The Dwindling Pool of Church School Leaders
As another school year gets under way, we wanted to take a moment to remind you who we are, why we’re here and how we might continue to support you in the ongoing task of Church School leadership.
At Emmaus, we are deeply committed to not only the work of Church Schools, but the individuals who lead them. This is most clearly reflected in our recruitment approach, where we prioritise the interests and care of the candidates throughout the recruitment process; allowing us to attract both a greater number and higher calibre of applicants.
With a success rate of 95% of schools we have worked with appointing first time, we are noting an increased demand for our services. This is likely due to the fact that the pool of candidates for Church School leaders is dramatically dwindling. The growing number of Headteachers approaching retirement or moving to Academy CEO and Senior Leadership Trust positions is further compounded by fewer teachers harbouring leadership aspirations. This has made the task of finding your next school leader more challenging than ever.
Whilst traditional recruitment advertising on its own is no longer sufficient in a recruitment climate where “active” candidates are increasingly hard to come by, Emmaus has found that by adopting a relational approach, often spent in hours of unseen conversations with our extensive network of prospective candidates, (many of whom are not actively considering their next job move), we can tease out applications from candidates who have both a strong desire and capability to lead your school.
This is what we feel called to do. And by God’s grace, we’re not bad at it!
However, whilst the “dwindling pool” of would-be candidates is increasingly directing trusts and governors towards our specialist recruitment services; we recognise that in the long term and big picture, this poses a huge challenge for the sector at large.
A recent study by NAHT (The School Leaders Union) has revealed that in 2023, almost two thirds (61%) of assistant and deputy heads said they did not aspire to headship. Perhaps more concerning still; more than half (51%) of school leaders said they were considering leaving the profession within the next three years, for reasons other than retirement. Whilst this isn’t new information for many of us, it is a stark reminder of just how crucial the work of headteacher retention and development is for the future of our schools and the children and young people they serve.
Unsurprisingly, much of the recommendations in this sobering report are directed towards the government. 86% of school leaders said that greater professional recognition and autonomy in their decision making would improve the attractiveness of school leadership. 72% of those surveyed said that pay that properly remunerates the weighty responsibilities they carry would make the role more appealing. 66% identified both a reduction in workload and accountability measures as something which would improve school leadership’s attractiveness.
Whilst these kind of systemic reforms fall under the responsibility of the Department of Education, they do shed a light on the immense challenges faced by our Headteachers. Not only that, but they reveal an acute need for the provision of structured support and intentional investment in the wellbeing and professional lives of those brave souls pressing on in the vital vocation of school leadership, despite its difficulties.
How we might go about making the personal and professional development, wellbeing and support of our Heads a paramount priority is the subject of our next blog as we reflect on the remarkable impact of Leadership Coaching in schools. You’ll be pleased to know that research shows that there are absolutely actions and investments that can be made at a school and governor level that have a proven and positive impact on our Headteachers and the schools they lead.
For as the old adage goes, with great challenge comes great opportunity!