School leadership research
School Leaders Survey: Sharing insights, emerging opportunities and challenges facing the nation’s schools
We’re inviting you and other leaders of the nation's schools and academies to share your views in our School Leaders Survey.
We capture and share your views on the policy landscape, strategic priorities for schools and trusts explore emerging challenges facing the sector. These topical sections have included Ofsted reform, parental complaints, SEND and the use of AI.
We’re really keen to hear about your experience and to understand how changes across the sector are impacting you, your staff and pupils.
School leaders survey Summer 2025: Key findings available now
Research for this survey was carried out during May 2025 and nearly 200 school leaders responded, representing over 1,700 schools, collectively responsible for nearly 1 million pupils from across all regions of England.
During the government's first year in office, we’ve had draft legislation, announcements on funding and on SEND reform. The clear sense from this summer's survey is that school leaders' views on the impact of government policy has shifted from neutrality to dissatisfaction.
Our survey has always reported concerns around funding but now, more than ever, the financial backdrop seems to permeate throughout.
In this edition we’ve taken a deeper dive into schools’ experience managing pupil exclusions, alternative provision and key challenges such as striking the balance between addressing behavioural challenges whilst being inclusive.
We also explore school leaders’ views on early years provision, in the wake of the Secretary of State making this a key investment area. Download the report now to find out more.
Key stats
This data is from the School Leaders Surveys conducted in summer 2025, representing leadership of over 1,700 schools from across all regions of England.
85
%
judged their school’s financial prospects negatively.
1
in 3
report pupil behaviour has become significantly worse since the pandemic.
87
%
reviewing staffing requirements, while staff wellbeing has become less of a priority.
9
in 10
dissatisfied with government funding for SEND.
How we’ve used insights to influence education sector
PR coverage
Exclusions and behaviour
- Tes: Exclusions: 1 in 3 leaders say they lack alternatives
- Children & Young People Now: Pupil exclusions and suspensions 'near all-time high'
- Government and Public Sector Journal: Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey shows exclusions and suspensions at an all-time high
Early years readiness
- Children & Young People Now: Downturn in post-pandemic school readiness reported by trust leaders
PR coverage
AI
- Tes: Leaders warn about lack of AI knowledge in schools
- Schools Week: How are school leaders navigating the AI revolution?
- SecEd: Schools in AI data protection and compliance warning
- SecEd: Biometric technology in schools: Lessons learned from ICO regulation
- Headteacher Update: School AI use data protection and compliance warning
- Headteacher Update: Implementing biometric technology in schools
- The Educator: Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey illustrates how teachers are adopting AI in the classroom – and mixed feelings over readiness
- Edward Fennell's Legal Diary: Browne Jacobson helps to shape education innovation
- Tech for Good: Building bridges in edtech: The convergence of AI governance and educational needs
SEND
- Schools Week: What do school leaders think will solve the SEND crisis?
- EducationInvestor: UK: Two-thirds of school leaders dissatisfied with SEND guidance
- Local Government Lawyer: Two-thirds of school leaders dissatisfied with existing guidance on supporting SEND pupils, survey finds
- SEND Matters: Schools and families: Do we want the same thing for our children with SEND?
- Government and Public Sector Journal: SEND Tribunal statistics: Legal comment
- Edward Fennell's Legal Diary
Other findings
- Headteacher Update: Effective safeguarding leadership: Five areas for focus
PR coverage
Parental complaints
- The Independent: Teachers facing dramatic surge in complaints from parents since Covid as staff forced to quit, survey reveals
- The Times: Vexatious parents are a burden to schools
- Tes: Most schools train leaders to tackle rising parental complaints
- Tes: Key questions to shape your school's complaints policy
- Tes: What a recent High Court case ruling means for school exclusions
- Education Executive: Parents’ complaints overwhelm schools
- The Educator: Browne Jacobson’s school leaders survey illustrates rising volume of parental complaints and impact on teachers
- Schools Week: How are schools dealing with rising parental complaints?
- Schools Week: New ministers can and must help stem rising complaints
- Schools Week: The rise of parent activism and how schools are tackling it
- Schools Week: Should schools be able to remove pupils for parental abuse?
Government policy
- Educate Magazine: More than four in five English school leaders dissatisfied with government’s SEND support
- The Educator: SEND support a major issue in education ahead of General Election, say school leaders in Browne Jacobson survey
- Education Property: SEND support a major issue in education ahead of General Election, say school leaders
- Schools Week: Ofsted: Leaders divided over Labour trust inspection plans
PR coverage
- Learning Disability Today: Survey shows majority of school leaders dissatisfied with current SEND funding
- Education Executive: School leaders significantly dissatisfied with current government policies across the board
PR coverage
Exclusions and behaviour
- Tes: Exclusions: 1 in 3 leaders say they lack alternatives
- Children & Young People Now: Pupil exclusions and suspensions 'near all-time high'
- Government and Public Sector Journal: Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey shows exclusions and suspensions at an all-time high
Early years readiness
- Children & Young People Now: Downturn in post-pandemic school readiness reported by trust leaders
PR coverage
AI
- Tes: Leaders warn about lack of AI knowledge in schools
- Schools Week: How are school leaders navigating the AI revolution?
- SecEd: Schools in AI data protection and compliance warning
- SecEd: Biometric technology in schools: Lessons learned from ICO regulation
- Headteacher Update: School AI use data protection and compliance warning
- Headteacher Update: Implementing biometric technology in schools
- The Educator: Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey illustrates how teachers are adopting AI in the classroom – and mixed feelings over readiness
- Edward Fennell's Legal Diary: Browne Jacobson helps to shape education innovation
- Tech for Good: Building bridges in edtech: The convergence of AI governance and educational needs
SEND
- Schools Week: What do school leaders think will solve the SEND crisis?
- EducationInvestor: UK: Two-thirds of school leaders dissatisfied with SEND guidance
- Local Government Lawyer: Two-thirds of school leaders dissatisfied with existing guidance on supporting SEND pupils, survey finds
- SEND Matters: Schools and families: Do we want the same thing for our children with SEND?
- Government and Public Sector Journal: SEND Tribunal statistics: Legal comment
- Edward Fennell's Legal Diary
Other findings
- Headteacher Update: Effective safeguarding leadership: Five areas for focus
PR coverage
Parental complaints
- The Independent: Teachers facing dramatic surge in complaints from parents since Covid as staff forced to quit, survey reveals
- The Times: Vexatious parents are a burden to schools
- Tes: Most schools train leaders to tackle rising parental complaints
- Tes: Key questions to shape your school's complaints policy
- Tes: What a recent High Court case ruling means for school exclusions
- Education Executive: Parents’ complaints overwhelm schools
- The Educator: Browne Jacobson’s school leaders survey illustrates rising volume of parental complaints and impact on teachers
- Schools Week: How are schools dealing with rising parental complaints?
- Schools Week: New ministers can and must help stem rising complaints
- Schools Week: The rise of parent activism and how schools are tackling it
- Schools Week: Should schools be able to remove pupils for parental abuse?
Government policy
- Educate Magazine: More than four in five English school leaders dissatisfied with government’s SEND support
- The Educator: SEND support a major issue in education ahead of General Election, say school leaders in Browne Jacobson survey
- Education Property: SEND support a major issue in education ahead of General Election, say school leaders
- Schools Week: Ofsted: Leaders divided over Labour trust inspection plans
PR coverage
- Learning Disability Today: Survey shows majority of school leaders dissatisfied with current SEND funding
- Education Executive: School leaders significantly dissatisfied with current government policies across the board
Previous survey results
04 September 2025
Press Release - School Leaders Survey
Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey exposes post-Covid downturn in school readiness among young children
04 July 2025
Press Release - School Leaders Survey
Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey shows exclusions and suspensions at an all-time high
02 July 2025
Article - School Leaders Survey
Survey shows growing dissatisfaction with government policy amidst financial uncertainty
10 June 2025
Press Release - School Leaders Survey
Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey illustrates concerns over financial resilience ahead of spending review
29 November 2024
Press Release - School Leaders Survey
Browne Jacobson’s latest School Leaders Survey illustrates need for better SEND guidance as exclusions rise
26 November 2024
Article - School Leaders Survey
School Leaders Survey Autumn 2024: The results are in
24 April 2024
Article - School Leaders Survey
School leaders survey Spring 2024 - the results are in
28 November 2023
Article - School Leaders Survey
School leaders survey Autumn 2023 – the results are in
11 July 2023
Article - School Leaders Survey
School leaders survey Summer 2023 – the results are in
Key contacts
Nick MacKenzie
Partner
