This week we’ve published the latest findings from our biannual School Leaders Survey (Summer 2026), which captures leaders' views on the schools white paper, financial sustainability and the growing impact of AI on parental complaints. 

Research for this survey was carried out during March 2026 and leaders representing more than 1,000 schools responded, collectively responsible for over half a million pupils from across all regions of England. 

Tentative signs of improvement in leaders' views on government policy 

There are modest signs of improvement in how leaders view the impact of government education policy. Satisfaction has risen to 20%, up from just 9% last summer, and the proportion rating the overall impact negatively has fallen to 43%. The direction of travel is encouraging, but the baseline remains low: nearly half of all school leaders still view the impact of government policy on their organisation negatively. 

Financial instability remains the defining backdrop, with 80% of leaders dissatisfied with school funding, rising to 86% for SEND funding. 

Financial sustainability and staffing pressures 

While the proportion of leaders describing their current finances as poor has eased from 40% to 26%, the longer-term outlook remains deeply troubling, with only 27% expressing any confidence in financial security over the next three years. With staffing costs commonly accounting for around 80% of total spend, we’re not surprised to see that reviewing staffing requirements has become the most common response, cited by 84% of leaders. 

Maintained school leaders are feeling the pressure most acutely, with 56% judging their financial prospects to be poor, in stark contrast to their academy counterparts, of whom 70% felt their prospects to be manageable or good. 

The schools white paper and SEND reform 

This edition comes hot on the heels of the schools white paper, which sets out a broad vision for education. More than half (54%) 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. Three-quarters believe the reforms would result in a significant increase in workload for schools. 

Three-quarters of leaders believe the government's vision for every school to be part of a trust is achievable, though the vast majority (94%) say significant changes will be needed. The biggest barriers identified include reluctance among maintained school governing bodies to relinquish autonomy and concerns about loss of local identity. 

Complaints and the impact of 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 sharp new dimension, with 90% of leaders observing an increase in complaints that appear to be AI-generated or AI-enhanced. The white paper's acknowledgement of vexatious complaints is a welcome step, with clearer guidance on handling them attracting the strongest support from leaders.

While many of these challenges are shaped by factors beyond the control of individual schools, these findings offer valuable insight to help leaders consider where they can take action and where to focus their advocacy.

Download the survey findings

As always, we’re grateful to all the school leaders who gave their time generously to participate in this survey. To participate in the next edition of the survey and be among the first to receive these reports, please get in touch and we’ll include you on our mailing list.

Download the report