Who we are
Leadership services
From trust formation, growth and mergers to executive recruitment, pay and reward and organisational design, we provide strategic leadership and project management expertise to help school and trust leaders navigate change, strengthen organisational effectiveness and build a foundation for long-term growth.
Edwin People work with school and trust leaders who need specialist leadership support to support your ambitions for the future. Our support is tailored to your school or trust’s unique challenges and strategic goals, allowing you to make decisions with clear guidance and confidence.
Our team members have been supporting academy conversions and trust formations since the days of type 1 academies prior to the Academies Act 2010. Since the introduction of the Act, our team members have supported everything from large scale transformational change programmes across a whole Diocese, through to Trust formation and growth, including mergers, Free Schools, brokerage of schools and trust closures.
Testimonials
Edwin People and their partners deliver the highest outcomes for their clients. I have worked directly with key leaders of Edwin People over the last 8 years and have the utmost respect for their knowledge, skills and expertise and management of key projects associated with strategic leadership and human resources. Their leaders and team have expert knowledge that has supported our Trust throughout its development, as they ensure they have a deep understanding of our culture, vision and priorities to lead and manage key projects that have always fulfilled the specified brief with outstanding outcomes. I have been particularly impressed with their expert knowledge, attention to detail and particularly their professional engagement with clients. I highly recommend Edwin People to all potential clients who expect the highest results and outcomes for their organisations.
Simon White
CEO, Vision Academy Learning TrustExplore our leadership services
We provide expert leadership advice rooted in our educations sector knowledge that supports with:
Project management for trust growth including mergers
- End-to-end project management: Coordinating every stage of the merger, from early scoping to post-merger integration, ensuring timelines, governance requirements and statutory duties are met.
- Stakeholder engagement and communications: Helping you manage messaging for staff, parents and external stakeholders to build trust and maintain transparency
- HR due diligence: Conducting detailed reviews of staffing structures, policies, liabilities and risks to support informed decision-making and mitigation of any identified risk.
- TUPE: Providing end to end support with the TUPE process, including identifying and “measures”, managing the formal consultation process, and ensuring a seamless, well managed process.
- Single point of contact: Providing consistent communication and oversight so that senior leaders, trustees, the DfE, legal teams and all other stakeholders have clarity and confidence throughout the project.
- Governance and legal coordination: Supporting trustees through approvals, documentation and regulatory processes.
- Integration planning: Aligning systems, culture, policies and central functions to ensure a strong start as a unified trust.
Project management for Academy conversion
- End-to-end project management: Managing the full conversion process from initial scoping through to completion, ensuring compliance with DfE, legal and governance requirements.
- Stakeholder communication: Supporting clear, timely communication with staff, parents and governors to build confidence and maintain stability
- HR due diligence: Reviewing staffing, contracts, pensions to identify any potential liabilities to ensure a secure and informed transition.
- TUPE support: Managing the transfer of staff, including consultation, documentation and communication, ensuring a legally compliant and positive experience for employees.
- Single point of contact: Offering consistent guidance and co-ordination so that school leaders and governors feel supported at every stage.
- Policy and systems onboarding: Helping your school adopt trust-wide policies, processes and systems to ensure a smooth transition.
CEO and executive pay reviews
Setting executive pay requires a robust, transparent, and evidence-based approach that balances fairness, accountability, and value for money and is in. Our executive pay review service helps trust to establish remuneration arrangements that are aligned with their strategic objectives, governance requirements, and the realities of the education sector.
Through a structured review process, our team assesses current pay arrangements, benchmark roles against comparable organisations, and provide clear, defensible recommendations that comply with relevant regulations and sector guidance. From initial governance checks through to board-level reporting, we work closely with trusts to ensure executive pay decisions are appropriate, sustainable, and capable of withstanding scrutiny.
CEO and Headteacher performance management
Our expert HR team can offer advice and support on implementing an effective performance mamnagement approach.
Executive recruitment
Our executive recruitment approach is designed to provide full support and guidance throughout each stage of the recruitment process. We combine executive education recruitment with a specialist in-house team of educational HR experts, with the aim of helping you build a strong, sustainable executive team that makes a lasting impact.
Our recruitment model goes far beyond the traditional recruitment experience. We don’t just fill vacancies; we proactively headhunt, guide and support you at every stage, ensuring you secure a leader who will make a lasting impact.
Education recruitment expertise in-house: Recruitment processes led by experienced education HR specialists who understand the complexities of education, governance, and compliance.
Trusted, values-led partner: A recognised and trusted partner with a national network of education professionals, providing expert support and a tailored end-to-end service.
Proven executive recruitment success: With over 20 years of senior education recruitment expertise, we have a strong track record of delivering exceptional executive appointments across schools, trusts, and dioceses.
Competitive success-based fixed fee model: A transparent fixed fee, underpinned by our commitment to support you until the right leader is appointed. Our focus is on building lasting partnerships and delivering the right outcomes, not quick wins.