What this priority is about

Our people – staff, leaders and governors – are central to everything we do. We want TEAM MAT to be an employer of choice in the South West, known for strong professional development, fair workload, and a positive culture. We also want effective, diverse governance at all levels, and a particular strength in staffing small rural schools and mixed-age settings.

What this means for staff and communities

You should see:

• High-quality induction, support and professional development for all staff.
• Clear pathways for leadership and career progression, including within and across schools.
• A strong focus on wellbeing and workload, with regular listening to staff feedback.
• Opportunities for staff to work in different contexts, including exchanges and secondments with partner schools.
• Local governing bodies and Trustees who are trained, visible and active in their roles.

How we will get there

We will:

• Provide role-specific professional development and leadership programmes, including cross-school placements.
• Offer coaching and mentoring across the Trust to support practice, confidence and retention.
• Adopt and monitor a Workload Charter to keep expectations manageable.
• Build a clear recruitment brand and recognition culture to attract and retain talent.
• Establish a structured teacher exchange and secondment programme with partner schools in Devon and beyond.
• Offer robust induction, training and ongoing development for governors and Trustees.
• Develop targeted recruitment and retention approaches for rural and small schools, including flexible roles and shared posts.

How we will know it is working

Over time, we expect to see:

• Staff recruitment and retention outcomes that are consistently stronger than national benchmarks.
• Increasing numbers of staff accessing development and leadership pathways.
• Improved staff survey results on wellbeing, workload and professional growth.
• More leadership roles filled through internal progression.
• Governance roles across the Trust filled, trained and actively contributing.