Teaching schools and system leadership: March 2020
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. There will be no further NLE designation rounds until the Department 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. We expect to announce arrangements for the designation of the successor bodies to Teaching Schools – Teaching School Hubs – later in 2020. The Department is reviewing the NLG programme, and no further NLG designations will be made until that review has concluded, expected by Summer 2020.
The number of system leaders that are currently designated is actively managed and the Department keeps these matters under review.
This information is correct as of 1 March 2020.
As at 1 March 2020, across England there were:
- 616 teaching school alliances - a decrease of 2 from 1 December 2019
- 751 teaching schools - a decrease of 4 from 1 December 2019
- 1,044 National Leaders of Education - a decrease of 21 from 1 December 2019
- 340 National Leaders of Governance - a decrease of 10 from 1 December 2019
2. Teaching schools and teaching school alliances
As at 1 March 2020, there were 616 teaching school alliances across England and 751 teaching schools. The number of teaching school alliances decreased by 2 and the number of teaching schools decreased by 4 from December 2019. 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 (16.6%). The North had the fewest with 63 (8.4%).
3. Number of teaching schools by regional schools commissioner (RSC) area
| RSC area | Number of teaching schools | Change from December 2019 | Percentage of all teaching schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 84 | 0 | 11.2% |
| East of England and North-East London | 96 | -2 | 12.8% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 125 | -1 | 16.6% |
| North | 63 | 0 | 8.4% |
| South Central and North-West London | 94 | -1 | 12.5% |
| South East and South London | 113 | 0 | 15.0% |
| South West | 82 | 0 | 10.9% |
| West Midlands | 94 | 0 | 12.5% |
| Total | 751 | -4 |
(Source: DfE Management Information. Please note that as the percentages are rounded, the total value will not always be 100%)
4. National leaders of education (NLEs)
As at 1 March 2020, there were 1,044 National Leaders of Education, a decrease of 21 from December 2019.
The majority of NLEs belong to different schools and only 32 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 193 (18.5%). The North has the fewest with 87 (8.3%).
5. Number of NLEs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLEs | Change from December 2019 | Percentage of all NLEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 150 | -3 | 14.4% |
| East of England and North-East London | 93 | -1 | 8.9% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 193 | -3 | 18.5% |
| North | 87 | -4 | 8.3% |
| South Central and North-West London | 114 | -2 | 10.9% |
| South East and South London | 163 | -4 | 15.6% |
| South West | 101 | -2 | 9.7% |
| West Midlands | 142 | -2 | 13.6% |
| Not applicable | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Total | 1044 | -21 |
(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.
6. National leaders of governance (NLGs)
There were 340 NLGs as at 1 March 2020. This was a decrease of 10 from December 2019. A total of 119 local authorities had at least one NLG.
Lancashire & West Yorkshire had the highest number of NLGs with 64 (18.8%). The West Midlands had the fewest with 26 (7.6%).
7. Number of NLGs by RSC area
| RSC area | Number of NLGs | Change from December 2019 | Percentage of all NLGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands and Humber | 62 | 0 | 18.2% |
| East of England and North-East London | 33 | 0 | 9.7% |
| Lancashire and West Yorkshire | 64 | -2 | 18.8% |
| North | 27 | 0 | 7.9% |
| South Central and North West London | 42 | -2 | 12.4% |
| South East and South London | 53 | -1 | 15.6% |
| South West | 33 | -1 | 9.7% |
| West Midlands | 26 | -4 | 7.6% |
| Not applicable | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Total | 340 | -10 |
(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 and NLGs who are currently in between schools or, alternatively, have a BFPO address.