Share 
Share 
Share 
3 April, 2025
•
The Disengaged Teen: Understanding and Reigniting Pupil Engagement
Discover why teen disengagement in schools is rising and explore proven strategies to reignite pupil engagement, motivation, wellbeing and deeper learning.
Read more1. Academy trust handbook 2025 changes
The latest version of the academy trust handbook has been released, writes Schools Week.
The DfE has published the 2025 academy trust handbook update, bringing in a range of changes that will shape the way trusts approach executive pay, cyber security and digital infrastructure over the next year.
Trusts are now banned from paying cyber ransom demands, with the DfE urging stronger prevention strategies. Furthermore, by 2030, trusts should meet six core digital standards, for broadband, network switching, wireless networks, cyber security, filtering and digital leadership and governance.
When it comes to executive pay, it must be clearly documented and justifiable, with boards expected to approve defensible salaries.
Additionally, EV salary sacrifice schemes remain under review, and rules around “repercussive” payments have tightened.
Procedures around Notices to Improve (NtIs) have also changed, with notices now only being issued if boards aren’t “properly constituted”, trustees fail to comply with “safeguarding duties” or if leaders do not “manage their school estate and maintain it in a safe working condition”.
Source: Academy trust handbook 2025 changes: what leaders need to know (schoolsweek.co.uk)
2. DfE: Working lives of teachers and leaders
The DfE has published a new study in collaboration with IFF Research and UCL.
A new DfE-commissioned study offers stark insights into the daily reality of teachers and school leaders across England. Despite recent policy efforts, according to the research, most respondents described their workload as “unmanageable”, with many regularly working evenings, weekends and school holidays.
The report, based on in-depth interviews with 100 education professionals, highlights that tasks like planning, marking and supporting pupils with additional needs are valued – yet often displaced by administrative work, data reporting, and growing parental demands.
The study also shows that while senior leaders report a degree of control over their schedules, classroom teachers feel constrained by tight deadlines, safeguarding emergencies and a lack of support.
Many have adjusted their expectations in order to cope, compromising on the quality of work to protect their own wellbeing. The research identified rising pupil needs, insufficient funding, staff shortages and increasing accountability demands as the key drivers of workload.
Understand how workload impacts your staff
Our Staff Experience Survey can help you understand how the staff in your school or trust feel about their workload, workplace environment, school culture and communication.
Explore survey details →3. Government promises new school complaints guidance
The government is drawing up new guidance for schools and parents over complaints to “reduce the burden on leaders”, writes Schools Week.
Ministers have said the new complaints guidance will be published “shortly”, amid concerns over the “increasing number of complaints” and the pressure on heads.
In a letter about rising parent complaints, schools minister Catherine McKinnell told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch: “We take the wellbeing of staff very seriously. We will shortly be publishing updated guidance for schools on managing complaints, as well as updating guidance for parents and carers.”
Headteacher support service Headrest’s latest wellbeing report showed 56% of leaders and 40% of teachers witnessed an increase in vexatious complaints from parents and guardians.
To explore this further, Policy Lab (a team within DfE) will lead a seven-day research project, beginning this week, “to better understand the school complaints landscape and generate ideas for how to reduce them”.
As well as schools, parents who have experience with the “complaints process, whether they have initiated a complaint or been involved in resolving one”, will be involved.
Sources: Government promises new school complaints guidance (schoolsweek.co.uk)
Read more:
23 September, 2024
•
Schools excelling in teacher workload balance
Discover the top 10 schools excelling in teacher workload balance, recognised through our Staff Workload Balance Award.
Read more
28 August, 2024
•
New year, new resources: easing teacher workload through AI
In this blog, we will take a look at the potential tools that can be adopted for use in the classroom with the view of reducing the time it takes for staff to plan lessons and create lesson specific resources.
Read more