One-in-three school leaders across the UK ready to quit: new report warns of sector-wide crisis

One-in-three school leaders across the UK ready to quit: new report warns of sector-wide crisis

New ParentPay Group survey highlights a worsening leadership crisis, with stress and excessive workloads to blame

LONDON, 10 November 2025—Thirty percent of school leaders are considering leaving their roles in the next year, according to a new national report from ParentPay Group. The vast majority cite burnout and unmanageable workloads as the reason for walking away, revealing a sector at risk of losing its most experienced and dedicated people.

The research, based on interviews with headteachers, deputy heads, MAT leaders and school business managers to establish what they believe makes a well-run school, uncovers a profession fighting on too many fronts. Four-in-five (79%) of those considering resignation point to workload or stress as the primary driver.

More than a third (38%) of school leaders say staff wellbeing and burnout is preventing their school from operating at its full potential.

“School leadership is under unprecedented pressure,” says Lewis Alcraft, CEO at ParentPay Group. “When one-in-three school leaders say they’re ready to quit, the warning signs can’t be ignored; it’s a wake-up call for the entire sector. If we lose these dedicated and experienced leaders, schools will feel it in every corridor, classroom and staff room.

“While we can’t measure the full fallout, we know what’s coming—more schools will struggle, more staff will be stretched, and more students will miss out on the structure and support they need to learn and thrive.”

Additional pressures include funding constraints, with 31% saying it’s a problem for their institution, lack of support from the Government (27%) and insufficient investment in technology (21%).

Breaking down the statistics per school type, two-in-five (40%) secondary heads and deputies said they are likely to resign, while 32% of MAT leaders and 19% of primary heads and deputies could give up their roles.

Ben Whitaker, Founder of EduFuturists, said: “As someone who works with schools across the UK, I see first-hand how leadership is being eroded not by a lack of passion, but by a system that demands the impossible. Innovation, strategy and authenticity are vital, yet they are continually squeezed out by the sheer weight of operational noise.

“When one-in-three leaders are ready to step away, it’s not just a statistic—it’s a warning flare. We need to redesign how schools work so leaders can spend their energy on people, not paperwork. That’s where smarter systems make a difference too—not by adding to the load, but by giving time back to those who hold schools together.”

ParentPay Group knows that leadership stress isn’t a sign of lacking dedication. While there’s no quick fix, redesigning working practices is essential to creating a sustainable and more productive environment. That’s why it’s working with schools to reduce cognitive load and operational friction, not by adding more tools, but by building smarter systems that work better together.

ParentPay Group is nearing the end of a multiyear programme of product innovation—not to add more tools, but to create connected systems that ease workload and give time back to leaders. It is helping schools streamline everyday actions, from how parents engage, to how staff manage registers, finances, and pastoral care. By connecting core systems across management information, payments, finance, catering and communications, ParentPay Group enables schools to work more cohesively and lead with confidence.

“No leader should have to choose between running their school or themselves into the ground,” Alcraft added. “Our role is to make time for learning by removing the operational noise that eats into every school day. We equip schools with the tools they need for effective operations, resulting in enhanced wellbeing.

“Ultimately, our mission is to be the operating system for well-run schools, where technology does the heavy lifting, freeing leaders and teachers to focus on what matters most—learning. By reducing admin and complexity, we give time back to those at the heart of education. Because when schools run smoothly, students thrive, parents stay connected, and teachers can teach.”