The Independent sector in the UK is facing some significant headwinds,

UK independent school sector is in a time of recallibration as it comes to terms with the triple challenge of:

• 20% VAT on school fees - which has made the sector unaffordable for some parents, and has forced others to look for cheaper alternatives;

• The loss of Charitable Business Rate Relief (from schools paying 20% to paying 100% of commercial rates) has significant costs to schools’ operational budgets;

• The increase of Employers’ National Insurance Contributions by 2% has added significant costs to schools’ staffing budgets.

Independent Schools are exploring other ways to face this challenge, such as

• increasing other income streams by expanding into new markets:

• senior schools opening or acquiring preps schools; or by opening overseas franchises;

but these are unlikely to be sufficient to raise sufficient additional funds to cover the VAT rise.

Given that staffing accounts for between 70 and 80% of a typical school’s costs, schools therefore need to look to reducing their staffing costs.

International Schools

International Schools are often under pressure from owners and boards to deliver best value. At Steed Education, we are aware of the need to navigate the complexities that many international schools face, such as employing both an expatriate and local staff who may be on different pay and benefits packages.

What we do:

Steed Education can support School Leaders in reducing their staffing costs. Sometimes it is easier for someone outside the organisation to see how to do this. The reality also is that most Heads and Bursars don’t have capacity to lead a major project of this nature. A staffing cost review can be very time-consuming and needs to be conducted in a short period of time.

The key to an effective staffing cost review is to identify those areas that do no impact significantly on the core educational offering.

Ultimately, it is about a school achieving value from its staffing budget.

Our Services:

• Conducting a Staffing Cost Review

  • Review of the Educational Management structure 

  • Review of the Teacher Salary Scales and Progression Criteria 

  • Review of responsibility allowances 

  • Review of Teacher Non-contact time 

  • Review of the Staffing Ratios 

  • Review of the number of teaching staff and teaching assistants 

• Identifying possible areas for staffing cost reduction.

• Salary Scale Review - project management of migration to new salary scale structure

• Project Management of staffing cost reduction actions.

• Running sessions for SLT on how they might reduce costs.

• Running sessions for Boards on the dynamics of staffing cost reduction.

• Providing expert services for Salary Review Appeal Boards.

Why Steed Education?

Mark Steed has 23 years’ experience as a Headteacher in five very different schools: ranging from a small boarding school in Devon which faced challenging financial pressures; to a large, very well financed 6-month to age 18 day school north of London with a day nursery, three preps, separate girls’ and boys’ schools and a co-ed sixth form  as part of the Group.

He has a proven track record of ensuring value from the staffing budget.