Mounting pressure on schools and teachers to continue delivering a high-quality education amid reduced resources is raising concerns about their ability to deliver effective change.
A new report from Commercial Services Group, based on responses from 500 school leaders and teachers, and 500 parents in England, found 89% of parents remain happy with their child’s education and have strong confidence in teaching quality. However, 87% of schools are achieving this with reduced spending over the past year – rising to 95% for secondary schools.
As a result, just 38% of school leaders believe there will be enough funding to deliver planned school reform, and almost a third of school leaders (29%) say they lack confidence in their ability to recruit and retain staff.
Rob Boyles, CEO of Commercial Services Group, said: “Our research shows schools and teachers are doing an incredible job, but in increasingly difficult circumstances. Internal pressures are contributing to challenges in staff wellbeing, recruitment and retention; while resource challenges make delivering a high-quality education alongside implementing essential reform difficult.
“Although the measures set out in the government’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper are broadly supported by school leaders, our findings indicate there are ongoing questions about how meaningful change can be delivered within the current system.
Published in February 2026, the Government’s Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper outlines ambitious plans to halve the attainment gap and deliver transformative reform to the SEND system. Proposals include SEND expansion with 60,000 new places and £200 million to support specialist teacher training.
However, many schools already face barriers to deliver this. 89% of schools report challenges meeting increased SEND demands, driven by lack of finance, limited access to specialist support and gaps in staff confidence and training. More than two thirds (70%) of school leaders report meeting SEND demand has at least a moderate effect on staff workload and wellbeing.
While two thirds of school leaders (67%) and three quarters of parents (76%) say they are confident about the future of the education system, a significant minority remain unconvinced, reflecting uncertainty about whether current pressures can be addressed through reform.
Meanwhile, 43% of teachers are unconvinced about government plans to recruit 6,500 more teachers in England, although there is strong support for greater flexibility in pay (76%), increased use of flexible working (75%), and improved access to professional development (72%).
Rob continued: “The report paints a nuanced picture of the current school experience. Under huge pressure, our system is still performing, but cracks are beginning to show on as demands on teachers grow.”
The report can be viewed at: https://share.google/EyUYhs3xsWSp9G5G9
To find out more, visit www.commercialservices.org.uk
