Teaching schools and system leadership: September 2020
Updated 2 July 2021
Applies to England
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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 national leaders of education (NLEs) and teaching schools closed in May 2018, and designation rounds for national leaders of governance (NLGs) closed in May 2017. There will be no further NLE designation rounds until the Department for Education (DfE) has implemented the recommendations of the review report on NLEs published in February 2020. The teaching schools programme will end in August 2021 and there will be no further designations to this programme.
The application process for teaching school hubs is now open and will close 30 October 2020. DfE is considering recommendations for NLG reform, published in September 2020, and there will be no further NLG designation rounds until this work is concluded.
The number of system leaders that are currently designated is actively managed and DfE keeps these matters under review.
This information is correct as of 1 September 2020.
As at 1 September 2020, across England there were:
- 612 teaching school alliances - a decrease of 4 from 1 March 2020
- 745 teaching schools - a decrease of 6 from 1 March 2020
- 1,018 national leaders of education - a decrease of 26 from 1 March 2020
- 338 national leaders of governance - a decrease of 2 from 1 March 2020
Teaching schools and teaching school alliances
As at 1 September 2020, there were 612 teaching school alliances across England and 745 teaching schools. The number of teaching school alliances decreased by 4 and the number of teaching schools decreased by 6 from March 2020. Around 84% 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 148 out of 150 local authorities: City of London and Isles of Scilly are excluded from the analysis as each has only one maintained school.
Lancashire and West Yorkshire had the highest number of teaching schools with 125 (16.8%). The North had the fewest with 63 (8.5%).
Number of teaching schools by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of teaching schools | Change from March 2020 | Percentage of all teaching schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 82 | -2 | 11.0% |
| East of England and North-East London | 94 | -2 | 12.6% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 125 | 0 | 16.8% |
| North | 63 | 0 | 8.5% |
| South Central and North-West London | 94 | 0 | 12.6% |
| South East and South London | 113 | 0 | 15.2% |
| South West | 81 | -1 | 10.9% |
| West Midlands | 93 | -1 | 12.5% |
| Total | 745 | -6 |
(Source: DfE management information. Please note that as the percentages are rounded, the total value will not always be 100%.)
National leaders of education (NLEs)
As at 1 September 2020, there were 1,018 National Leaders of Education, a decrease of 26 from March 2020.
The majority of NLEs belong to different schools and only 28 schools have 2 or more NLEs. NLEs were present in 147 of 150 local authorities.
Lancashire and West Yorkshire have the highest number of NLEs with 189 (18.6%). The East of England & North East London has the fewest with 86 (8.5%).
Number of NLEs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLEs | Change from March 2020 | Percentage of all NLEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 146 | -4 | 14.3% |
| East of England and North-East London | 86 | -7 | 8.4% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 189 | -4 | 18.6% |
| North | 89 | 2 | 8.7% |
| South Central and North-West London | 111 | -3 | 10.9% |
| South East and South London | 158 | -5 | 15.5% |
| South West | 101 | 0 | 9.9% |
| West Midlands | 137 | -5 | 13.5% |
| Not applicable | 1 | 0 | 0.1% |
| Total | 1018 | -26 |
(Source: DfE management information. Please note that as the percentages are rounded, the total value will not always be 100%.)
Not applicable refers to NLEs who are currently in between schools or alternatively have a BFPO address.
National leaders of governance (NLGs)
There were 338 NLGs as at 1 September 2020. This was a decrease of 2 from March 2020. A total of 118 local authorities had at least one NLG.
Lancashire and West Yorkshire had the highest number of NLGs with 65 (19.2%). The West Midlands had the fewest with 26 (7.7%).
Number of NLGs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLGs | Change from March 2020 | Percentage of all NLGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 62 | 0 | 18.3% |
| East of England and North-East London | 31 | -2 | 9.2% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 65 | 1 | 19.2% |
| North | 27 | 0 | 8.0% |
| South Central and North West London | 42 | 0 | 12.4% |
| South East and South London | 53 | 0 | 15.7% |
| South West | 32 | -1 | 9.5% |
| West Midlands | 26 | 0 | 7.7% |
| Total | 338 | -2 |
(Source: DfE management information. Please note that as the percentages are rounded, the total value will not always be 100%.)