Category: Reports and Thought Leadership

By Heather Styche-Patel, CEO

At the 2026 AGBIS Annual Conference, I had the opportunity to respond to the launch of their report The Changing Role of the Chair. The report offers a clear and timely articulation of how the role is evolving, highlighting the increasing strategic responsibility of Chairs, the centrality of financial sustainability and the growing complexity of the position. These findings closely align with what we are seeing in our work at RSAcademics.

We have supported schools with the appointment of Chairs of Governors for over a decade. The role has evolved steadily over that time, with the pace of change particularly marked in the past five years. This article offers a reflection on the themes explored in the report, drawing on our analysis of candidate brochures and appointment documentation, alongside our experience of working with governing bodies.

From stewardship to strategic leadership

One of the most important contributions of the report is its clear positioning of the Chair as a strategic leader of change. That shift is borne out strongly in our analysis.

Five years ago, the Chair’s role was typically described in broad, narrative terms and it was framed around stewardship, tone and support. Chairs were expected to act as a critical friend to the Head, ensure a clear strategic vision and lead effective meetings. Over time, that framing has become more structured and more explicit.

Role descriptions are now commonly organised under headings such as governance, strategy, risk management and leadership. Chairs are expected not only to contribute to strategic thinking but to ensure that the Board itself operates effectively, through performance review, governance development and clearer decision-making.

What we see now is a role that is more explicitly defined as strategic. The Chair is positioned as the linchpin of a high-functioning governing body, responsible for clarity, rigour and forward momentum. This reflects a wider professionalisation of governance. The Chair is no longer simply facilitating governance; they are shaping it.

Rising expectations: sustainability, safeguarding and inclusion

The report highlights the prominence of financial sustainability and structural change in board discussions. This is very evident in our work. Over the past five years, role descriptions increasingly reference affordability, demand, demographic change and long-term viability, alongside partnership, consolidation and growth.

This aligns closely with our work on Headship and Bursarship, where financial pressure and changing market conditions emerge as defining features of the current landscape. Financial sustainability is not confined to board-level discussion. It is shaping leadership across the organisation.

Alongside this, safeguarding remains constant, but expectations are more explicit. The emphasis has shifted from compliance alone to assurance, training and culture. Chairs are expected not only to oversee safeguarding but to ensure it is embedded in governance and in the life of the school.

A similar shift is evident in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion. What was once implicit is now clearly articulated, with Chairs expected to lead diverse Boards and foster inclusive cultures. Together, these developments show how the role is expanding not only in scope, but in clarity and accountability.

A more outward-facing and demanding role

One of the most significant developments is the increasing expectation that Chairs operate beyond the boundaries of the school. Role descriptions now more frequently reference political and economic awareness. Chairs are expected to understand the wider policy and regulatory environment. There is also a growing expectation that Chairs will act as advocates, representing the school externally and contributing to wider sector conversations. This marks a clear shift from a role that was previously more internally focused.

These changes are reflected in the evolution of the person specification. Expectations are broader and more specific, with schools seeking individuals who bring board-level experience, financial and risk expertise, political awareness, experience of chairing complexity, emotional intelligence and the ability to operate externally. This represents a step change in both the breadth and visibility of the role.

A role reimagined and a system in transition

Taken together, these developments point to a role that has been reshaped. Today’s Chairs are expected to be strategic partners to the Head, to ensure the effectiveness of governance and to act as visible leaders within and beyond the school.

From our research into the changing roles of Heads and Bursars, we observe that this evolution is not happening in isolation. Across Chairs, Heads and Bursars, we see the same underlying patterns: greater complexity, increased strategic responsibility and a stronger reliance on alignment between roles.

This raises an important question. If expectations of leadership are evolving this quickly, are the structures, support and models of governance evolving at the same pace? Increasingly, effectiveness depends not on the strength of any one role, but on how well those roles operate together.

Looking ahead

The AGBIS report provides a valuable framework for understanding the changing role of the Chair. Our experience suggests that this change is already well underway in practice, in how schools are defining the role, recruiting for it and supporting those who take it on. This, combined with our findings in relation to Heads and Bursars, points to the importance of clarity, alignment and intentional design in how governance leadership structures evolve to meet the demands of the current environment.

If you are considering the appointment of a Chair or reviewing governance and leadership structures, we would be pleased to start the conversation.

Start the conversation

What our research shows about feedback and where schools can focus their efforts 

Drawing on our proprietary research across the independent sector, including large-scale surveys and interviews with thousands of parents, one issue stands out with unusual consistency: how parents experience feedback on their child’s progress. 

In around 80% of our parent surveys, it emerges as a top priority for improvement. 

This is not confined to one phase. It spans the age range, though it is often expressed most strongly by parents of younger pupils. Nor is it a marginal concern. For many families, feedback is the primary lens through which they judge both the quality of education and the strength of their relationship with the school. 

At its core, this is not simply a question of communication frequency. It is a question of confidence. 

Parents are asking, in effect: Do we understand how our child is really doing, and can we trust that the school will tell us early if something needs attention? 

At the same time, school leaders will recognise the practical constraints. Teacher workload is already under pressure, systems are often complex, and fully bespoke, high-frequency reporting is neither realistic nor desirable. 

The issue, therefore, is not how to do more, but how to ensure that what is already in place carries greater clarity and confidence for parents. 

Across our research, the pattern is consistent: dissatisfaction rarely stems from a lack of information, but from a lack of clarity about what that information actually means for their child. 

What sits beneath parental expectations 

When analysed across datasets and schools, parental feedback on this topic is remarkably consistent. Rather than a long list of disconnected requests, the same underlying expectations recur across contexts. 

1. Regular, timely communication 

Parents are not seeking constant updates. However, reliance on a small number of formal reporting points creates risk, because when communication is episodic, issues can feel sudden rather than managed. 

What parents respond to most positively is a sense of continuity: that progress is being monitored and that any concerns will be surfaced in a timely way. This is especially true for parents of younger children. Typical comments include:  

“It would be really helpful to keep parents updated on a more regular basis… rather than having surprises in reports or parents’ evening.”  

“The short slots at parent’s evenings don’t allow for much discussion. Could the school look at ways to improve communication between teachers and parents throughout the year?” 

The underlying expectation is not constant communication, but the reassurance that nothing important will come as a surprise. The goal is to ensure that no parent reaches the end of term feeling they had no visibility of a concern. In practice, this is a shift from a series of planned events to a more continuous sense of dialogue, whether through dashboard reporting, interim updates or more accessible touchpoints. 

2. Evidence over general reassurance 

Parents consistently distinguish between tone and substance. Positive, supportive language is valued, but without clear evidence it can feel insufficient. 

Generic phrasing without data or context (“doing fine” or “no concerns”) is one of the most frequently cited frustrations. Parents are looking for feedback that is anchored in observable indicators of progress and provides enough context to interpret what those indicators mean. 

One typical comment illustrates this: “Very little granular detail about progress… the report simply listed exam scores without any context.” 

What builds confidence is not more commentary, but more meaningful detail. Parents are explicit about wanting honesty and clarity. They want to know whether their child is performing above, at or below expectations, and in which areas. In the words of one parent “instead of saying ‘he is bright’ or ‘no areas of concern’, give clear, detailed feedback.”  

3. Insight into the individual 

Confidence is closely linked to whether feedback feels genuinely personalised. Where comments appear formulaic or interchangeable, parents tend to question how well their child is known. 

Conversely, even brief but specific references to a child’s work, behaviour or development are highly valued. They signal professional attention and strengthen trust. 

This becomes particularly important in senior settings, where parents often look to a form tutor or equivalent to synthesise a “whole child” perspective. As one parent noted: “It would have been nice… to share how my daughter is doing beyond academics.” 

When feedback reflects the individual in a credible way, parents are far more likely to feel that the school truly understands their child. 

4. Direction, not just diagnosis 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, parents are looking for forward-looking clarity. Parents are not only interested in current performance; they want to understand trajectory. This comes up repeatedly in our research. 

They want to know what will happen next, what support will be put in place, and how they can play a role. A typical quote illustrates the point: “More communication with parents on how their child can improve… sharing key pointers on how your child can improve would help us support them at home.” 

Without this, feedback answers the question “how are they doing?” but not “what happens next?” 

Where confidence is most often undermined 

Across schools, similar patterns tend to weaken parental confidence. These are rarely the result of major structural issues, but of smaller, cumulative inconsistencies. 

• Delayed communication is one. Parents are generally pragmatic about challenges, but far less comfortable with discovering them late. 

• Ambiguity around responsibility is another. Even in well-organised schools, parents are not always clear who holds oversight of their child’s overall progress. 

• Consistency also matters. Variation in the quality of feedback between teachers is quickly noticed and can influence wider perceptions of the school. 

None of these issues are typically structural failures. They are more often the cumulative effect of small inconsistencies in timing, clarity and ownership. 

Differences by phase 

While the underlying expectations are consistent, it is helpful to recognise how their emphasis shifts across the school journey. 

In prep and junior years, feedback is closely tied to reassurance. Parents are looking for visibility: that their child is known, settled and developing. Brief, specific insights often carry more weight than longer, less frequent reports. 

In senior years, the focus moves towards clarity and trajectory. Parents want to understand how current performance connects to future pathways. The strongest senior phase feedback connects the dots between effort, outcomes, strengths, subject choices and the future. 

Regardless of phase, early visibility supports confidence more effectively than retrospective explanation. In other words, “We just want to know how they’re really doing.” 

Where schools can focus their efforts 

The practical question for schools is where to focus effort in a way that is both effective and sustainable. Our research suggests that improvements in this area rarely depend on significant new systems. More often, they come from refining existing practice. 

Common areas of focus include: 

• Introducing a mid-point check to reduce the likelihood of surprises, particularly for new joiners 

• Making more effective use of data already collected, so that progress is visible and interpretable 

• Supporting staff to provide feedback that is specific and evidence-informed, through shared expectations and examples of effective practice 

• Ensuring that each feedback point includes a clear next step 

• Clarifying who holds the “whole child” overview for parents. 

In our experience, these are not high-burden interventions. They are targeted adjustments that improve clarity, consistency and, ultimately, parental confidence. 

A final reflection 

The strength of feeling around feedback that we see in our research is not about volume of communication. It reflects parents’ need to feel confident that they understand how their child is progressing, that nothing important will be missed and how today’s progress connects to what comes next. 

When feedback achieves that, it becomes one of the strongest foundations of trust between families and schools. 

When it does not, parents tend to sense the gap early, even if it is not immediately visible to the school. 

If you would find it helpful to understand how feedback is experienced in your own school, we can design and deliver tailored parent research and place your findings in the context of our wider sector benchmarks, helping you identify where small changes could make the greatest difference. 

Contact us at info@rsacademics.com or share your details here. 

By Heather Styche-Patel, CEO

That line from Hamilton the musical plays in my head often. It’s restless and determined, full of urgency and belief in what words can do. Words can persuade, inspire, unsettle or clarify. They can bring order to complexity and light to confusion. For me, that captures something essential about thought leadership. It’s not decoration or performance. It’s an act of service, a way of helping others make sense of a fast-changing world. 

When I joined RSAcademics in 2014, my first project was Ten Trends, our seminal piece of thought leadership. It was painstaking work involving interviews, data analysis and months of writing. What struck me most wasn’t the scale of the research but the appetite across the independent schools sector for clarity and context. School leaders wanted evidence, not opinion. They wanted something to hold onto when the ground beneath them was shifting. 

That was when I realised how powerful good thought leadership can be. Done well, it serves a sector rather than sells to it. It invites reflection, not reaction. It asks questions that others haven’t yet found the words for. 

The phrase “thought leadership” is used often but not always well. For us, it isn’t about declaring a view or amplifying a brand. It’s about thinking and leading, in that order. It’s about doing the research, testing assumptions and sharing insight that others can build on. In our work at RSAcademics, it’s also about responsibility. We serve schools around the world in a sector that is dynamic, complex and, at times, under pressure. In that context, research and writing are not optional extras. They are essential tools for clarity and confidence. 

In Hamilton, Alexander writes because he must. He writes to shape ideas, to build understanding, to leave a mark. There is something in that urgency that resonates. We too write because time matters. The challenges facing schools today require careful, timely reflection. Words, when grounded in evidence and empathy, can steady thinking and strengthen decision-making. 

Independent schools are navigating extraordinary times. Questions of access, affordability, leadership and identity are pressing. Yet there is also courage, collaboration and creativity everywhere we look. The role of thought leadership is to hold those truths together, to acknowledge the pressures while pointing to the possibilities. It helps leaders see beyond the immediate horizon and gives them tools to plan with perspective. 

Writing well about education isn’t just about presenting statistics. It’s about understanding how those numbers play out in the life of a school: how policy changes affect pupils, how demographics influence strategy, how financial trends shape parental choices. The craft lies in connecting data with humanity, evidence with empathy. That balance sits at the heart of how we write at RSAcademics. 

We aim to be warm and rigorous, approachable and precise. We listen first. We translate complexity into clarity. And we never forget that behind every data point are people who care deeply about what education makes possible. 

Over the years, I’ve seen our research spark new conversations in governing bodies, encourage schools to think differently about strategy and give confidence to leaders making tough choices. That’s the quiet power of thought leadership. It doesn’t shout. It shapes. It helps people see their context differently. It connects colleagues across borders. It gives voice to emerging issues before they become crises. Above all, it reminds us why education matters. 

As we look ahead, our commitment to research and insight remains constant. We’ll keep investing in projects large and small, from major international studies to short, sharp pieces of analysis. The questions will change, but the motivation won’t. We write because clarity helps leaders lead better. We write because education deserves thoughtful, evidence-led conversation. We write because in a noisy world, there is still a need for calm, credible insight. 

So, why do I write? Because, like Hamilton, I believe words can change what’s possible. Because good research, well told, can move a conversation from fear to foresight. And because when evidence and empathy meet on the page, they can help schools, and the people within them, make sense of the future.