Beyond resilience: reflections on the Confederation of Schools Trust 2026 report

Drawing on the views of almost 400 trust leaders across England, the latest report of survey findings from the Confederation of Schools Trusts provides a clear view of the challenges and priorities they face every day. What is particularly striking is that quality of education, inclusion and pupil outcomes are now the top priorities over financial sustainability, which has previously dominated.

It's clear in my early conversations with trust leads that they know what they want and need to do, but their greatest challenge is whether they have the capacity to do it. They are juggling financial pressures, rising workforce costs, SEND demand and the day-to-day realities of running a complex organisation, recognising that none of these challenges exists in isolation. This raises a fundamental question: do trusts have the leadership capacity and organisational capability in place for what they need to do?

As trusts grow, leadership undoubtedly becomes more complex with Executive teams now expected to balance school improvements, educational outcomes, finance, governance,  accountability and operations, which leads to questions about whether structures, responsibilities and ways of working remain ‘fit for purpose’.

We know that growth is not simply about adding more schools, but ensuring the organisation evolves alongside that growth or feels confident to consolidate and strengthen what they are already doing really well. Within this, clear decision-making, effective central services and sustainable leadership capacity become increasingly important.

For me, through an organisational development lens, the key takeaway is that 2027 may be the year trusts focus as much on organisational effectiveness as educational effectiveness. Leaders therefore may be asking: 

• Do we have the capacity to deliver our strategy?

• Is our leadership model sustainable?

• Are we structured for the trust we want to become?

The trusts that thrive over the coming years are unlikely to be those that simply ‘work harder’. They will be those that take time to strengthen their leadership capacity, review how their organisation operates and ensure their structure is capable of delivering their ambitions.

Ultimately, sustainable improvement is not just about having the right strategy.

It's about having an organisation that can deliver it.

You can read the Report findings in full here: CST National School Trust Report | Confederation of School Trusts