WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY....
LEADERSHIP: A CRUCIAL PART OF SCHOOL LIFE
Comment by JOANNE KEVILLE, Headteacher at The Queen’s School, Chester
S
ituated within the historic Roman walls of Chester, The Queen’s School is recognised as Cheshire’s leading independent school for girls. We provide a dynamic and enriching education for ages 4 to 18 that fosters academic excellence and personal development. Beyond academics, our school is committed to nurturing confident, compassionate and well-rounded individuals, equipping them to lead, inspire and shape the future..
That’s why we make leadership part of everyday life at The Queen’s School. From reception upwards, pupils are encouraged to take initiative and actively shape their school experience. Whether they are contributing to the Student Council, mentoring younger peers or helping steer decisions through the School Parliament, these roles are more than symbolic. They equip girls with the confidence to influence, collaborate and lead with intention.
These opportunities aren’t limited to a select few. They are part of a wider culture that encourages every pupil to step forward, take ownership and recognise the value of their voice. By making leadership a natural and visible part of school life, we help students build the belief that they can create change, not only through formal positions but also in the way they support others, speak up for what matters and contribute to their communities. Single-sex education offers a unique environment for this. In our classrooms, there’s no competition for airtime or pressure to conform to outdated gender roles. Girls are free to lead discussions, explore STEM
subjects with confidence and develop a strong sense of identity. When those freedoms are supported by strong relationships with teachers who know them well, the result is not just academic success but a generation of young women who understand what it means to lead and are ready to do so.
Former Queen’s pupils have gone on to
become FTSE 250 CEOs, surgeons, Olympians, artists and engineers. But what impresses me most is how many choose to lead with impact, not just ambition. One alumna recently set up a charity supporting education access in East Africa. Another has been campaigning for better disability provision at her university. These are young women
who not only have the confidence to lead, but the values and perspective to do it well.
This kind of leadership doesn’t appear overnight. It takes root when girls are given the space, support and encouragement to develop a strong sense of self, to speak up, and to lead in ways that reflect their values. As educators, our role is not only to prepare them for what comes next, but to help them recognise the influence they already have. When girls understand that their voices matter, that leadership is not defined by titles but by action, they are better equipped to shape the world around them with purpose and integrity.
FUNDING THE 4% TEACHER PAY RISE: WHY SMARTER
RECRUITMENT MATTERS MORE THAN EVER Comment by WAYNE CARTMEL, Founder & CEO at MyNewTerm
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he government’s announcement of a 4% pay rise for teachers in England has been broadly welcomed. However, the funding behind it presents a more complex picture. While £615 million in additional support has been committed by the Department for Education, schools are still expected to find approximately the first 1% from efficiencies. For many leaders, this means more tough decisions after years of underfunded pay rises.
One of the most immediate and often overlooked areas for sustainable savings is recruitment. This includes both advertising spend and the often time-consuming, manual nature of the recruitment process itself. Advertising: is it delivering a good return?
Every year, many schools spend thousands advertising vacancies, often duplicating effort by posting on multiple job boards without clear visibility into what’s working. Frequently, it’s simply a case of ‘doing what we’ve always done’ because that approach worked in the past. But with ever- increasing advertising costs, is that strategy still delivering value? To answer that question, leaders need data.
Only this week, I spoke with a MAT CEO who saved the trust £70,000 overnight after reviewing vacancy source statistics through MyNewTerm. The data revealed how few candidates were applying through legacy job boards they had subscribed to for years with the leadership team previously having no visibility into what was actually effective. As candidate behaviour evolves, schools must evolve too. Teachers entering the profession today are not searching for roles in the same places as those who qualified a decade ago. Time efficiency and reducing barriers
National data from MyNewTerm shows it takes an average of 58 days for a 16
www.education-today.co.uk
school to recruit - from posting a vacancy to completing all pre-employment checks. This does not even include the time before a new hire actually starts. Recruitment at any level is time-intensive. HR teams, administrators, and senior leaders often spend hours managing tasks that could be streamlined or automated. Remarkably, over half of all schools and multi-academy trusts still rely on a manual, offline recruitment process, typically requiring candidates to apply using word/paper-based application forms. This outdated approach not only reduces efficiency but also creates unnecessary barriers for applicants.
Improving recruitment efficiency does not mean compromising on quality. In fact, it often results in a better experience for both candidates and schools.
Digitising recruitment through a sector-specific Applicant Tracking System (ATS) such as MyNewTerm can significantly reduce both time and cost to hire. Vacancies can be published once and automatically shared with key platforms, including the Department for Education’s free Teaching Vacancies service, which continues to attract record numbers of job seekers. A digital-first approach streamlines the process for candidates while also supporting employers to comply with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidelines. Candidates can be managed directly through the ATS, improving efficiency and delivering a positive recruitment experience. Roles are filled faster, more effectively, and at lower cost. Strategic impact at scale
Across the thousands of schools using MyNewTerm, we have seen the difference smarter recruitment makes. There is less admin, lower advertising spend, and quicker, more successful appointments. Many trusts have saved six-figure sums annually, allowing them to reinvest in other areas. Efficiency does not have to mean making cuts. With the right approach, schools can modernise recruitment, reduce costs, and reinvest in what matters most.
June 2025
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