Sustainable School Leadership – themes from the research continued

Professor Toby Greany outlines the third UK-wide theme in the Sustainable School Leadership research final report:

3. It’s not a pipeline crisis (yet) – it’s a sustainability crisis

Our analysis of school workforce data in England, Scotland & Northern Ireland reveals key trends and issues facing the leadership supply pipeline. These trends differ somewhat across the UK, with different implications for succession planning: e.g., while the average age of heads in England and Scotland has reduced over the past 15 years, in Northern Ireland it has increased.

The appetite for headship among middle & senior leaders is widely seen to have diminished, with many put off by the demands of the role. Employers in all three nations report reduced numbers of applicants for headship.

Nevertheless, most schools have been able to recruit in recent years, even if some places (e.g. rural, remote) & types of school (e.g. small, faith, higher performing) have faced greater levels of challenge. For this reason, we argue the UK does not face an immediate pipeline crisis – with ‘yet’ as a crucial caveat, signalling significant risks.

Key among these is that school leadership – particularly headship – is widely seen as unsustainable. The proportion of heads who say they are ‘mostly’ or ‘sometimes sinking’ range from nearly a third in Scotland (30%), to around one in five in England (22%) & Northern Ireland (19%). Around a third of leaders in each system describe themselves as ‘mostly surviving’. Approx 15% of heads plan to leave the profession within the next two years, with another 4-7% expecting to reach full retirement age.

Common drivers of unsustainability include: poor work-life balance & unreasonable workloads; issues with staff; finance & resource constraints; & SEND, behaviour & inclusion challenges. But the list goes on – accountability pressures, parental complaints, lack of support, toxic workplace cultures, lack of autonomy etc – all of which can make ‘the weight of leadership’ too much.

Younger, less experienced heads arguably face the greatest challenges. Heads below age 35 or 40 are noticeably less likely to survive three years in post compared with their older peers. Our interviews revealed the significant pressures they face as they seek to establish themselves in role. Many work in small primary schools, meaning they have fewer colleagues within school to rely on, are more likely to be teaching part-time, & are more likely to be in a rural area with limited external support.