“There are highly effective headteachers throughout the country but recruitment can be more difficult in schools which are isolated from professional networks and which most need support, as this report suggests.
“This is one of the reasons why it is important to redouble our efforts to foster great collaboration between schools and to promote and extend existing networks. It is therefore unfortunate that the government recently scrapped grants aimed at helping schools join academy trusts and funding for trusts to take on struggling schools.
“The government’s plans for a new system of school support through the establishment of regional improvement for standards and excellence teams has the potential to promote effective collaboration. However, this is a work in progress, with some unanswered questions, and will need both clarity and capacity to be effective. It is vital to get this right.”