3 min read | ofsted teaching staff school spending
The Cost of Quality: Solutions for Balancing Budgets While Driving School Improvement
Research from MMFS highlights a striking disparity in staffing costs between schools with different OFSTED ratings. Schools graded ‘inadequate’ spend over £700 more per pupil on teaching staff than those rated ‘outstanding.’
This finding opens an important discussion: how can schools under pressure to improve balance their budgets while raising standards?
The answer lies in understanding these challenges and offering targeted solutions that empower school leaders and staff to overcome them.
Investing in Teaching Staff to Raise Standards
For schools striving to improve their OFSTED ratings, allocating more resources to teaching staff is often a strategic choice. While this can strain budgets, it also creates opportunities for growth. Strategies such as hiring experienced teachers, providing tailored professional development, and increasing salaries to attract talent often benefit learners almost immediately and are investments in the future of the school.
Actionable Insight: Accessing Targeted Support
Leaders can explore government programmes and charitable funding streams aimed at disadvantaged pupils. For example, the Pupil Premium funding can be strategically allocated to interventions that support learners academically, but also socially and emotionally to improve behaviour and attendance, reducing strain on teaching staff.
Many schools demonstrate effective and creative ways to use their Pupil Premium funding:
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Targeted Academic Support: Evidence-based interventions like tutoring and small group teaching are often funded through the Pupil Premium. For example, Springfield Junior School successfully improved attainment by dedicating additional resources to professional development for teachers and targeted interventions for pupils, resulting in measurable progress.
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Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): Many schools use Pupil Premium to address pupils' social and emotional needs, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. Effective SEL interventions include conflict resolution, peer mentoring, and reflective listening. These activities help pupils build resilience and develop key interpersonal skills while contributing to an inclusive school environment.
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Whole-School Approaches: Some schools adopt consistent, school-wide strategies to ensure every child benefits from high-quality teaching. For instance, St Clare’s School implemented trauma-informed practices, nurture provision for SEMH (social, emotional, and mental health) needs, and strong collaboration with families. This holistic approach led to improved wellbeing and reintegration of pupils into mainstream classrooms.
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Engagement with Parents: Strengthening relationships with families is critical to achieving success with disadvantaged pupils. Schools that invest in parental engagement often see greater participation in their initiatives and improved pupil outcomes.
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Creative Initiatives: Arts participation and innovative extracurricular activities funded by the Pupil Premium help bridge gaps in enrichment opportunities, which are often limited for disadvantaged pupils. These initiatives can also enhance engagement and foster a sense of belonging.
Spotlight: Mentorship Programmes
Schools that introduced mentorship programmes for at-risk pupils reported reductions in exclusions and improvements in classroom behaviour—results that also lightened the load for teaching staff.
Prioritising Teacher Wellbeing
Teacher wellbeing plays a crucial role in reducing staff absences and improving outcomes. Research consistently links high occupational well-being with improved retention and performance. Schools with lower OFSTED ratings can focus on creating a positive work environment to support their staff
Solutions for Supporting Staff
Schools that introduced mentorship programmes for at-risk pupils reported reductions in exclusions and improvements in classroom behaviour—results that also lightened the load for teaching staff
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Implementing flexible working options where feasible.
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Building a culture of appreciation with initiatives like peer recognition programmes.
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Providing access to mental health resources through partnerships with local organisations.
Example: A Whole-School Wellbeing Approach
A secondary school in East London introduced regular well-being check-ins and mindfulness sessions for staff. Absence rates fell significantly within a year, reducing reliance on costly supply cover.
Policymakers and the Bigger Picture
While school leaders and teachers are doing everything they can, systemic change is needed to fully address these challenges. Policymakers have an opportunity to step in with targeted support for schools facing the greatest difficulties.
Recommendations
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Increased funding allocations for schools serving disadvantaged populations.
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Subsidised access to teacher supply agencies for schools requiring improvement.
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Dedicated grants for staff well-being initiatives.
A Call for Collaborative Action
The MMFS research highlights significant challenges, but it also presents an opportunity for reflection, innovation, and partnership. Schools, policymakers, and communities can work together to ensure every school has the resources it needs to thrive. By embracing these solutions, we can move closer to a system where no school is left behind.