June's end-of-year education snapshot

Reflecting on the academic year, as part of June's end-of-year snapshot, our CEO, Jen Elliott, draws on insights from our work with you to consider what the upcoming general election means for the sector.

So we’re rounding off the school year with an election – what does that mean for those of us in education?

Sadly, that some long-awaited reviews and decisions will be left in limbo. For example, the outcomes of the Workforce Reduction Taskforce, a decision on the School Teacher’s Review Body’s (STRB) recommendation on pay, and the Department for Education’s (DfE) planned update to the 2019 recruitment and retention strategy.

From the work EPM does in HR and wider employee relations issues with nearly 2,000 schools up and down the country, I know this will be frustrating for school leaders who are battling to build, lead, and retain a stable and motivated workforce.

Even though only 12% of voters in a recent YouGov poll identified education as a key priority in the election, the main political parties all have it in their sights, setting out notable policies for teacher recruitment, investment in mental health services and SEN education, and inspection – amongst others. These and more will no doubt continue to be contested over the last days of campaigning. Yet, away from the headlines, EPM's insights speak of a sector crying out for support, investment and change. Where then, in our view, does the next government need to give its time and attention?

Working alongside trust leaders every day, the pressures at each stage of the talent pipeline are all too evident. Recruitment is a huge problem – as starkly set out in the Department for Education’s latest census, which shows workforce growth is slower than the rise in pupil numbers. Pay is clearly a challenge – and so an early answer on the STRB recommendation is key. So too, is workload - an issue commonly raised with us and one which both limits the attractiveness of teaching and makes retention even harder (and again, making an outcome of the existing review desperately important). Trade unions are becoming increasingly active in response to these pressures, campaigning for better working conditions, pay and support for staff.

There’s no doubt that wider societal pressures are also having an effect. The PISA England Report presented the stark statistic that one in ten UK pupils is skipping a meal at least once a week because there is not enough money to buy food; while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation evidence more than one million children in the UK living in destitution. You will know all too well the additional pressure this places on schools and trusts – particularly when so many public services are being squeezed. One of these is CAMHS – and with the percentage of children struggling with mental disorders nearly doubling from 2017, expert support has never been in greater demand. While the SEND budget is one of few to increase, it too is failing to meet increasing needs, given 1.5 million children - 17.3% of the overall pupil population - are now identified with SEND. And, of course, absence and expulsion rates are also on the rise post-COVID. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the social contract between schools and parents is fractured, with the number of parental complaints to Ofsted going up by some 65% since 2019, according to statistics from the Inspectorate, analysed by TES. There are, however, effective ways to address complaints from both a legal and governance perspective, as shared and discussed in a recent roundtable we hosted - with one attendee from BCCET claiming "[it] was the most productive two-hours of my week! I now feel more confident about reviewing my Complaints Policy knowing experienced professionals have guided me through the process."

Like many areas of the public sector, funding is an issue – yet in schools, investment has simply not kept pace with costs, and schools and trusts face an exceptionally difficult budgeting cycle for September. This will become even more challenging as the declining birth rate reduces per-pupil income. Already, surveys by the National Foundation for Educational Research indicate 50% of senior leaders in primary schools are relying on pupil premium cash to top up budgets.

I'm sure I speak for many in the sector when I urge the next government to act quickly in July to address these problems and hand in the homework, which now feels way past the deadline.

Of course, many school leaders feel frustrated by the vacuum and lack of agency until policies emerge, but the situation isn't entirely hopeless. Already, we're speaking to trusts that are doing important groundwork to address concerns and put in place flexible strategies to build resilience. For example:

• to commit to addressing workloads, and exploring and investing in technology, including AI and other digital tools, to reduce administrative burdens
• to develop their own benefits packages that include other perks to make the profession more appealing and competitive
• to use employer branding to showcase the EVP to attract, engage and retain top talent
• to engage with their teams and to build their relationships with union representatives, to nurture more positive and constructive partnerships
• to invest in middle leadership training, giving particular focus to resilience and complaints handling.

We'll be returning to these ideas in future Snapshots, to showcase experiences and help more trusts across the sector benefit from this best practice.

Whatever the outcome on 4 July, we can anticipate change and school leaders will want to go into the new school year prepared. We'll scour the post-election announcements, policy updates and any emergency legislation to give you the information and tools you need when you return – look out for this in our next issue.

With this year's SATs, GCSEs and A-Levels complete, we wish you a great end to the term and a well-earned break when the moment arrives!

Dates for your diary 

Reserve your place online for our July training sessions, and get ahead by securing your place on others in the new academic year!

HR Essentials Training - 2 July > Recommended for SLT, line managers and those needing an HR refresher

Managing Challenging People Training - 9 July > Recommended managers and HR professionals

EPM Education Update (Newton Aycliffe) - 11 September > Save the date! A customer-only session, held at our North Office, recommended for Headteachers, CEOs, HR Directors, HR Managers, and School Business Managers

EPM Education Update (Huntingdon) - 12 September > A customer-only session, held at the Huntingdon Racecourse, recommended for Headteachers, CEOs, HR Directors, HR Managers, and School Business Managers

Ill-Health Retirement Training - 17 September > Recommended for SLT, line managers, and anyone else who deals with this in their role

People Update - 24 September > A customer-only session, recommended for Headteachers, CEOs, HR Directors, HR Managers, and School Business Managers

If you’re looking for advice and guidance about any of the topics raised above or would like to learn more about our range of services and relevant training, please talk to us.