Strategic workforce planning for schools and trusts
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-04)

Support for schools and trusts to plan their workforce and recruit effectively.

Overview

This page brings together tools and guidance to help schools and trusts plan and deploy their workforce effectively to maximise value for pupils.

It supports leaders to:
- make strategic staffing decisions
- reduce unnecessary costs
- invest in high-quality teaching and retention
By tackling systemic issues and promoting evidence-based approaches, it supports schools and trusts to make long-term improvements across their workforce.

Strategic workforce planning

Every school is different. Staffing decisions need to reflect each school’s unique situation, and we know how hard leaders work to reflect the needs of their local communities in staffing choices.

The updated Financial benchmarking and insights tool (https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/) provides a range of metrics covering staffing spend compared to similar schools. This includes:
- teaching staff costs per pupil
- workforce deployment – for example teachers as a percentage of workforce
The tool provides links to further advice and guidance that helps school to take action where appropriate. This includes an introductory version of Integrated curriculum and financial planning (ICFP), aimed at helping schools who have not engaged with ICFP before. ICFP is a management process that helps schools plan the best curriculum for their pupils with the funding they have available. It can be used at any phase or type of school.

Supply workforce

Effective workforce planning helps schools and trusts reduce reliance on supply staff. This can lower costs and limit exposure to poor market practices.

Where supply staff are needed, schools and trusts should use the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) Buying for schools (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buying-for-schools) service. This gives access to the DfE-approved Crown Commercial Service (CCS) supply teachers and temporary staffing framework that:
- offers transparent pricing
- provides capped rates
- includes suppliers who have passed all required background and safeguarding checks
- meets procurement regulations
- uses pre-agreed terms and conditions
Using this framework helps schools and trusts get value for money and stay compliant with safeguarding and procurement rules.

Recruitment

Teaching Vacancies (https://teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/) is DfE’s free recruitment service for schools and trusts to advertise teaching, leadership and support roles at no cost – saving thousands in recruitment advertising.

A free Applicant Tracking System (ATS) also helps schools to manage vacancies, communicate with candidates and streamline referencing in a single service.

Teaching Vacancies helps schools and trusts build a high-quality workforce by:
- simplifying hiring
- supporting flexible options like part time and job share
- giving access to a nationwide pool of candidates, including overseas teachers
All vacancies are also shared on the nationwide service Find a job (https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk/).

Useful links

Financial benchmarking and insights tool (https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/)

Integrated curriculum financial planning (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/integrated-curriculum-and-financial-planning-icfp)

Get help buying for schools (https://get-help-buying-for-schools.education.gov.uk/)

Teaching, leadership and support jobs – Teaching Vacancies (https://teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/)

You may also find it helpful to review recent changes that can impact school workforce deployment, including:
- Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools (https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/send) – an updated guide to mainstream inclusion approaches published by the Education Endowment Foundation
- Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report: government response (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report-government-response) – the executive summary of the government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which details changes that will be first taught from September 2028