Explained: Impact of RISE teams to be published this year
Impact of RISE teams to be published this year is examined in this 2026 education briefing, which sets out the central development, the practical context for schools and the questions leaders may need to consider.
What happened?
Ministers are set to publish data on the effectiveness of new RISE school improvement teams in the spring – but they won’t out individual advisers for poor performance. Sixty-five experienced turnaround school leaders were appointed as advisers on the Labour programme, which launched last year.
Key details from the report
- They are appointed to struggling schools in their region to identify priorities and propose an outside organisation to deliver support.
- Regional directors within the Department for Education then make final decisions, with up to £100,000 funding available for each school.
- No information on the scheme’s impact has so far been published.
- But in response to a question from former education secretary Damian Hinds, Georgia Gould, the schools minister, said: “The department expects to start publishing that data with appropriate comparisons over time during 2026.
Why this matters for schools
The issue is relevant to school leaders because policy announcements, funding decisions and regulatory changes rarely operate in isolation. Their effects can reach staffing, budgets, curriculum planning, pupil support and communication with families. Leaders should distinguish confirmed requirements from proposals, check the implementation timetable and identify which decisions need action now.
For classroom and SEND teams, the practical question is how the development affects access, inclusion and day-to-day provision. Schools may wish to review existing plans, clarify responsibilities and make sure staff receive information in a form they can use. Where national details remain incomplete, recording assumptions and revisiting them as guidance changes can reduce avoidable confusion.
Questions for leaders and governing boards
- What has been formally confirmed, and what remains under consultation or development?
- Which pupils, staff or services are most likely to be affected?
- Are there financial, workforce, safeguarding or SEND implications that require early planning?
- What evidence or updated guidance should be monitored next?
- How will the school communicate any resulting change clearly to staff and families?
