Who are we?

Gateway Alliance have been inspiring and supporting schools for over 10 years as a leading provider of transformational CPD programmes and networks. Our friendly and approachable team are committed to ensuring that all we do meets the needs of schools. 100% of participants rate our professional learning opportunities as good or excellent.  

The combined experience of our team of experts from the education, training and recruitment sectors means that we are now in a position to offer a new nationwide service to schools.

Why choose Gateway Alliance Leadership Recruitment Service? 

The importance of recruiting high quality leaders with the right expertise, skills and values is the most critical factor in the success of any school.    

Our Leadership Recruitment Service is specific to the education Sector as we have a deep understanding of the specific skills, experience and qualities required for leadership roles.

• All of our team have had first hand experience working as a Headteacher
• In addition, we have access to an extensive network of over 100,000 senior leaders in schools across the UK

Therefore, engaging with us to recruit your next school leader offers several key advantages for your school to ensure that you make a well informed, confident decision.

Our highly experienced team will: 

• Support you to find and attract high quality school leaders who have the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience and are aligned with the culture of your organisation  
• Access a wider network of potential candidates which increases the likelihood of finding the best possible match 
• Streamline the recruitment process by developing an exceptionally well planned campaign that is based on an inspiring vision for your school and the role of the new leader in taking that forward  
• Manage key aspects of the recruitment process on your behalf, saving valuable time for your school 
• Provide expertise, guidance and advice throughout the process to both employers and potential candidates 
• Offer an objective perspective through specialist recruitment support, helping to reduce biases that might influence the selection process. Your consultant ensures that the process is transparent, fair, and consistent
• Provide insight into salary trends, competitive packages and other market factors to help schools create attractive offers and ensure they remain competitive in securing the best leaders
• Guide you through the entire recruitment process, from defining the role and conducting interviews to negotiating offers and supporting the candidate’s professional development following their transition into the position
• Be confidential when recruiting  a new leader, particularly if the search is triggered by sensitive circumstances. We can handle this discreetly. 

“Making a lasting impact on the education sector, one leader at a time”

However, recruiting school leaders can be challenging due to a number of factors, including: 

• The growing shortage of qualified and experienced teachers 
• Competition from other professions 
• Alignment with school vision 
• The right educational expertise to support the appointment decision
• The reduction in the number of new entrants to ITT was down 20% from 2021/22.

What does our service offer? 

The leadership recruitment process typically involves three main stages. Your designated consultant will manage the recruitment process from start to finish to ensure that the most capable and well matched leader is recruited for the role:

• Job analysis and role definition – the organisation defines the leadership position’s requirements. Ensure that both the organisational needs and employee capabilities are aligned effectively. It involves understanding the specific skills, experiences and leadership qualities needed. The JD is developed to align with the organisations goals, culture and strategic vision. This step also includes identifying key responsibilities, performance expectations and any specific qualifications or competencies  
• Sourcing and attracting candidates – active search to attract a diverse pool of candidates who meet the criteria established in the first step. Methods for sourcing candidates include: internal promotions, external job postings, networking, leveraging professional platforms (such as LinkedIn)
• Selection and evaluation – Identifying, assessing and selecting the most suitable candidates who have the right qualifications, skills and experience and fit well with the organisations culture and vision. This includes reviewing application forms, conducting interviews, reference checks.  

To chat to one of our team about we might be able to support your recruitment needs please click here

Useful links:

Links to new stories/blogs: 

https://www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/staff-management/headteacher-recruitment-crisis-applications

https://www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/staff-management/headteacher-training-and-development-it-fit-purpose-school-leadership

https://www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/staff-management/headteachers-leaving-schools-how-to-retain

Sustainable school leadership: comparing approaches to the training, supply and retention of senior school leaders across the UK, with Prof Pat Thomson (UoN) and Dr Tom Perry (Uni of Warwick). Funder: ESRC. 2022-2025. See: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/crelm/projects/school-leadership.aspx

https://www.spencerclarkegroup.co.uk/career-hub/blog/what-are-the-biggest-challenges-for-headteachers-in-2025/

Reflecting on an incredibly busy and rewarding week at Gateway with our programmes well underway for the new academic year!

➡️ Monday: We kicked off with the launch of our new Staff Meetings Programme, with the inspiring Hywel Roberts who got us all “bothered” about bringing the curriculum alive for our pupils.

➡️ Tuesday: Our School Business Managers’ Network gathered for the first time this year, led by our network lead Philippa Ollerhead with a focus on HR and reviewing our appraisal processes.

➡️ Wednesday: We welcomed back our Early Years Network, led by the brilliant Ruth Swailes with a focus on supporting children who need additional help in key areas, particularly Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED) and social skills.
We also hosted our first Senior Leaders’ think piece webinar of the year with the engaging Mandy Coalter focusing on ‘Motivating & Engaging the Workforce of Today.’

➡️ Thursday: Our professional learning advisory board of headteachers met to discuss exciting new programme plans for the year ahead.
Our SENCo Network also came together online, lead by our resident SEND guru and network lead Kate Browning, to delve into the challenging topic of ‘Emotionally Based School Avoidance.’

It’s been a busy but fantastic week for our new colleagues in the programmes team—huge well done to Joanne Corrigan and Dale Palmer for ensuring everything ran seamlessly! 😊🤩

#primaryCPD #ProfessionalDevelopment #EarlyYears #SENCo #SchoolBusinessManagers #CPD
#headteacherCPD

The Gateway Alliance Directors are excited to announce a new phase of operation for the company. 

Following an extensive period of review and consultation, the Directors have taken the decision to support the set-up of a new entity – Gateway Alliance (Education Services) Ltd – to take on the day-to-day operations of the school company. The new company will be led by Helen Martin, our former Executive Director, and will have a broader remit across a wider geographical area.

The decision has been taken following receipt of a range of professional advice and stakeholder views and Directors believe that it will provide a stronger and more sustainable business model in the longer term. Warwickshire Local Authority are also in full support of the plans.

Gateway will continue to be fully committed to improving the life chances of children by being at the forefront of professional learning for schools. Under this new operating model, we will be in the best position to not only continue to provide high-quality support to schools across Warwickshire but also many more across the region and beyond.

The decision has come about as a response to the changing landscape for schools both locally and nationally. Directors believe that the work of Gateway Alliance will be more sustainable in the longer term when operating through a more commercial business model which also more fully represents schools from a broader geographical area.

Our current, loyal customers should not see any significant change in day-to-day operations and will hopefully begin to see both service improvements and wider opportunities as a result of these changes.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@gatewayalliance.co.uk 

Statement issued September 2022 on behalf of the Gateway Alliance Directors:

Simon Pearson (Headteacher – Wembrook Primary School)

Christian Hilton (Executive Headteacher – Stour Federation)

Nicola Green (Headteacher – Whitestone Infant School)

Dan Powell (Headteacher – Claverdon Primary School)

Jo Herrero (Headteacher – Holy Trinity CE Primary School)

Will Shepherd – Independent Director

Helen Martin – Executive Director