WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY....
STRENGTHENING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION THROUGH PEOPLE-LED PRACTICES
Comment by SARAH MONK, Chief Strategy Officer at The Edwin Group
T
he National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) recently published its Teacher Labour Market in England Annual Report, the findings of which underscore what many of us in the sector know to be true: systemic change is needed to address the recruitment and retention challenges facing schools and trusts across the country. To protect the quality of education and support the government’s ambition to recruit 6,500 new teachers, much is needed at policy and sector levels. However, it presents an opportunity for schools and trusts to come together and learn from other sectors to ensure they have the best strategy and systems in place to recruit and retain excellent teachers. Amidst budget pressures and changes to the accountability framework, the need to innovate and create a compelling employer talent acquisition and retention strategy has never been more important. Prioritising people
A sustainable, high-performing education workforce requires more than short-term fixes. As a people-led organisation working with schools and trusts across the country, we’ve seen first-hand how embedding person-led practices at the heart of the workforce strengthens teacher recruitment and retention. This means creating the right culture, providing meaningful development opportunities, prioritising staff wellbeing, and articulating a compelling employer value proposition to staff. Create environments of belonging
Educators are more likely to leave roles where they don’t feel a sense of alignment with the school or trust’s values or culture. A strong sense of belonging can really support teachers throughout their career and secure loyalty, and that starts during the recruitment process.
School and trust leaders can benefit from investing time in understanding each candidate’s motivations and values to ensure a meaningful match. By embedding values-based recruitment processes, leaders can cultivate teams where individuals are committed to that community for years to come. Invest in career development
Retaining staff requires a commitment to their long-term growth. Professional development is more than an incentive; it is a critical tool for building a resilient and experienced workforce. Whether through continued professional development opportunities, peer networks, coaching or forging innovative career pathways, schools and trusts can learn from one another and identify effective ways to enhance staff development. In 2024 for example, we helped and trained over 1,500 individuals nationally from outside of the sector into suitable school roles, many of whom have since progressed into permanent roles or formal teacher training. Create a strong value proposition
In a competitive labour market, a well-defined employer value proposition can enable a school or trust to stand out. It’s about articulating the unique culture, vision and opportunities that make your school or trust community worth joining with a focus on the opportunity this creates for the individual. Whether it’s an inclusive culture, flexible working opportunities, an embedded approach to staff wellbeing and workload or engaging development opportunities, communicating your approach to these clearly can support schools and trusts to attract educators who share their values and retain them in the future.
Embracing the transition towards people-led practices in teacher recruitment and retention can support us to collectively achieve a more sustainable education workforce. From our experience, that means recruiting individuals whose values align with those of the school or trust, nurturing growth throughout careers, recognising and rewarding talent and creating environments where teachers feel empowered and supported.
SCHOOLS, STRATEGY AND THE VAT ATTACK
Comment by GEORGINA ROSE, Development & Regeneration Director at JLL
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hange can be a great teacher, but it rarely gives you the syllabus in advance. For England’s independent schools, 2025 has brought a double wave of financial reform. The removal of VAT exemption on fees from January, followed by the loss of charitable business rates relief from April, has dramatically altered the cost landscape for private education. So, institutions that once operated in relatively stable fiscal waters now find themselves navigating choppier seas.
These aren’t just minor adjustments on a balance sheet, they go right to the heart of how schools operate and plan for the future. With margins tightening and fee sensitivity among parents on the rise, tough decisions are being forced to the forefront. For some, that means revisiting long-term development plans – for others, it may involve difficult conversations about mergers or the future of certain facilities. Yet within this challenge there’s a real opportunity for schools to recalibrate. Strategic real estate decisions can be a powerful lever in helping schools reset for the future – decisions that don’t just cut cost but unlock value too.
Rationalising underused space, for example, can free up operational budgets while enhancing the learning environment. Similarly, identifying
May 2025
surplus land for potential sale can offer an immediate injection of capital to support development plans, technology investment or financial assistance schemes for families.
There’s also a growing appetite for collaboration – more and more schools are exploring partnerships, be it with other education providers, local councils, or commercial ventures. These alliances can provide shared facilities, expanded curricula, or joint investment in infrastructure. These kinds of arrangements require careful planning but can deliver long-term benefits.
Naturally, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. A rural boarding school with acres of land faces very different challenges to an urban day school hemmed in by Victorian brickwork. That’s why any estate strategy has to start with really understanding what the school is trying to achieve, both financially and educationally and tailoring an approach that is right for the specific pressures and possibilities each institution faces. By thinking strategically, independent schools can adapt to the new financial reality and continue to deliver high-quality education in a sustainable way. The focus now should be on long-term planning, using every available tool to secure both educational outcomes and financial resilience.
The road ahead may be complex, but with the right plan in place, independent schools can do more than survive these financial headwinds, they can evolve through them.
www.education-today.co.uk 33
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