A pipeline crisis or a sustainability crisis? Local and national succession planning for headteachers in England

Recruiting and retaining school leaders is a challenge in many systems worldwide. Previous research has identified three distinct ways in which succession planning can be conceptualised and approached: a ‘pipeline’ approach seeks to match supply and demand for the posts that need filling; a ‘pool’ strategy involves proactively identifying and developing a wider group of potential leaders who can step up when needed; while a ‘reservoir’ mentality seeks to unlock the leadership potential of all staff. This article explores succession planning for headship in England informed by findings from a larger mixed methods study. We include perspectives from policy makers, employers, headteachers and senior leaders in schools and focus on succession approaches and outcomes in two localities: a coastal area in which most schools are part of Multi-Academy Trusts, and a rural area in which the Local Authority continues to play an important role in recruiting headteachers. This illustrates the variable and inequitable nature of succession planning in England’s fragmented system and the lack of capacity to address complex systemic issues, such as increasing the diversity of the leadership pool and addressing headteacher workload and retention challenges. Our findings may not indicate that schools across England face an immediate headteacher recruitment crisis, but they raise important questions about the sustainability of the current model. On this basis we argue the need for a significant shift in terms of the focus on and approach to succession, characterised by national policy action in concert with a local solutions mindset and approach.