• Double the number of Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) so schools can function safely and ensure that best practice is spread across PRUs;
• Schools must have single-sex facilities.

Funding

A key feature of most party manifestos, and one that is often discussed in the media, is education funding. With a continuing cost-of-living crisis, staff pay increases, building repair costs, and other increased running costs for schools, funding is a topic of deep interest to school and trust leaders. 

In March 2022, 77% of CEOs surveyed in our Annual CST National School Trust Survey were very or quite confident about the financial sustainability of their trust. However, in June 2023, only 46% said the same. It’s clear that finances and budgeting are an area of concern when it comes to party promises in the 2024 election. 

Here are some of the pledges made by parties related to education funding.

Conservatives

• Per pupil funding is protected in real terms over the next parliament;
• PE and Sports Premium expanded to secondary schools.

Labour

• Not outlined in their Manifesto

Liberal Democrats

• Per pupil funding above the rate of inflation every year and investment in new buildings/repairs;
• Tutoring guarantee for disadvantaged pupils needing extra support;
• Early Years Premium tripled to £1,000 per year;
• Young People’s Premium, extending Pupil Premium to 16-18 year-olds;
• Commitment to funding STRB recommendations every year;
• Redirect capital funding for ‘unnecessary new free schools to clear the backlog of school repairs;
• A new National Body for SEND to fund support for children with very high needs;
• Extra funding for LAs to reduce the amount schools pay towards EHCP.

The Green Party

• A £3bn increase in funding for sixth-form education over the next parliamentary term and a £12bn investment in skills and lifelong learning for further education;
• Advocate for an increase in school funding, with an £8bn investment in schools;
• Ensure every school building is safe for children by investing £2.5bn a year to tackle the RAAC concrete scandal and provide the funding needed for schools to be well maintained and fit for purpose.

Reform UK

• Tax relief of 20% on all Independent Education. No VAT on Fees: If parents can afford to pay more, they should be incentivised to choose independent schools.

Commissioning Accountability and Regulation

Ofsted has featured heavily in the national media over the last few years. Therefore, some parties have promised to reform commissioning accountability and regulation in their manifestos. Some have also highlighted the need for new or reformed inspection frameworks or authorities that can ensure high-quality education within the UK. 

Here are some of the pledges regarding this topic.

Conservatives

• Legislate to introduce a register of children not in school;
• New legislation to make clear parents have a right to see what their child is being taught and all materials should be shared;
• Expand strong academy trusts;
• 60,000 more SEND places and 15 additional special free schools;

Labour

• All schools to cooperate with LAs on admissions, SEND inclusion and place planning;
• Replace single grade judgements with a report card system, trust-level inspection, and annual review of safeguarding, attendance and off-rolling;
• Regional Improvement Teams to enhance school-to-school support and spread best practice.

Liberal Democrats

• Reform Ofsted and end single-word judgements;
• New parental engagement strategy including regular parent surveys and guidance for schools on providing accessible information to parents;
• Register of children not in school;
• Give Local Authorities with responsibility for education the powers and resources to act as Strategic Education Authorities – responsible for place planning, exclusions, and admissions, including in-year and SEND functions.

The Green Party

• Reduce stress in education system by ending high-stakes, formal testing at primary and secondary schools and by abolishing Ofsted.

Reform UK

• Not outlined in their Manifesto.

What's Next?

Although we have attempted to cover as much of the party manifestos as possible in this blog, there may be aspects that we haven’t mentioned. So, we advise you to explore the manifestos in greater detail before making a final decision.

Here are the documents discussed in this blog:

Conservative's manifesto

The Green Party's manifesto

Labour's manifesto

LibDem's manifesto

Reform UK's manifesto

The Department for Education’s School Workforce Census, a crucial annual event that takes place in November, gathers essential data about the school workforce in state-funded schools in England from schools and local authorities. This year's update, a significant milestone, provides comprehensive information on teaching and support staff, their characteristics, teacher retention and pay, qualifications, and details of the subjects taught in secondary schools.

We are delighted to share our comprehensive annual update on teacher and education staff retention in our new report; Staff Retention in Academies. In this report, we conduct an in-depth analysis of staff experiences, examining them through various lenses such as protected characteristics, school characteristics, and trends over time. This meticulous analysis provides a robust understanding of the challenges and opportunities in our workforce. ¹

1. It's important to note that the School Workforce Census data collection doesn't include information from Independent schools, non-maintained special schools, sixth-form colleges, and further education establishments ↩︎

In this blog, we will examine some of the data from the DfE’s School Workforce Census and our very own Staff Experience and Wellbeing Survey Dataset, comparing the similarities and differences in staff experience in education. 

Teacher and Teaching Assistant Recruitment

Data from the DfE’s School Workforce Census for the 2022/2023 academic year shows that there are now 468,693 teachers in the sector, which is an increase of 300 since last year and an increase of 27,300 since 2010 when the school workforce census began. It also highlights that there are now 282,925 teaching assistants in the sector, an increase of 1,800 since last year and 61,400 since 2011 when the census began collecting support staff information.

While the School Workforce Census data show a growth in the gross number of teachers, the pupil-to-teacher ratio has worsened, with 20.8 pupils per teacher compared to 20.7 the year before for State-funded nursery and primary schools, 16.8 pupils to each teacher in State-funded secondary schools and 6.5 pupils per teacher compared to 6.4 the year before in State-funded special schools or PRU’s. This point was recently highlighted by Jack worth from the National Foundation for Educational Research and Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, who stated that as a sector, “We have 18,000 more pupils in our schools this year, but the number of new teachers has fallen by almost 4,000”.

*Staff Workforce Census Data 2022/23

*Staff Workforce Census Data 2022/23

Looking at our Staff Experience and Wellbeing Survey Dataset, we can see that in 2022/23 Academic, 43% of staff we surveyed considered resigning “sometimes,” “often,” or “constantly” in the three months before they responded. This academic year (2023/2024 so far), 44% of staff we surveyed considered resigning “sometimes,” “often,” or “constantly” in the three months before they responded. 

*Edurio Staff Experience and Wellbeing Data 2022/23

A notable change is that teaching assistants are 3% more likely so far this academic year to consider resigning constantly, often, or sometimes compared to 2022/2023, which is the largest increase compared with any other roles. For senior leaders, we saw an improvement for the second year in a row, with 28% of senior leaders considering resigning constantly, often, or sometimes compared to 30% in 2022/23 and 31% in 2021/22.

*Edurio Staff Experience and Wellbeing Data 2022/23

Reasons For Considering Resigning

In our Staff Experience and Wellbeing Survey, we ask the question, “What has made you consider resigning? Please select all that apply”. In our new report, we explore the responses to this question. Teachers' top reported reasons for resigning include overwhelming workload, poor work-life balance and feeling undervalued. For teaching assistants, Feeling undervalued is the top reported reason for considering resigning, followed by Lack of staffing and Low staff morale in the workplace.

considering resignation due to overwhelming workload, poor work-life balance, and feeling undervalued. Addressing these issues is crucial for improving staff retention and creating a more supportive and sustainable educational environment. For a detailed analysis, refer to our Staff Retention in Academies report.

As we gear up for our next People Power Day 2024, we’re sharing reflections from one of the speakers joining the session on leadership strategies. Jeremy Meek, CEO of The Kite Academy Trust, shares his reflections on leadership and the work that he and his team are doing to ensure wellbeing and retention of staff. It goes to show that great leaders take great care to listen to their staff and create a shared vision of a quality, supportive work environment. We look forward to the discussion next week!

Jeremy is the recently appointed CEO of The Kite Academy Trust. Having had responsibility for twenty different schools as Headteacher, Executive Leader and now CEO, Jeremy has dedicated his career to continuously improving education and the life chances of all young people.  Jeremy holds a firm belief that an organisation’s people are its richest resource and greatest asset and is committed to ensuring a relentless focus on the support, development and wellbeing of every Kite colleague.

The Connection between Great Leadership and Retention 

Since taking up my first headship in 2012, I have had the privilege of leading twenty different primary schools (as headteacher, executive leader and now CEO of a ten school multi-academy trust) and the impact of great leadership on recruitment and excellent retention has never been more significant.

For any organisation, its employees are its greatest asset and richest resource and, most importantly, they are people and, as such, we strive to prioritise workload and wellbeing within all strategic planning. In this short piece for Edurio, I would like to share some of the strategies that we have adopted at The Kite Academy Trust to keep our people (along with our pupils) at the heart of our organisation.

Colleague Engagement in Organisational Purpose 

One of the first steps we took at The Kite was to engage a selection of colleagues across the Trust – from every academy and business team, regardless of role or responsibility – to help co-create our Trust values in support of our mission and vision, via a Trust-wide INSET day.

We felt that if we truly wanted to empower our colleagues to live our values, to not only support our pupils’ personal development but to create the optimal organisational culture, engagement in the creation of our values was paramount.

Practical Workload and Wellbeing Strategies 

As part of our Trust’s People & Culture strategy, we have introduced a number of very specific and practical initiatives designed to focus on the reduction of workload and continuous improvement of colleague wellbeing. 

For example, through our Trust-wide networks and systems which facilitate collaboration in curriculum planning, every teaching colleague - regardless of the size or capacity of their home academy - benefits from shared PPA time with all other year group colleagues from across the Trust. Alongside the implementation of a Trust-wide curriculum, these trust wide PPA networks ensure that workload for teachers is shared across our entire team.

We have also sought to demonstrate the esteem we hold for our colleagues through the introduction of a benefits programme that offers both free rewards and discounted products and services. The savings our colleagues have made to date across the Trust have already been greater than the cost of the platform, which demonstrates the excellent value for money. As a fundamental entitlement of the working day, we have also introduced free hot drinks for all colleagues (a simple benefit to introduce and one that colleagues have reported makes a small, but real difference to their working day). 

Communication and Colleague Voice 

At The Kite, we value open and honest feedback, however challenging it can sometimes be to hear. As a key part of our commitment to our people, protecting time in my diary, as CEO, to meet weekly with colleagues is a priority.

It is both fascinating and informative to listen to colleagues from all areas and every level of our organisation about what they feel our Trust does well and what could be improved, in addition to the barriers to excellence  that individuals face in their roles.

These regular conversations across the Trust support the feedback we collect from a recently introduced rolling programme of Trust-wide surveys, the first of which was primarily focused on wellbeing and workload. The information gathered from our people across the Trust is vital to our ‘you said, we did’ feedback loop and to the development of our Trust’s future strategy. 

We endeavour to make effective Trust-wide communication a priority and, through the introduction of our termly ‘Town Hall’ meetings, we have provided a forum where every Kite colleague can regularly come together virtually to hear key Trust priorities, receive updates on opportunities across the Trust, and most importantly, collectively celebrate our successes. 

Although it is still early days, we have seen a reduction in colleague turnover to this point in the year of 50%, and a significant increase in applications for new posts we have created across the Trust.

For more information:

For more insights about leadership strategies and best-practice stories from top education leadership teams, download the Edurio Leadership Guide. 

Jeremy Meek, CEO of The Kite Academy Trust, will be joined by John Murphy, Education Leadership Mentor, in the Leadership Strategies in School Trusts session as a part of our People Power Day 2024.

This article is written by Complete Mathematics, a company that works in partnership with leaders of schools and school groups looking to improve attainment in mathematics, embedding evidence-based approaches through platforms and expert CPD which apply beyond mathematics.

Wondering how the EEF’s new implementation guidance for schools has changed?

Policy specialist of Complete Mathematics, Rebekah Fant-Male, has compared the frameworks and analysed what the changes in advice mean for you.

In 2019, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) updated their original guide supporting schools in the implementation of new approaches and practices. In May 2024, they updated their guidance. This article summarises key changes of particular relevance for school and system leaders.

In May 2024, EEF updated their implementation guidance for schools. They discuss what the changes in advice mean for school and system leaders.

Executive Summary of Updates

Stages to Phases

EEF’s 2019 update to “A School’s Guide to Implementation” defined implementation as a process with stages set out in a very rigid, linear structure. The new guidance takes a different approach, representing Explore, Prepare, Deliver, Sustain as phases, subtly shifting their scope to enable greater flexibility in how leaders think about implementation.

Significance of the Changes

This is not just updating references, but a significant shift in how schools do implementation, although in focus rather than content.

In one sentence, whereas the previous guidance supported school leaders to do implementation, this is how school and system leaders can do implementation well.

Behaviours and Context FIRST

The previous 6 Recommendations have been condensed into 3. New Behaviours (Recommendation 1) and Contextual Factors (Recommendation 2) underpin successful implementation and precede the familiar Implementation Phases (Recommendation 3).

The Behaviours - Engage, Unite and Reflect - are explicitly interwoven throughout the guidance, while greater emphasis on Contextual Factors encourages leaders to reflect on existing structures and systems. Rather than layering additional demands, this change encourages implementations which connect into what is already in place where possible to embed changes more effectively.

Tammy Elward, Director of the Derby Research School and the Spencer Teaching School Hub considers the value of the guidance for Multi Academy Trust Leaders:

“Anchoring our practice in evidence as leaders is a challenge because it's not just what we do, but the way that we do it that makes the difference. The new guidance report captures the key aspects from a wide range of research sources and codifies them into a clear framework for us as leaders to think really carefully about how we lead change in our schools and make the biggest difference for our pupils.”

A Focus on Feedback

Contextual analysis

Under this guidance, there is less scope for leaders to deterministically implement an intervention they already believe to be the best solution, without undertaking sufficient analysis. However, to mitigate this further, I would prefer to see ‘What is being implemented’ as the final contextual factor (see below), rather than the first.

'Implementation in Schools framework' (EEF, 2024, p.7)

The figure above presents how the three recommendations integrate throughout implementation. I would simply caution, in line with the update’s shift towards a more flexible framework, against carrying forward a mindset of implementation as a linear process. Interventions should result from an analysis of the contextual factors surrounding the perceived “problem” or need, encapsulated by the Reflect behaviour, rather than being determined before existing systems, structures and people have been duly considered.

Iona Jackson, Head of Insights at Edurio, evidences the importance of using feedback authentically, from their national survey data:

“In 2022/23, about one third of staff (34%) said that their feedback to the leadership always or often has an impact. However, about one in four (27%) of staff said that their feedback rarely or never has an impact."

Retention is one of the most pressing current issues for school systems in the UK and globally and Edurio also found that,

"...only 17% of staff with a high risk of resignation always or often see that their feedback to the leadership has an impact, while 48% of staff with a low risk of resignation always or often see that their feedback to the leadership has an impact."

EEF (2024) also emphasises that, “stress and burnout can be damaging for individuals and prove a barrier to implementation... particularly relevant during the initial delivery period if staff are inexperienced or if key people leave a project” (p40).

Of practical relevance for implementation leaders, Ms Jackson tells us that Edurio's recent report Leadership Strategies in School Trusts involved,

"interview[ing] leadership teams with leadership scores above national benchmarks in Edurio data. We found that although approaches may differ, open, clear and consistent communication, as well as proactive problem-solving through collaboration, were all mentioned by top leadership teams.”

Fit and Feasibility

Explore Phase: EEF's updated tool (p.25) roots the implementation decision-making process in the needs and context. The phrase ‘fit and feasibility’ is retained and brings to the fore ‘insights and perspectives…  from across the school community - staff, pupils, parents’ (p.23) to avoid preconceptions. It acknowledges informal conversations as a source of data about the school context, alongside external data on what has worked in similar contexts. This should prompt richer reflection on the implications of potential interventions on the wider school context.

'A tool for making evidence-informed implementation decisions' (EEF, 2024, p.25)

Fit and feasibility return in Prepare, to consider competing initiatives, and in Sustain. Rather than “How will the initiative be scaled?” the question is instead, “On reflection, should we sustain, scale or de-implement this approach?”

Readiness: Reflection on barriers and enablers of change has moved from Prepare to Explore, sensibly determining the school’s readiness for change prior to writing an implementation plan. As contextual factors, reflection on structures and elements of culture which help or hinder change are threaded through the update’s implementation phases. In this way, readiness is not confined to a single point in a process, but a state that might change, due to factors within or beyond a leader’s control. For example, government policy might necessitate new implementations, requiring thought as to whether new changes might be integrated within implementation plans, or potentially de-implemented.

The previous view of implementation as a series of stages has been replaced by a more flexible approach where “Readiness” may be reviewed at any time.

'Successful’ Implementations

Fidelity and Flexibility

I am pleased to see this update taking a more nuanced approach to implementation fidelity, based on research which suggests adaptations can lead to more effective embedding of change.

The language of deciding where to be “tight” and where to be “loose” is retained. Meanwhile, “active ingredients” have become “core components”. This terminology prompts leaders to define which elements teachers should apply consistently  - those “core” to avoiding lethal mutations, whilst allowing flexibility for (some) adaptations by teachers as professionals in complex contexts.

Leaders might consider core components as they plan how implementation outcomes will be monitored and shared in order to retain both flexibility and fidelity.

Iona Jackson adds insights Edurio uncovered on cultures encouraging collective expertise, where leaders listen to feedback and allow it to shape their decision-making to truly impact their communities.

“A significant piece of advice from Gavin Booth, CEO at Infinity Academies Trust, is promoting a culture where seeking help and guidance is seen as a strength rather than a weakness. This approach challenges the misconception that to be effective, leaders must operate independently. He questions, 'Why have you done this on your own? You didn’t need to do this on your own; we would have helped to do that.' This sentiment underscores the importance of collaborative efforts and leveraging collective expertise within a trust."

Interwoven Behaviours and Contextual Factors

Unite, Engage and Reflect behaviours are continually and explicitly referenced throughout the guidance. Opportunities for teachers and leaders to collaborate and reflect together are made more explicit than in previous versions, with greater emphasis on systems and structures which remove other pressures from teacher workload gleaned from listening to teacher feedback, such as removing administration tasks and ‘prun[ing] competing initiatives’ (EEF, 2024, p.39).

Conclusions

The EEF's update sends a clear message: analyse your context and culture; develop structures which give teachers the time and resources to engage with the intervention; unite around the implementation process and reflect together at every phase.

The three facets of the original Implementation Process, in combination with Behaviours and Contextual Factors exemplify the purpose to support leaders not to just do implementation, but to do it well. Tammy Elward sums up how the behaviours and contextual factors reinforce the implementation process as follows:

Slide reproduced from Research Schools Network webinar, 25th April, 2024, with permission.

To learn more from Derby Research School about how to apply the new guidance, register for their Summer Webinar Series, starting 22nd May.

Edurio's new resource, "Leadership Strategies in School Trusts", explores what it takes to be a high-achieving leader in a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). The guide includes sections on Leadership structures and styles, practice and impact, challenges and solutions, and advice to leaders.

Learnings from Edurio’s recent Leadership Guide

Leadership’s impact on a trust’s eco-system

It goes without saying that the relationships people in leadership positions cultivate with their staff, pupils and community are critical to the success of an organisation. We see it reflected in data as well. In 2022/23, 46% of staff said that they feel completely or very appreciated by leadership for their work. However, one in four staff (25%) said that they feel only slightly appreciated or not appreciated at all. Staff feeling appreciated by their leadership is especially important for retention. Our data shows that out of all questions related to staff experience, this question has the strongest relationship with the risk of resignation.

But what does quality leadership look like in action? With that question in mind we set out to ask leadership teams who are achieving top leadership scores, which are above national benchmarks in Edurio data, what they think are the keys to their success. The guide is based on a series of detailed interviews with over 10 members of leadership teams at MATs. We spoke to a range of key figures including Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers, HR Directors, and Headteachers.

Top-performing leadership teams:

1. Have clear team structures, a collaborative leadership style and an organisational culture focused on strong relationships

We identified three areas that play a part in successful leadership: the structure of the trust leadership team and how this filters down to the leadership team in schools; the somewhat subjective element of leadership style; and finally, the overarching emphasis on culture as a key element driving successful leadership.

Leadership Structure: Trusts and schools with strong leadership favour a distributed leadership model, sharing responsibilities across roles to ensure widespread leadership. This distribution empowers individuals at various levels, while being supported by governance and strategic planning, and aligns with school and community needs.

“We talk about it being in our DNA to train people and look after people, and it’s that civic responsibility, the wider responsibility than an individual school or trust. We’ve all got to do this. We’ve got to find ways of recruiting people into teaching...” – COO Christine Ellis, Cranmer Education Trust

Leadership Style: A recurring theme is the focus on a collaborative and open-door leadership style. This style is characterised by approachability, regular engagement with staff through informal chats, and strategic inset days aimed at sharing ideas. Trusts and schools invest significantly in developing their leaders through coaching, both external and internal.

“We have what we call Trust Strategic Leaders, which are some of our head teachers who have been given the opportunity to do trust-wide leadership work... it helps reinforce our principles of collective efficacy; we believe in collaboration.” – Director of School Improvement Andy Seymour, Nova Education Trust

Culture: The culture within these trusts and schools prioritises strong relationships, transparency, and responsiveness, ensuring that staff, pupils, and the wider community feel valued and supported. Trusts recognise the importance of extending their impact beyond the immediate school environment and engaging in community and outreach activities.

“The premise of the whole trust is relationships. So, the relationships between our children and our staff and our staff and each other, our schools and the wider community. Everything is driven through a lens of positive relationships and having a positive impact.” – CEO Gavin Booth, Infinity Academies Trust

2. Know which practises will yield the biggest impact

In 2022/23, about one third of staff (34%) said that their feedback to the leadership always or often has an impact. However, about one in four (27%) of staff said that their feedback rarely or never has an impact. Moreover, only 17% of staff with a high risk of resignation always or often see that their feedback to the leadership has an impact, while 48% of staff with a low risk of resignation always or often see that their feedback to the leadership has an impact.

How staff needs are taken into account and the way feedback is used to improve as an organisation are critical to success. The majority of the leadership teams interviewed mentioned the topics of collaboration, staff wellbeing, having a strong people strategy in place, and innovation throughout the trust. These could be considered the areas that leaders have the biggest influence and power to drive impact for their staff and community. But underlying these practices is the humble understanding that regular check-ins and reflection are at the heart of understanding and listening to the people in the organisation.

Excerpt from Pinnacle Learning Trust
Being on the Same Page
The impact of Pinnacle Learning Trust’s distributed leadership is particularly evident in its approach to communication.

Reflecting on the Trust’s high leadership scores, Pamela McIlroy, COO, is very straightforward: “You can be doing wonderful things, but if you are not communicating that to your staff, then none of you are on the same page.” The Trust Executive Team’s bi-weekly meetings, which include communications to and from the principals and the CEO’s involvement in meetings at different academies, reinforce this inclusive communication structure. Cross-trust groups, such as the safeguarding and staff engagement groups, further consolidate this approach by ensuring consistency and fostering a sense of belonging across the Trust.

Excerpt from The Priory Federation of Academies Trust

Staff Wellbeing Champions
In recognition of the recruitment and retention issues across the local and national sector, due to workload pressures and stress, Trust and school leaders at The Priory Federation of Academies Trust dedicated efforts to improve staff wellbeing before it became an issue.

As a result, the Trust set up a strategic group with representatives from the central teams and schools, which eventually appointed a Staff Wellbeing Director.

“From the midday supervisor, who perhaps comes to work for an hour a day, through to the CEO, who is probably regarded as the most important person in the Trust, everybody is treated equally in that respect. Staff wellbeing is about every member of staff.” – Primary Executive Jill Marston

The introduction of Mental Health First Aiders and Staff Wellbeing Champions throughout the Trust’s schools and central service teams demonstrates a multi-layered approach to wellbeing. This structure ensures staff have immediate support contacts whilst maintaining a seamless link of communication and support from the Trust to individual academies. The role of Staff Wellbeing Champions is to signpost colleagues to relevant charities, organisations, or counselling services. The Trust also brings all the champions together two to three times a year to share best practice and to brainstorm further solutions. Through the training of representatives as Mental Health First Aiders and the establishment of a network of Wellbeing Champions, the Trust has ingrained a culture of care that is both accessible and robust.

The new resource by Edurio, "Leadership Strategies in School Trusts", explores what it takes to be a high-achieving leader in a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). The guide includes sections on Leadership structures and styles, practice and impact, challenges and solutions, and advice to leaders. We finish the guide with advice for CEOs on retention from John Murphy, Education Leadership Mentor and ex-CEO of one the largest UK MATs. The conclusion from Ambition Institute’s Rich Bell, Director of Policy and Practice, and Katy Patten, Dean of Learning Design, encapsulates the profound influence of strong leadership on fostering retention.

In today's fast-paced work environment, ensuring the wellbeing of employees has become paramount for organisations striving for success. Understanding and addressing the various facets of employee wellbeing can be complex, but tools like the Edurio Staff Experience Survey can provide valuable insights. In this blog, we'll explore how the survey aligns with the seven key domains of wellbeing outlined by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

1. Health

The Edurio School Staff Experience Survey addresses physical and mental health aspects by examining factors like health promotion, sleep quality, stress management, and the sense of purpose within a role. Questions related to physical safety and mental health are incorporated, reflecting the importance of ensuring a safe and supportive workplace environment.

2. Good Work

The survey delves into various aspects of good work, including the working environment, line management effectiveness, work demands, and change management. By evaluating factors such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and communication during change processes, the survey helps organisations identify areas for improvement in promoting positive work experiences.

3. Values/Principles

Through questions related to leadership, ethical standards, and inclusion and diversity, the Edurio Staff Experience Survey assesses the alignment of organisational values with employees' experiences.

4. Collective/Social

Employee voice and positive relationships are central themes in the survey, emphasising the importance of communication, consultation, and healthy relationships within the organisation. By soliciting feedback on management styles and team dynamics, the survey enables organisations to nurture a supportive and collaborative work environment.

5. Personal Growth

The survey explores opportunities for career development, emotional wellbeing, lifelong learning, and creativity. Questions related to mentoring, CPD and access to training highlight the significance of supporting employees' personal and professional growth.

6. Good Lifestyle Choices

While the survey does not directly address physical activity or healthy eating initiatives, organisations can use the insights gained to introduce such programs based on employee feedback and preferences.

7. Financial Wellbeing

By examining fair pay and benefits policies, the survey sheds light on the financial wellbeing of employees. Insights into areas like flexible benefits schemes can guide organisations in enhancing financial security for their workforce.

In conclusion, the Edurio School Staff Experience Survey serves as a valuable tool for organisations looking to support employee wellbeing across various domains. Given its alignment with CIPD's seven key domains of wellbeing, the survey empowers organisations to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted strategies to create a positive and supportive workplace culture. Prioritising employee wellbeing not only enhances individual satisfaction and productivity but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of the organisation.Wellbeing at Work