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With recruitment and retention still topping the challenges across the education sector, our Thought Leaders session on ‘Developing a strong employer brand and a positive candidate journey’ brought together sector experts to explore how schools and trusts can sharpen their recruitment strategies, strengthen their culture, and ultimately, attract the right people—faster.
Our hosts Alex Hawkins (Director of People Services), Rachel Kershaw (Director of Leadership & MAT Development), and Lauren McGuire (Product Manager with 10 years education recruitment experience) were joined by panellists with a range of expertise surrounding recruitment and candidate attraction. Joining the conversation were Simon Arnold (Recruitment Manager at Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT)) who shared how data and automation have supported their growth journey from 12 schools; Hannah Frame (Director of People at Athena Learning Trust), offering cross-sector insights from education, local government and private industry; Mark Davis (Director of Blue Apple Education and trustee at Empower Trust) who champions brand identity as a core recruitment tool; and Jan Renou (a strategic adviser with EPM) whose 40-year career spans headship, trust leadership, and national roles including former Regional Schools Commissioner for the North of England.
Rethinking recruitment from the inside out
The panel were all in agreement that recruitment starts long before you advertise a vacancy. As Alex Hawkins pointed out, “It’s widely known there’s a national challenge with recruitment”, but the real focus needs to shift to long-term strategy looking at sourcing, culture, and clarity of offer.
Simon Arnold made a key point for larger MATs to consider: “People don’t usually accept a position to join a trust; they join a school within a trust.” Essentially, you’re not just advertising a job – you’re actually selling your school and each recruitment pack needs to present a distinct, authentic identity, backed by trust-wide values. Mark Davis from Blue Apple Education encouraged schools to treat recruitment like branding, “job descriptions are just the operational tool. The advert is the opportunity to showcase culture, values, and people.” He urged schools to move beyond basic listings, “You’re showing people why they’d want to work for you. Make it exciting.”
Importantly, culture also starts at board level, as Jan Renou highlighted: “Boards often focus on what they want in an ideal candidate. We have to flip that. Candidates want to know who you are, what you stand for, and what they’ll get if they work with you.” The panel agreed that this approach is also likely to attract candidates that are better suited to your organisation, reducing the risk of poor hires and improving retention. But the focus needs to extend to more than just the advert – a school website provides a huge opportunity to attract candidates. The passive market provides an often untapped pool of talent – candidates who aren't actively looking but have the potential to move for the right role. Tools like employee testimonials, ‘day in the life’ videos and strong employer branding help communicate the real experience of working in your School or Trust.
It’s worth remembering that small schools can still compete here – as Lauren McGuire suggested, “a great video, even one created by students, staff soundbites, or strong visual culture online can help you stand out from the crowd.” Your website and messaging should give a clear feel of what it’s like to walk through your gates and be part of your school community.
Smart technology, human touch
Technology has transformed recruitment, but it must support—not replace—human connection. Job boards are expensive and only attract candidates that are actively looking. Schools need to be smarter about how they attract, engage, and keep talent. Simon shared how TSAT has automated onboarding, from personalised welcome videos to school-specific induction resources. “We noticed dropout rates decreased significantly when candidates felt we had connected with them personally during the application process.”
Another working example at Athena Learning Trust was shared by Hannah, whose team uses pre-released interview questions to reduce anxiety and improve accessibility to the application and interview process, especially in support roles. “It empowers candidates and sets us apart from other interviews,” she said.
For roles like caretakers or catering staff, Hannah’s team also introduced drop-in sessions to help applicants complete online forms and for candidates to meet the school staff face-to-face. “It’s not just about getting the application form filled in – it’s about giving people the confidence to apply in the first place,” she added.
Faster, sharper recruitment strategies
The panel agreed that speed and responsiveness matter more than ever in a candidate-driven market. “Gone are the days of waiting for the advert to close,” said Simon. “If someone great applies early, get them in fast—or someone else will.”
Hannah went on to add, “For hard-to-fill roles, daily review of applications and proactive contact with good candidates are key. No role should follow a copy-paste approach.” She recommended tailoring every stage—from ad to interview—to the audience and role.
Of course, the candidate journey is also very much about impression. Lauren reminded schools that even when applicants aren’t hired, how you treat them really matters. “A poor experience sticks—and that bad experience spreads by word of mouth.”
Fixing what doesn't work
Sometimes, even after all the best intentions, recruitment efforts fall flat. A poll during the session revealed 45% of attendees rewrite their adverts after a failed recruitment round, but the panel urged deeper reflection. Hannah argued that rewriting isn’t always enough: “Renaming the role doesn’t help if you’re not reaching the right people.” Consider the use of hashtags, rethinking job board placement, and refining the language; all can increase visibility.
She recommended collecting feedback from unsuccessful campaigns and even asking recent hires why they applied. “That insight helps refine your next round—and your employer brand.” Mark encouraged schools to go one step further, “mystery shop your own recruitment process. What would someone learn about you at each stage? If the answer doesn’t align with your values and culture, it’s time to refine your approach.”
Simon emphasised the benefit of using tracking within an ATS, which has allowed TSAT to pinpoint where the best candidates actually come from. “We were getting volume from one job board but quality from another. That changed where we put our budget.”
There are also options for simple tweaks, that can have big impacts, such as capturing interest through a quick form submission, or offering a flexible application process. “The goal is to lower the barrier to entry while still filtering for candidates who fit,” said Mark.
Creative approaches
The conversation closed with a focus on the need to think creatively. Simon shared a great example of this approach in action at TSAT who have cross-trained PE teachers into maths roles—a creative, strategic solution that supports both staff and pupil needs, while helping to fill shortage subjects where applicant numbers are low.
Sourcing beyond traditional job boards was also discussed - from social media and internal referral schemes to apprenticeships, school-based training and the untapped potential of partnership with universities, colleges, and local organisations (a strategy which only 14% of attendees suggested is part of their recruitment drive). Lauren noted, “This isn’t just for large trusts. Any school can start forming informal connections that build talent pipelines. It’s about being brave and trying something different.” Opportunities from student placements, guest lectures, or sharing your School’s vision directly with undergraduates can build familiarity and trust whilst connecting you with the next generation of educators.
Simon agreed, highlighting that having existing staff deliver talks or sessions at universities has been a powerful outreach tool for the Trust. “It doesn’t cost anything, but if someone connects with your vision in that room, you’ve already done half the work before the job ad even goes live.”
Within the realms of recruitment, retention is also a significant avenue that shouldn’t be overlooked. Beyond attracting talent, developing it internally can help reduce vacancies and build long-term loyalty. “There’s a war for talent, but we don’t always need to look outside,” said Jan. “We need clear progression pathways so staff know they can move up without moving out.”
The bottom line: Recruitment reflects who you are
From recruitment systems to social media campaigns, the final message was simple: recruitment is a reflection of your culture and to get ahead you need to think like a candidate. “Everything a candidate sees—from job ad to onboarding—tells a story,” said Mark. “Make sure that story is accurate, engaging, and aligned with your values.”
Hannah summarised it perfectly, adding, “it’s about regular, meaningful communication from that first click to the first day—and knowing your audience well enough to tailor that journey.”
In a market where budgets are tight and competition is fierce, the schools and trusts that succeed will be those that think beyond vacancy-filling—and manage a recruitment strategy with clarity, culture, and connection at the core.
Already managing recruitment? Let us help you with the critical latter stages of leadership and specialist finance roles. From CV screening and interview design to expert panel support, we'll help you identify the right candidate with the right skills. For CEO or CFO appointments, our education adviser, Jan Renou, offers tailored support every step of the way - including headhunting, candidate feedback, and tailored mentoring support to new appointees in their first months on the job.
Our expert-led virtual Recruitment and Selection Training is the next step in defining your recruitment process. You'll get practical advice on everything from writing standout job adverts to running more effective interviews - all while complying with employment law. Talk to our expert teams for advice.
