Back to School, Your School HR Priorities for the New Academic Year

The start of a new academic year is often viewed through the lens of pupils returning to the classroom, new timetables and fresh learning opportunities. However, for school and trust leaders, governors and HR professionals, September also presents a valuable opportunity to lay the foundations for a successful year from a people perspective.

The first few weeks of term are about far more than ensuring everyone has a contract and an ID badge. They are a chance to establish effective people practices, strengthen staff engagement, review compliance and think strategically about the workforce challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Schools and trusts that invest time in their HR strategy at the beginning of the year are often better placed to retain talented staff, manage employee relations proactively and respond confidently to changes in employment legislation. So, where should you focus your attention?

Getting the foundations right

The beginning of the academic year is the ideal time to ensure that the fundamentals of HR are firmly in place. While these tasks may seem routine, overlooking them can create unnecessary challenges later in the year.

New starters should have completed all pre-employment, and safer recruitment checks before beginning work, with contracts, payroll information and pension arrangements confirmed. Schools and trusts should also take the opportunity to review their Single Central Record alongside HR records, ensuring information is accurate and up to date.

September is also an excellent time to confirm induction programmes for new employees, schedule probation reviews and ensure mandatory training is booked where required. Expectations around behaviour, safeguarding responsibilities, attendance and reporting procedures should be reinforced with all staff, not just those joining the organisation.

Alongside compliance, flexible working arrangements should also be reviewed along with emergency contact information and ensuring staff know where to access HR policies and wellbeing support. Investing time in these essentials early on helps reduce reactive HR issues later in the year, allowing leaders to focus on supporting teaching and learning rather than resolving preventable administrative issues.

Shifting the focus from recruitment to retention

Recruitment remains one of the biggest challenges facing schools. Teacher shortages continue across a number of subjects, competition for support staff remains high and replacing experienced colleagues is both costly and time-consuming. The latest Department for Education workforce statistics showed there were around 1,600 teacher vacancies in England in November 2025, and only 67.4% of teachers were still teaching five years after qualifying, highlighting the importance of long-term retention rather than short-term recruitment alone.

While attracting talented people remains important, many schools and trusts are increasingly asking a different question: how do we keep the great people we already have?

Retention should be at the heart of every school and trust’s people strategy. Staff are more likely to remain in organisations where they feel supported, valued and able to develop professionally. The start of the academic year provides the perfect opportunity to establish regular one-to-one meetings, revisit career development plans, and ensure staff have meaningful access to continuing professional development throughout the year.

Wellbeing also deserves sustained attention beyond the typical awareness days and initiatives. Reviewing workload expectations, promoting employee wellbeing resources and encouraging open conversations about mental health can help prevent issues escalating later in the year. Likewise, effective line management plays a significant role in employee engagement. Managers who communicate clearly, recognise good performance and address concerns early contribute significantly to positive workplace culture.

You should also make use of the information already available to you. Exit interviews, absence data and employee feedback often highlight recurring themes that can be addressed proactively before they develop into larger workforce challenges.

Think beyond HR, think people strategy

Successful HR isn't simply about responding to issues as they arise; it's about anticipating future needs and aligning workforce planning with the school or trust's long-term objectives.

The beginning of the academic year is an ideal time for leadership teams to step back and ask some strategic questions:

• Do we have succession plans for key leadership and specialist roles?
• Which positions are consistently difficult to recruit?
• Are we developing future leaders within our existing workforce?
• What are our absence trends telling us?
• Do our HR policies still reflect current best practice and organisational values?

Answering these questions allows schools and trusts to move from reactive problem-solving towards proactive workforce planning.

Data can be particularly valuable in shaping people strategy. Reviewing recruitment metrics, turnover rates, sickness absence patterns and staff survey results can help identify where targeted interventions may have the greatest impact. HR works most effectively when it prevents problems before they arise, rather than simply responding to them.

Keep one eye on what's coming

While September is about establishing strong foundations, you should also be looking ahead to the legislative changes expected over the coming academic year.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is expected to bring significant reforms, with many provisions being introduced in stages throughout 2026 and 2027. Although implementation dates vary, employers should begin preparing now rather than waiting until individual changes come into force. At Judicium Education we will work to keep you updated as and when these reforms are updated.

Schools and trusts should monitor developments relating to enhanced protection from harassment, reforms to dismissal processes, changes to flexible working and family leave rights, strengthened protections for employees, extended tribunal time limits and new requirements around record keeping and consultation. Reviewing policies periodically throughout the year, rather than undertaking a single annual review, will help schools remain compliant as reforms are introduced.

Alongside employment legislation, you should continue monitoring wider education policy developments that may affect workforce planning, recruitment and staffing structures. Keeping abreast of changes allows leaders to adapt with confidence rather than responding under pressure.

Working closely with Judicium Education as your trusted HR and employment law advisers can help schools and trusts interpret legislative changes, update policies appropriately and ensure managers understand their responsibilities as new requirements emerge.

A successful year starts with your people

A successful school year doesn't begin with the first lesson, it begins with a confident, engaged and well-supported workforce.

By using the first few weeks of term to strengthen HR foundations, prioritise staff retention and wellbeing, review long-term workforce planning and prepare for forthcoming legislative change, schools and trusts can spend less time reacting to people challenges and more time focusing on what matters most: providing the very best education for their pupils.

The strongest schools recognise that HR is not simply a compliance function; it is a strategic enabler of school improvement. Investing in your people from day one creates the conditions for a resilient, motivated workforce that can thrive throughout the academic year and beyond.

The start of the academic year is the ideal time to move from reactive HR to proactive people management. Whether it's reviewing policies, strengthening your people strategy or preparing for upcoming employment law changes, taking action now can help prevent challenges later. Working alongside experienced education HR specialists like Judicium Education can also provide reassurance that your school remains compliant while creating a positive working environment where staff can flourish.

How Judicium Can Help You

To explore the full range of support we offer, contact us at enquiries@judicium.com Additionally, you can find more information regarding our Employment Law and HR services  here.