Leaders representing more than 1,000 schools completed the survey, collectively responsible for over half a million pupils from across all regions of England.

Summer 2026 – key findings

There are tentative signs of improvement in leaders' views on government policy, with satisfaction rising to 20%, up from just 9% last summer. Yet financial instability remains the defining backdrop, with 80% dissatisfied with school funding and 71% judging the financial prospects of their organisation negatively.

Views on the schools white paper

This edition comes hot on the heels of the schools white paper, which sets out a broad vision for education including significant SEND reform and a proposal for every school to be part of a trust. We explore leaders' views on these proposals and what they'll mean in practice.

More than half of leaders have concerns about the proposed SEND reforms, with 68% saying the funding announced won't be enough to bring the vision to life. Meanwhile, three-quarters believe the government's vision for every school to be in a trust is achievable, though the vast majority say significant changes will be needed.

Complaints and the impact of and AI

We also examine the sharp rise in parental complaints, with 90% of leaders saying parents are escalating more quickly than two years ago and 46% reporting that complaint volumes are approaching or have already reached breaking point. The emergence of AI-generated complaints is adding a new dimension to this challenge.