Teaching schools and system leadership: June 2019
Updated 2 July 2021
Applies to England
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1. Overview
The purpose of this publication is to provide updated figures on the number of system leaders currently working within the school system in England. There is variation between reports due to the natural churn of the system, including designation processes, changes to eligibility and staff turnover.
Designation rounds for NLEs and teaching schools closed in May 2018 and designation rounds for NLGs closed in May 2017. The department is currently reviewing the current structure of system leadership to ensure the quality of system leadership remains as high as possible. The teaching school hubs test and learn phase, launched in May 2019, builds on the success of the teaching schools programme and is the first part of the departments plans to review system leadership.
This information is correct as of 1 June 2019.
As at 1 June 2019, across England there were:
- 631 teaching school alliances – a decrease of 6 from 1 March 2019
- 778 teaching schools – a decrease of 12 from 1 March 2019
- 1,182 national leaders of education – a decrease of 40 from 1 March 2019
- 383 national leaders of governance – a decrease of 13 from 1 March 2019
2. Teaching schools and teaching school alliances
As at 1 June 2019 there were 631 teaching school alliances across England and 778 teaching schools. The number of teaching school alliances decreased by 6 and the number of teaching schools decreased by 12 from March 2019. Around 83% of teaching school alliances had one teaching school although a few had as many as 5 or 6.
Teaching schools were present in all 8 English RSC areas, and in 149 out of 150 local authorities: City of London and Isles of Scilly are excluded from the analysis as each has only one maintained school. The Isle of Wight is the only local authority not to have a teaching school although it should be noted that teaching schools and teaching school alliances can work across local authority boundaries. Lancashire and West Yorkshire had the highest number of teaching schools with 130 (16.7%). The North had the fewest with 64 (8.2%).
2.1 Number of teaching schools by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of teaching schools | Change from Mar 2019 | Percentage of all teaching schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands & Humber | 87 | -2 | 11.2% |
| East of England & North East London | 100 | -3 | 12.9% |
| Lancashire & West Yorkshire | 130 | -1 | 16.7% |
| North | 64 | -1 | 8.2% |
| South Central & North West London | 101 | 0 | 13.0% |
| South East & South London | 115 | -1 | 14.8% |
| South West | 83 | 0 | 10.7% |
| West Midlands | 98 | -4 | 12.6% |
| Total | 778 | -12 |
(Source: DfE Management Information)
3. National leaders of education (NLEs)
As at 1 June 2019 there were 1,182 national leaders of education, a decrease of 40 from March 2019. The majority of NLEs belong to different schools and only 38 schools have 2 or more NLEs. NLEs were present in 150 of 150 local authorities: City of London and Isles of Scilly are excluded from the analysis as each has only one maintained school. The Isle of Wight is the only local authority to not have a NLE although NLEs can work across local authority boundaries.
Lancashire and West Yorkshire have the highest number of NLEs with 215 (18.2%). The North has the fewest with 101 (8.5%).
3.1 Number of NLEs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLEs | Change from Mar 2019 | Percentage of all NLEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands & Humber | 177 | -5 | 15.0% |
| East of England & North East London | 108 | -4 | 9.1% |
| Lancashire & West Yorkshire | 215 | -4 | 18.2% |
| North | 101 | -4 | 8.5% |
| South Central & North West London | 133 | -10 | 11.3% |
| South East & South London | 181 | -4 | 15.3% |
| South West | 111 | -6 | 9.4% |
| West Midlands | 155 | -3 | 13.1% |
| Not applicable | 1 | 0 | 0.1% |
| Total | 1182 | -40 |
(Source: DfE Management Information)
4. National leaders of governance (NLGs)
There were 383 NLGs as at 1 June 2019. This was a decrease of 13 from March 2019. A total of 129 local authorities had at least one NLG.
Lancashire and West Yorkshire had the highest number of NLGs with 74 (19.3%). The West Midlands and the North had the fewest with 32 (8.4%).
4.1 Number of NLGs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLGs | Change from Mar 2019 | Percentage of all NLGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands & Humber | 66 | -3 | 17.2% |
| East of England & North East London | 34 | 0 | 8.9% |
| Lancashire & West Yorkshire | 74 | 0 | 19.3% |
| North | 32 | –2 | 8.4% |
| South Central & North West London | 49 | -2 | 12.8% |
| South East & South London | 61 | -3 | 15.9% |
| South West | 35 | -1 | 9.1% |
| West Midlands | 32 | -2 | 8.4% |
| Not applicable | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Total | 383 | -13 |
(Source: DfE Management Information)