Stakeholder Briefings

We regularly conduct surveys and roundtables on the key issues and challenges our schools are facing in order to ensure that the voices of North East school leaders are heard as widely as possible.

Our Stakeholder Briefings are designed to share this feedback with influential figures within the education sector, to help them understand the detail of what our schools are facing.

Latest Stakeholder Briefings:

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Autumn Half Term 1 2023/24

October 3, 2023

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 3rd October 2023, with Head Teachers and trust CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

State of the Region Summer 2023

July 12, 2023

Schools North East’s ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the situation in schools across this academic year. We ask the same set of core questions every term (as well as additional questions where relevant) to get a snapshot of the situation in North East schools, and to see how the situation develops across the year.

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Roundtable with Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery

June 23, 2023

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 23rd June 2023, with Ian Lavery MP and school leaders from the Wansbeck constituency.

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Roundtable with the North East Child Poverty Commission and IPPR North

June 22, 2023

Schools North East hosted a roundtable, to support research by the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) and IPPR North, asking the question What should a North East child poverty strategy look like?The roundtable was attended by school leaders from across the North East, discussing the key drivers of child poverty in our region and potential solutions. The roundtable took place on the 22nd June 2023.

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Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Summer Half Term 2 2022/23

June 20, 2023

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 20th June 2023, with Head Teachers and trust CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Summer Half Term 1 2022/23

May 9, 2023

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 9th May 2023, with Head Teachers and trust CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Trust CEO Roundtable – Summer Half Term 1 2022/23

May 4, 2023

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 4th May 2023, with trust CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Ofsted Survey March 2023

March 31, 2023

Schools North East sent out a survey to the region’s school leaders in order to understand the detail behind the key issues dominating the media around school accountability.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with the Northern Powerhouse Partnership on Devolution

March 23, 2023

Schools North East and the Northern Powerhouse Partnership held a roundtable with school leaders on the 23rd March 2023, to discuss devolution, and what sort of local control would most likely eradicate the long term disadvantage gap. Discussions focussed on the impact of previous and existing interventions, the types of collaboration that could be explored, factors beyond schools, how to evaluate effectiveness, and how changes would be delivered. The school leaders represented academy and maintained, mainstream and special, primary and secondary, and north and south of the region.

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State of the Region Spring 2023

March 22, 2023

Schools North East’s ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the situation in schools across this academic year. We ask the same set of core questions every term (as well as additional questions where relevant) to get a snapshot of the situation in North East schools, and to see how the situation develops across the year.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Spring Half Term 2 2022/23

March 21, 2023

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 21st March 2023, with Head Teachers and trust CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with Sedgefield MP Paul Howell

March 10, 2023

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 10th March 2023, with Paul Howell MP and school leaders from the Sedgefield constituency.

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Roundtable with Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah

March 3, 2023

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 3rd March 2023, with Chi Onwurah MP and school leaders from the Newcastle Central constituency.

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Trust CEO Roundtable – Spring Half Term 1 2022/23

February 2, 2023

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 2nd February 2023, with trust CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Spring Half Term 1 2022/23

January 31, 2023

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 31st January 2023, with Head Teachers and trust CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Voice of the Pupil Report

January 19, 2023

In 2016, Schools North East set up the Healthy MindED Commission to bring together school leaders and mental health practitioners to consider how best to tackle growing challenges around emotional health and wellbeing. One of the main strands of the Commission was the Voice of the Pupil project, which engaged children and young people through focus groups, to establish their concerns and experiences. Chair of the Commission, Professor Dame Sue Bailey, described the study as representing ‘the most important body of evidence about children's own views about their mental health, wellbeing, and resilience ever carried out in the UK.'

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Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable – Autumn 2 2022/23

December 1, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 1st December, with MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

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Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Autumn 2 2022/23

November 29, 2022

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 29th November 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with North West Durham MP Richard Holden

November 18, 2022

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 18th November 2022, with Richard Holden MP and school leaders from the North West Durham constituency.

Stakeholder Briefing link

State of the Region Autumn 2022

November 11, 2022

Schools North East’s ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the situation in schools across this academic year. We ask the same set of core questions every term (as well as additional questions where relevant) to get a snapshot of the situation in North East schools, and to see how the situation develops across the year.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell

October 14, 2022

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 14th October 2022, with Catherine McKinnell MP and school leaders from the Newcastle North constituency.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable – Autumn 1

October 13, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 13th October 2022, with MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with Darlington MP Peter Gibson

October 11, 2022

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 11th October 2022, with Peter Gibson MP and school leaders from the Darlington constituency.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable – Autumn 1

September 27, 2022

Schools North East holds roundtables with school leaders every half term. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 27th September 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Academisation survey September 2022

September 21, 2022

The government’s white paper and school bill, both published earlier this year, set out plans for all schools to be in, or in the process of joining, a ‘strong’ multi-academy trust by 2030. This survey looks at how academies and trusts in the North East are responding to the proposals, looking at whether or not trusts plan to expand or merge, how willing they are to do this, and the reasons for doing or not doing so.

Stakeholder Briefing link

State of the Region June 2022

June 14, 2022

Our ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the ongoing impact of the pandemic across this academic year, looking at how the situation is developing every half term.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan

June 10, 2022

Schools North East holds regular roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from an in-person roundtable on the 10th June 2022, with Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP and school leaders from the Berwick constituency.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 09/06/22

June 9, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 9th June 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable 07/06/22

June 7, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 7th June 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Schools White Paper roundtable

May 17, 2022

In response to the publication of the Schools White Paper, Schools North East held a roundtable event with school leaders in our region, to discuss the implications of the document. We were joined by Leora Cruddas,CEO at the Confederation of School Trusts.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 10/05/22

May 10, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtualroundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from aroundtable on the 10May 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOsfrom across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable 10/05/22

May 10, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 10th May 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings. Representatives from the Department for Education’s SEND Review division attended as part of the consultation into the SEND Review Green Paper.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Roundtable with Blaydon MP Liz Twist

April 29, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 29th April 2022, with Liz Twist MP and school leaders from the Blaydon constituency.

Stakeholder Briefing link.

School Energy Prices March 2022

March 28, 2022

Through our regular virtual roundtables with school leaders, rising financial pressures has been identified as a key challenge facing schools. This briefing covers the responses from a survey we conducted in March, looking at the impact of rising energy costs. Responses represent all stages and types of school from all 12 Local Authorities. The responses represent over 150 schools.

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Schools White Paper Survey

March 28, 2022

In response to the White Paper, Schools North East sent out a survey to all schools in the region, looking at some of the key announcements. The survey responses represent a cross-section of 10% of schools in the North East, representing all stages, types, and Local Authorities.

Stakeholder Briefing link

March Roundtables with school leaders

March 8, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from two roundtables on the 8th March 2022, one with MAT CEOs, and another with school leaders from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

State of the Region February 2022

February 13, 2022

Our ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the ongoing impact of the pandemic across this academic year, looking at how the situation is developing every half term.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable 08/02/22

February 8, 2022

Schools North East has holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 8th February 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 08/02/22

February 8, 2022

Schools North East has holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 8th February 2022, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Nursery network 07/02/22

February 7, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 7th February 2022, with school leaders from the Early Years sector.

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Schools North East Spring Term Board Meeting

February 2, 2022

Schools North East is governed by our trustees and advisory board of 49 school leaders, representing all phases (including early years), types (maintained, academy, independent and special/AP), and Local Authorities in the region. This briefing covers the Spring term advisory board meeting discussions on the operational and strategic challenges. The meeting took place on the 2nd February 2022.

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Easing of Covid restrictions January 2022 survey

January 19, 2022

Following the announcement that ‘Plan B’ Covid measures would come to an end, Schools North East surveyed school leaders in our region about the easing of restrictions. This briefing covers the feedback from the survey,sent out on the 19th January 2022. The CEOs and Head Teachers that filled in the survey represent over 100 schools from every LA in the North East, covering both primary and secondary schools, as well as mainstream,special, and Alternative Provision.

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Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 11/01/22

January 11, 2022

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 11th January 2022, with MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools, as well as mainstream, special, and Alternative Provision.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Recruitment and supply roundtable 16/12/21

December 16, 2021

Through our regular roundtables and survey feedback from school leaders, we identified significant concerns around recruitment, particularly regarding support roles. In response to these challenges, wet held a roundtable with senior school leaders, including CEOs, SBMs, COOs, and Head Teachers, from across the NE region to further investigate the detail of this problem.

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Regional SEND/AP Policy Network 06/12/21

December 6, 2021

Supported by Schools North East, the Regional SEND/AP group was formed in October 2020, as a network group for Head Teachers and CEOs working in North East special, AP, and mainstream schools with specialist units. This briefing covers a meeting of the network on the 6th December 2021, in response to the upcoming SEND review.

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State of the Region November 2021

November 1, 2021

Our ‘State of the Region’ surveys intend to monitor the ongoing impact of the pandemic across this academic year, looking at how the situation is developing every half term.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Ofsted concerns Autumn term 2021

November 1, 2021

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Schools North East has held regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. Feedback from these roundtables has highlighted increasing concerns about Ofsted, as it begins to inspect schools again. This briefing covers the key concerns schools have about Ofsted, following feedback from roundtables across the Autumn 2021.

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Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 19/10/21

October 19, 2021

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 19th October 2021, with MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Multi Academy Trust CEO Roundtable 14/09/21

September 14, 2021

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 16th September 2021, with MAT CEOs from across the North East covering both primary and secondary schools.

Stakeholder Briefing link

Special Schools and Alternative Provision Roundtable 14/09/21

September 14, 2021

Schools North East holds regular virtual roundtables with school leaders. This briefing covers the feedback from a roundtable on the 14th September 2021, with Head Teachers and MAT CEOs from special schools and alternative provision settings.

Stakeholder Briefing link