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The Role and Experience of Support Staff in Schools

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Title: The Role and Experience of Support Staff in Schools
Language: English
Authors: Laura Thomas, Yvette Boodhna, Stella Fleetwood, Luisa Gomes, Lydia Smith, Rob Webster, Alexander Carr, Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom), Ipsos
Source: UK Department for Education. 2026.
Availability: UK Department for Education. Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2GJ, UK. Tel: +44-37-0000-2288; Fax: +44-19-2873-8248; Web site: http://www.education.gov.uk
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 169
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Descriptors: School Personnel, Foreign Countries, Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools, Special Schools, Employee Attitudes, Staff Role, Administrator Attitudes
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
ISBN: 978-1-83870-763-7
Abstract: Support staff make up over half of the school workforce and play a crucial role in the education and well-being of children and young people, and the day-to-day running of schools across England. Yet, despite the size and diversity of this section of the workforce and the valuable contribution they make, relatively little is currently known about their specific characteristics, roles, and experiences. The research was designed to provide foundational evidence in light of the reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). There is presently no statutory, national pay body for school support staff. The SSSNB is being set up to address this, by providing a dedicated forum for negotiating pay, terms, and conditions for school support staff, and advising ministers on access to suitable training and career progression opportunities. The establishment of the SSSNB forms part of the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay and its Opportunity Mission. By recognising the essential contribution and professionalism of school support staff, the work of the SSSNB will help schools to recruit and retain the staff they need to drive high and rising standards, and ensure schools are more inclusive. This report presents results from a nationally representative survey, commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE), designed to provide much-needed insight into the demographics, employment arrangements, responsibilities, experiences and aspirations of support staff working in a wide range of roles in mainstream schools and specialist settings in England. This is also complemented by semi-structured qualitative interviews (conducted by DfE) with school leaders to provide the school leader perspective on support staff. As well as informing and underpinning the work of SSSNB, this research will be of interest to schools, trusts, Local Authorities, and other employers of support staff, researchers, and support staff themselves. This research fills key evidence gaps and provides an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and condition of the support staff workforce. The survey was carried out concurrently with, but independently of, a government consultation and call for evidence to inform the establishment of and transition to the SSSNB2. This report draws together quantitative data from a large, representative sample of 9,626 support staff across different roles, school phases, and school types, and qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with 32 school leaders. The findings provide a timely and much-needed update to the evidence base on the support staff workforce, and a robust basis for the SSSNB.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679962
Database: ERIC
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  Data: The Role and Experience of Support Staff in Schools
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Laura+Thomas%22">Laura Thomas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yvette+Boodhna%22">Yvette Boodhna</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stella+Fleetwood%22">Stella Fleetwood</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Luisa+Gomes%22">Luisa Gomes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lydia+Smith%22">Lydia Smith</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rob+Webster%22">Rob Webster</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alexander+Carr%22">Alexander Carr</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Department+for+Education+%28DfE%29+%28United+Kingdom%29%22">Department for Education (DfE) (United Kingdom)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ipsos%22">Ipsos</searchLink>
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  Data: UK Department for Education. Castle View House East Lane, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 2GJ, UK. Tel: +44-37-0000-2288; Fax: +44-19-2873-8248; Web site: http://www.education.gov.uk
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Personnel%22">School Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Schools%22">Elementary Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Schools%22">Secondary Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Special+Schools%22">Special Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+Attitudes%22">Employee Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Staff+Role%22">Staff Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
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  Data: 978-1-83870-763-7
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  Data: Support staff make up over half of the school workforce and play a crucial role in the education and well-being of children and young people, and the day-to-day running of schools across England. Yet, despite the size and diversity of this section of the workforce and the valuable contribution they make, relatively little is currently known about their specific characteristics, roles, and experiences. The research was designed to provide foundational evidence in light of the reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB). There is presently no statutory, national pay body for school support staff. The SSSNB is being set up to address this, by providing a dedicated forum for negotiating pay, terms, and conditions for school support staff, and advising ministers on access to suitable training and career progression opportunities. The establishment of the SSSNB forms part of the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay and its Opportunity Mission. By recognising the essential contribution and professionalism of school support staff, the work of the SSSNB will help schools to recruit and retain the staff they need to drive high and rising standards, and ensure schools are more inclusive. This report presents results from a nationally representative survey, commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE), designed to provide much-needed insight into the demographics, employment arrangements, responsibilities, experiences and aspirations of support staff working in a wide range of roles in mainstream schools and specialist settings in England. This is also complemented by semi-structured qualitative interviews (conducted by DfE) with school leaders to provide the school leader perspective on support staff. As well as informing and underpinning the work of SSSNB, this research will be of interest to schools, trusts, Local Authorities, and other employers of support staff, researchers, and support staff themselves. This research fills key evidence gaps and provides an up-to-date and comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and condition of the support staff workforce. The survey was carried out concurrently with, but independently of, a government consultation and call for evidence to inform the establishment of and transition to the SSSNB2. This report draws together quantitative data from a large, representative sample of 9,626 support staff across different roles, school phases, and school types, and qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with 32 school leaders. The findings provide a timely and much-needed update to the evidence base on the support staff workforce, and a robust basis for the SSSNB.
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      – SubjectFull: School Personnel
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Secondary Schools
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      – SubjectFull: Special Schools
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