This month, I am very excited to launch our 2025 IT in Education Salary Survey!

Click here to take our 2025 Salary Survey!

Having previously run this in 2020 and 2023, this will be our third salary survey for the sector, a very important benchmark on IT salaries as well as working arrangements and benefits within
educational settings.

The last few years have seen significant change, starting with the pandemic, when all schools were forced to rapidly adapt to online learning and new technologies, to now where we’re seeing roles advertised for Data Transformation Lead, roles including AI skills and new roles like Learning Technologist. 

Running IT in education could mean a role in a small primary school, a large secondary school or, a Multi-Academy Trust or Independent School Groups with numerous schools spanning several geographical sites. The role of IT Director or IT Manager can be extremely wide ranging and incorporate a diverse skill set, not least being agile, learning new skills as technologies emerge, and being comfortable explaining sometimes complex technologies in a clear and succinct way to the various stakeholders. 

Schools simply couldn’t operate without IT!

Specialist Recruitment

As a specialist recruiter within IT, Data and Finance in Educational settings, we believe it is important for those working in the sector to have clarity on salaries and information on working patterns and trends to inform them when looking for their next IT role. One of the key deciding factors in any job is the salary.

Of course, there are many other important factors too but, having knowledge across the sector on where to pitch yourself and your unique skill set allows a candidate to go into an interview with a strong negotiating position.

Aside from informing individuals, our survey takes a look at the wider picture as we are able to send it to our extensive database of IT candidates built up over more than ten years. This gives us a strong picture of the sector and how individuals are feeling about their roles, the changes coming along, changes in working arrangements and so on.

As this is our third survey, we will also be in a position to draw out important trends from our reports relating to the last 5-years. We hope to be in a position to be able to see indicators of what is to come through the feedback we receive.

What does the ESP Salary Survey cover?

Our Salary Survey, as you would expect, has salary at its core.

In addition we cover questions on other important elements, such as – pension arrangements, working arrangements and hours, flexibility (remote, hybrid, etc), working patterns (term time only, or also in the holidays?), full time or part time, and so on. This and other vital information will come out of the survey to ensure we get a well rounded picture of IT in Education.

We will send our follow up report including trends and full analysis to everyone who takes our salary survey by the middle of March.

Our Sponsors MSP LAB

We would like to thank MSP LAB for being our Survey Sponsor this year. MSP LAB eliminates digital headaches and delivers exceptional IT to prestigious schools through their distinct and attentive counsel.

Founded by Adam and Dean, it is built upon their shared values and passion for the Independent School market. They are The IT Authority for Independent Schools.

Learn more about MSP LAB here.

Data Security

Reporting of responses will be entirely anonymous and we treat all data with the respect and security that you would expect. Our privacy policy is available here www.esp-recruit.co.uk/privacy-policy.

We will never disclose information provided to us in relation to an individual’s name or an institution’s name.

Take the Survey

To take our 2025 It in Education Salary Survey, please click here. We will send our follow up report including trends and full analysis to everyone who takes our salary survey by the beginning of March.

We do hope you find this useful and informative.

Have you had snow this week? I wasn’t expecting that so soon! ❄️☃️

Happy November, we are now on the run up to Christmas which I know is one of the most busy times of the year for schools.

As we approach the end of the year, please be in contact if you are thinking of moving jobs next year. We’re always on the look out for top talent within IT, Data and Finance in educational settings, be that independent schools, maintained schools, MATs and education suppliers.

Have you used AI tools to secure a new job yet?

Read on for some top tips on how can use AI to help you to research a company, generate potential interview questions and research the market.

I also look at early information for the BETT Show in January 2025 where myself and Steve will be on foot meeting with partners, job seekers and providers across the sector.

I also have a need for senior IT Directors and some live jobs to fill which are included too.

Happy reading!

William Townsend

Managing Director

ESP Recruitment wtownsend@esp-recruit.co.uk

Have you used AI to help you secure a new job yet?

We’ve all seen the massive growth in AI tools over the last couple of years and how their use is becoming more common. As a job seeker, you can now do a significant amount of company research on AI tools like Chat GPT or Copilot before your interview (other AI tools are also available!).

AI tools can help you to research the market, you can paste the web address of a company to which you are applying into AI and ask it what the likely interview questions might be.

Here’s an example for you to see using an imaginary role with us at ESP!

Prompt to type into ChatGPT:

I am applying for a new role at https://www.esp-recruit.co.uk as a junior recruitment executive working with school clients to place IT Directors, Data Managers and Finance leaders. What likely questions might I be asked in the interview?

AI Answer

Role-Specific Questions

• How would you approach sourcing candidates for specialised positions like IT Directors?
• Why do you want to specialise in education recruitment?
• How would you build relationships with candidates and ensure they trust you to guide their career decisions?
• How would you evaluate whether a candidate is a good fit for a specific school’s culture?

Education Sector Knowledge

• What do you understand about the current challenges faced by independent schools in hiring senior IT, data, or finance leaders?
• Why do you think there is increasing demand for IT and data leadership roles in education?
• How would you handle the nuanced needs of independent schools compared to state or MATs?
• Can you explain how you would keep up with trends in the education sector to better serve clients?

Recruitment Process Competencies

• What methods would you use to source high-quality candidates?
• Recruitment involves a lot of admin tasks. How do you ensure accuracy in managing job postings, CVs, and interview schedules?
• Recruitment often involves a sales element. How would you pitch your services to a potential school client?
• How would you balance the needs of both the candidate and the client during negotiations?

ESP-Specific Questions

• Why have you chosen ESP Recruitment over other firms?
• How does ESP’s focus on education align with your career goals?
• How would you represent ESP’s values and brand to both candidates and clients?

As you can see, it has generated a long list of relevant questions in seconds!

There were other categories of questions also generated which I have cut down for the purposes of this newsletter, but you can see that using these tools can quickly help you to focus on a role, prepare for your interview and feel confident when you turn up for your interview!

Whilst AI cannot replace all of your online research and personal knowledge of the sector, it can help to cut down the time you spend on research and will speed up your preparation.

For more information please visit:

ChatGPT

Copilot

Zapier | AI Job Search Tips Forbes | How to Use AI to Find a Job

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business | Using AI in Your Job Search

Will You Be Heading to the BETT Show in 2025?

Steve and I will be heading to the BETT Show on 22-24th January at ExCel, London and will be meeting with school leaders, potential candidates and other sector suppliers and partners.

If you would like to meet with one of us at the show, please email me on wtownsend@esp-recruit.co.uk.

BETT now charges for tickets but if you book now, you can take advantage of the Early Bird prices which costs £279 for a general attendee, reseller, distributor or investors. Educators, students and charities go for free.

There will be streams on AI, cybersecurity and digital strategy among others which are hot topics and areas we are leading in knowing that school IT must focus on these areas and deliver cutting edge IT strategies.

Education Support Professionals https://www.esp-recruit.co.uk

The BETT Show 2025 https://uk.bettshow.com

Latest Jobs

Here are our latest roles, please be in touch to apply.

– MIS Consultant

– IT Field engineer

– In the New Year, we will be looking for an IT Project Management Officer with superb organisational skills and IT experience, preferably within a school setting, for a school in South London.

– We also would like to hear from anyone with School IT Director level experience as we will be handling some new roles in this area in the New Year in Surrey and the Home Counties.

If you are thinking of moving to a new school in 2025, please be in touch now.

This is also a good time to finesse your CV, upgrade your LinkedIn and make sure you are ready to go when you see the ideal role.

Get in touch if you are interested in these excellent roles.

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk

Click here to search for your next IT, Data or Finance role!

Happy October, it’s almost half term, not sure how that happened so quickly!

This month, I’m delving into the critical importance of cyber security in schools after seeing a recent statistic that at least 60% of UK schools have been victim to some form of cyber attack.

Then I look at how timetabling is becoming more complex with the increase in different forms of working week within schools including flexi-working, job shares and a 9-day fortnight.  PLUS, we have three superb new jobs we are hiring for.

Warm regards

William Townsend

Managing Director

ESP Recruitment

Cyber Attacks on Schools

Cyber attacks on schools are increasing. The Government’s 2024 Cyber Securities Breaches Survey published in April, found that the number of attacks on secondary schools was almost on a par with those identified at medium and large corporations, at 71% and 70% and 74% respectively. These are attacks identified by the organisation and don’t include attacks that may have gone unnoticed. Phishing attacks and impersonation in emails are particularly common.

School staff involved in the survey interviews sighted a lack of budget as making investment in cyber security limited. This can result in a reactionary method of response rather than being able to plan and have a clear strategy to try and prevent attacks.

Information from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) shows that the number of cyber incidents reported in the education sector were up 55% between 2022 and 2023. Some schools have had to cancel lessons during cyber attacks as all systems have to be taken offline.

Impact for School IT Director Roles

In terms of the IT Director Role, up-to-date training and knowledge in cyber security is key. The area is becoming more and more a central part of the job. The UK Safer Internet Centre sights that more than 80% of secondary schools and 75% of primaries have now established cybersecurity policies to help deal with breaches and communicate knowledge on what to do in the event of one.

IT Directors are often now tasked with safeguarding data, implementing secure networks and ensuring compliance with regulations like GDPR. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued specific guidance for schools to help with knowledge and information. They emphasise the need for robust security measures and making it clear that cybersecurity needs to be a priority for IT leaders in schools.

Research sources and further reading

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) | Cyber Security for Schools

UK Safer Internet Centre June 2024 | New Cyber security data reveals the impact of attacks on schools

BBC News May 2024 | Pupils miss classes as school cyber attacks rise

Gov.uk April 2024  | Cyber Security breaches survey 2024

Timetabling and the Growth of Flexible Working

Bridget Phillipson, the new Education Secretary, is embarking on a drive to recruit 6,500 more teachers into our schools. One of the reasons sighted by teachers leaving the profession is the necessity to be on the school site daily and a lack of flexible working. It’s more difficult to roll out flexible working in schools but some schools are trialling or bringing in creative alternatives including job shares, part-time positions, using free periods for home based working and, the 9-day working fortnight being trialled by some of the UK’s largest MATs. The rise of flexible working patterns and increasing demands for them by younger staff presents key challenges for timetabling.

Timetabling Issues

1. Staff Availability: flexi working can lead to irregular staff availability. This can make it harder to ensure consistent teaching cover. It’s key to avoid gaps in the timetable, especially in core subjects like Maths and English.
2. Student Learning: flexibility can throw up issues in maintaining continuity for students if teachers are on staggered or part-time schedules.
3. Classrooms: schools may face increased demand for classrooms at peak times, creating bottlenecks in room availability.
4. Collaboration: finding common time slots for meetings or planning is more difficult with staggered work patterns. Key meetings may take place within ‘core hours’.
5. Compliance with regulations: schools need to balance staff workloads with contractual obligations which can be harder to track with people on different work patterns.

Timetabling Solutions

1. Customisable Scheduling: advanced timetabling software can accommodate flexible working patterns by automating the process of assigning classes based on staff availability.
2. Room Allocation: automatic room allocation can be scheduled based on staff on-site and student numbers.
3. Job-Sharing: flexible timetabling can facilitate job-sharing arrangements where part-time staff cover a single timetable.
4. Blocks: creating timetable blocks can create ‘core teaching hours’ where staff are required on-site, leaving flexible hours outside of these core sessions where staff can be at home.
5. Collaboration: within multi-academy trusts, timetabling can be used to make the best use of staff across the whole trust and many have centralised core operations such as finance, IT and marketing.

Advances in timetabling software can offer many solutions to support flexible working. Talk to us for more information on our Timetable Consultancy Service.

For more information

National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) | June 2019 | Part-time Teaching and Flexible Working in Secondary Schools

TES June 2024 | How smarter timetabling can increase teacher retention

Gov.uk April 2024 | Flexible Working in Schools

Latest Jobs

Here are our latest roles, please be in touch to apply.

Part time on site ICT Technician

Arbor MIS Consultant

Learning Technologist Apprenticeship at Eltham College.

Get in touch if you are interested in this excellent role.

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk

Greetings from ESP Recruitment! I hope you are all enjoying the start of the Autumn term, despite the recent heavy rainfall.

In this newsletter, I encourage any of you looking for interim positions to please pop your details onto our CV Drop-Off link (below) as we are always in need of more quality IT professionals who can step into short or longer-term roles.

I also look at some of the views around flexible working within schools and how this may become more common in helping to retain the best teaching and support staff.

Happy reading!

Warm regards

William Townsend

Managing Director

ESP Recruitment

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Upload Your Details for Top Interim Positions

We regularly handle interim positions for IT specialists to place within schools, both within the maintained and independent school sectors. There are often multiple roles coming in with short-term needs.

If you are looking for opportunities to boost your career experience, work on interesting short-term assignments or you need to fill a short-term gap, we are always in need of talented IT professionals.

To be in with a chance of being at the front of the queue, please enter a couple of details on our CV Drop Off link, uploading a full CV is optional, you can just add your name and an email address if you prefer.

I will then let you know of any interim roles that come our way!

CV Drop-Off Link

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Is Flexible Working in Schools Realistic?

Since the pandemic in 2020 it has become commonplace for employers to offer more flexible working arrangements and many employees are opting for hybrid or fully remote roles.

Can this new way of working translate to schools?

There are many proven benefits of flexible working including improved mental and physical health and a potential reduction in sick days for employers.

Being able to offer flexible working arrangements can also help to attract teaching and support staff from a wider pool of applicants as the improved work-life balance is very attractive for employees, especially those with additional responsibilities, such as parents, carers and individuals studying outside of work, plus other situations.

“Schools and multi-academy trusts are encouraged to adopt a flexible working policy which responds to the needs of the staff, and the employer, to address the challenges to flexible working in their school. Employers could consider embedding strategic, whole-school approaches to flexible working, with contribution from all parties”. Source: www.gov.co.uk

Flexible working can include part-time work, job shares, phased retirement or staggered or compressed hours. Many employers also now offer home or remote working.

According to a report by Education Support, “74% of senior leaders felt flexible working helped staff to manage their work-life balance.” (link below)

The concept of introducing a 4-day working week to schools has been suggested for reasons including operational cost reduction, higher teacher retention rates, and better school/home balance for students. It could be possible to manage this through slightly longer days on the remaining 4 days.

A petition to change the school week to four days a week garnered 42,137 signatures on the petition Parliament website in 2023. The response was that there are no plans to reduce the school week and that focus was instead on addressing teacher workloads.

In the US, 900 school districts already offer a four-day school week. Whilst this is a small percentage of the total number of school districts, it is a growing trend.

There are also many schools across Europe offering a 4-day week.

Whether this becomes commonplace in the UK remains to be seen but certainly, offering employees as much flexibility as is reasonably achievable could help your school to retain the best talent.

For more information, please visit:

Gov.co.uk | April 2024 | Flexible Working in Schools

Education Support | Flexible Working in Schools – Why We Need it and How To Do It

Education Week | Jan 2024 | Teachers React to 4-Day School Weeks

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Latest Jobs

IT Support Manager, Prestigious College

Have you spent time in the IT departments of large schools where the noise and demands are overwhelming?

My client, a bespoke university renowned as one of the most prestigious specialist colleges in the world, is looking for a Senior/Lead Technician who has ideally worked on a busy Service Desk.

Join the team and make a significant impact on the organisation’s IT landscape and service delivery.

This is a great position that includes leading and inspiring a talented team of IT professionals, driving efficiency, problem-solving, developing and growing team members and collaborating with stakeholders across the organisation to understand their needs and deliver tailored IT solutions.

If this sounds like your kind of role, please be in touch!

Full Job Information

Get in touch if you are interested in this excellent role.

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk

I hope you have all had an enjoyable and restful summer break. I managed a 2-week escape with my family which was fun, enjoyable and relaxing.

On our return, we were into our first experience of GCSE Results Day! I can relate to all the families in the same position with results and how this is a nerve-racking time for teenagers and parents. Well done to all students.

As we move into the Autumn term, schools will be looking to hire for any staffing gaps from January 2025 onwards, whilst this seems a long way off, most senior staff will be on a 3-month notice period so any notices will be received in September.

Next year marks 15 years since I set up Education Support Professionals and we have established ourselves as specialists in hiring for senior Data, IT and Finance positions within education.

Call or email me for a confidential chat if you’re looking to hire, or looking for your next exciting role. info@esp-recruit.co.uk.

Warm regards

William Townsend

Managing Director

ESP Recruitment

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Recruitment Experts for Education

Recently, we have filled three IT Director roles at prestigious institutions: Eltham College, St George’s Weybridge, and Berkhamsted. We’re now in the interview phase for a Head of Technology at The Aldenham Foundation.

As the IT landscape evolves, these roles are increasingly focused on digital transformation and strategic technology management, ensuring schools remain future-proof and have a strategy for the use of new technologies such as AI.

With pressures continuing to mount on the independent school sector with the addition of VAT to school fees from January 2025, we support schools with their staffing plans through our trusted and knowledgeable recruitment advice and consultancy.

More general economic pressures continue on individuals and families with further rises in energy bills and other core expenses. We spend the time to get to know candidates as individuals to ensure we find the perfect roles that suit their skill set and lifestyles whilst providing them with fantastic roles where they can continue to learn and stretch their knowledge.

The employment rate has recently been falling with 74.5% of 16-64 year olds currently in employment. The level of job vacancies also fell in the last quarter.

‘Employment levels gradually rose from 2011 to the start of the coronavirus pandemic. They fell following the UK-wide coronavirus lockdown in March 2020 and continued to fall throughout 2020, before recovering during the first half of 2021 and returning to pre-pandemic levels towards the end of 2022. The annual change in employment levels has been falling in recent quarters’. Source: UK Labour Market Statistics, Aug 2024.

Our expertise and experience mean we have a deep understanding of the roles of data, IT and finance within education, including maintained, independent and international schools and academies, colleges, universities and local authorities. If you need a key role filled for your school, or if you are a candidate looking for a role in this area, please be in touch.

Read more…

UK Labour Market Statistics, August 2024

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A little bit of history

Did you know that Education Support Professionals has been established for almost 15 years?  When you work with us, you partner with a specialist recruitment firm with extensive experience.

Since our founding, Education Support Professionals has become the UK’s leading specialist recruitment firm for senior IT, Data, and Finance roles within education and we are proud to be focused on this area and to keep at the forefront of changes.

The IT sector has moved on considerably and roles are now more focused on digital transformation and the strategic management of technology.

With a deep understanding of how the IT sector has evolved, we are experts in hiring for these types of forward-thinking technology roles.

Our uniquely focused experience assists in defining role duties and pinpointing exceptional candidates to take forward to interview. Because we are a small team, each with extensive education sector experience, we treat each client as a unique partnership. Being a small team allows us to offer a high level of personal service.

If your school needs top talent in senior IT, Digital, Data, or Finance roles, partner with us.

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Latest Jobs

Our latest jobs can be seen below. Please send in your CV to us if you are interested. We always have new opportunities coming along so if you don’t see your ideal role but are thinking of moving jobs this Autumn, please be in touch.

Head of Technology for The Aldenham Foundation (in interview)

MIS Consultant (Arbor MIS Use) for ONTO

Primary School Finance Officer

IT Field Engineer

Get in touch if you are interested in any of these roles…

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk

Welcome to our July newsletter. 

Is your school fully staffed for September? 

• Schools – we specialise in IT Director, Data Manager and Finance leadership roles. Let me know if you need these core roles filled for the Autumn Term. 
• Candidates – if you have these skills, be sure to brush up on your CV, put any new skills or courses on there, and send it through to me.

August will be here soon bringing with it the dreaded results days! Of course, these are all about the students and their achievements but behind it sits vast data and IT work to make it happen. I look at how these core roles can ensure your day runs smoothly. 

Plus, our live jobs this month include all three of our core areas – IT, Finance and Data Management, check out the end of the newsletter for our latest roles!

Email me with any thoughts at info@esp-recruit.co.uk.

Warm regards

William Townsend

Managing Director

ESP Recruitment

Ready for Autumn Term?

Even though it’s the beginning of the school summer break, now is a good time to think about your school’s key support roles, check your requirements and ensure you have all your staffing needs covered for the Autumn Term. 

We’ve seen many schools hire key IT and Data Management roles and level them up to have a core strategic focus helping the school to run more cost-efficiently, bringing in IT strategy and supporting the smooth operations of the school.

Similarly, finance roles can underpin the whole operation of a school with cost management measures. Now that the Labour Government is in power, financial management within the independent sector will be key as the fees, bursaries and scholarship plans are carefully managed to maintain pupil numbers without passing on too much of a financial burden to parents. 

At ESP, we focus on IT, Data and Finance management roles. We understand these roles and the importance they play in ensuring the successful running of a school. If you need staff for these roles in the Autumn term, please be in touch with your requirements. 

Email William at info@esp-recruit.co.uk for more information. 

We’re Hiring

Here are the latest roles we are recruiting for, currently we have some great jobs covering all three of our core areas of finance, IT and data. Have a look at the Job Descriptions using the links below.

Finance Officer at a primary school federation | London-Based

IT Field Engineer | West London Based

Data Manager

Get in touch if you are interested in any of these roles…

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk

Welcome to our June newsletter.

Finally, today there is some sunshine!🌞

As the election draws near, I think about how the main parties will approach education. This is surely a key area of focus for all parties. Below is a summary of key election promises regarding education.  

Leading on from this, I look at AI in schools and how this is now woven into Ofsted inspections. As a recruiter for IT, data and finance positions, I look at how these developments will impact school support roles.

Lastly, we have links to our live jobs. We have been recruiting for a new IT Director for Berkhamstead School, among other enticing roles!

As ever, please leave me any feedback at info@esp-recruit.co.uk.

Warm regards
William Townsend
Managing Director
ESP Recruitment

Are you One Step Ahead of AI in Schools? 

In April this year, Ofsted published its approach to AI in schools. Many schools and colleges are already using AI within education and this presents opportunities and also risk. Whilst Ofsted will not directly inspect the quality of the AI tools used, they will look at how the AI tools impact inspection outcomes. If using AI improves educational outcomes for children, then it will be supported. 

Across schools, AI has other benefits such as reducing workload and creating more innovative ways of working. As an IT, data or finance leader in a school, it will become more important to have a firm grasp of the range of AI tools available and how these may be used for good in schools, what the cost is (if any) and how this is balanced against the benefits. 

Certainly, AI will become key in streamlining school operations, data and admin so if you are an IT, data or finance professional in a school, this is an area to stay informed about. It will impact the roles more and more as AI becomes embedded across schools over the coming years. 

How AI is already being used in schools

Here are some examples of how AI is already being used in schools, many of the larger MATs are taking a leading role in looking into this and rolling out sensitive use of AI tools to support teaching and learning. 

• personalised learning
• automated grading
• content creation
• graphics and design
• automation of tasks
• practise questions and real-time feedback
• language translation

For more information

• GOV.UK, Dec 2023 | AI in Schools, Everything You Need to Know
• Schools Week, Jan 2024 | AI: How Are Schools Using the Technology in Classrooms?
• Arbor, Oct 2023 | Three Ways Schools Are Using AI to Transform the Way They Work
• School Management Plus, March 2024 | 5 Great ways to use AI in the Primary Classroom

Latest Jobs!

Here are the latest roles we are recruiting for. I am delighted to say we have been handling some exciting positions at prestigious schools. If you are interested in any of these, please drop me a line! 

• Director of IT at Berkhamsted Schools Group
• IT Technician
• MIS Consultant – The ONTO Group
• Data Manager

Please contact us if you are interested in any of the roles above.

+44 (0)20 8559 2077

info@esp-recruit.co.uk