Key findings
Staffing cuts
Over half of schools (55%) are looking to reduce their overall staffing levels in the next 12 months, with 71% citing
reduced funding and 62% budget pressures as the reason.
Of schools looking to make cuts, more than three-quarters (78%) will reduce the number of teaching positions with
a similar number making cuts to support staff; 43% are planning to reduce leadership posts.
Six out of ten leaders (61%) are looking to reduce staffing levels by between 2-5% with one in four (26%) seeking
cuts of between 6-10% over the next 12 months.
Priorities
Managing a reduced or stagnant budget will be a priority for 90% of school leaders over the next year.
In addition, more than 90% of school leaders say that implementing the curriculum changes coming on stream is a
priority this year.
Fewer than one in ten leaders view joining a formal school group, becoming or joining a teaching school alliance or
creating or expanding a school group as a major priority.
Leadership concerns
More than one-third of school leaders (36%) are planning to reduce the overall size of their leadership teams in the
next 12 months.
More than half (52%) questioned whether Regional School Commissioners (RSCs) were sufficiently resourced to
intervene and implement improvement measures in schools.
Similar levels of concerns surfaced when it came to assessing the pool of future leaders with 43% of respondents
feeling negative about whether there was a sufficient pipeline of potential leaders coming through the system at a
local level.
Government policy
Three-quarters of leaders (72%) felt negative when asked about the impact the Government's education policy
is likely to have on their schools compared to 12 months ago. Fewer than one in ten school leaders were positive
about Government policies.
92% of school leaders were dissatisfied with the Government's funding of schools of which 60% were very
dissatisfied.
Half of all school leaders felt negative when asked about the educational prospects of their pupils compared to 12
months ago as a result of Government policies.
Prevent in the classroom
A significant number of school leaders have expressed concerns about discharging the new legal duty placed upon
them under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 with one in five school leaders (21%) identifying a need for
greater training to assist staff.
About the research
Research for the school leaders survey 2015 was carried out between 14 September and 28 September 2015.
1333 school leaders took part in the survey, of which 45% were head teachers and principals. The remainder
included CEOs, MDs, deputy CEOs, deputy MDs and principals, assistant principals, finance directors and business
managers. 38% of schools that took part were maintained and 53% academies. Of the total, 76% of all schools taking
part were secondary and 8% primary, with the remainder including all-through schools and special schools.
All percentages quoted in this report have been rounded to whole numbers. Where the results do not add up to
100%, this may be due to rounding.
Browne Jacobson and ASCL are grateful to all the school leaders and senior managers, both members and nonmembers of ASCL,
who have generously participated in this study.
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