Listening, learning and looking ahead: The annual school and trust governance survey 2026

Entering its 16^th year, join us to explore the impact of the annual survey and why your voice continues to make a difference.

Blog

04/06/2026

Every year, we ask you to take 15 minutes out of your day to tell us what is having the greatest impact on your schools and trusts. Once you click ‘submit’, it can sometimes feel as though the knowledge, experience and insight you have shared disappears into the background. In reality, the opposite is true. The reach and influence of the survey findings extend far beyond the questionnaire itself.

Across its history, the Annual School and Trust Governance Survey has gathered more than 60,000 responses from the governance community. Collectively, those responses have helped shape conversations across education, inform policy and strengthen NGA’s work throughout the year. In this blog, I want to show why those 15 minutes matter so much, not only in influencing the work we do today, but also in supporting the long-term strength, sustainability and flourishing of school and trust governance across England.

The origins of the annual survey

The Annual School and Trust Governance Survey (AGS) is the largest survey of its kind, providing a unique insight into the experiences, challenges and priorities of those governing schools and trusts across England.

Although 2026 marks NGA’s 20th anniversary year, the story of AGS began even earlier, 16 years ago in 2011. From 2011 to 2019, the survey was produced in partnership with Tes Magazine, establishing a long-running evidence base that tracked the changing realities of school governance over time.

When the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped education in 2020, the survey evolved alongside it. We reimagined AGS to preserve the historic trends identified through our work with Tes, while adapting to the rapidly changing environment schools and trusts were facing. That year saw record engagement, with more than 6,500 respondents sharing their experiences during one of the most challenging periods the sector had faced.

In the years that followed, the survey continued to evolve organically in response to the lasting impact of the pandemic and the changing pressures facing schools and trusts. In 2023, we began a positive partnership with survey specialists Edurio, helping us accelerate data analysis and produce AGS reports in time for our national conferences.

More recently, we have continued to develop the survey independently during a period of significant change across the education sector, shaped by shifting policy priorities, financial pressures, and changes in government.

This year, the survey pivots once again!

Putting the survey to work

Closing the survey on 30 June is only the beginning of the journey for AGS data. The experiences and perspectives you share continue to shape conversations, influence decision-making and inform priorities long after the questionnaire itself has closed.

Tracking long-term trends

One of the greatest strengths of AGS is the unique dataset it has built over time. The survey provides a detailed picture of the governance workforce, from board composition and diversity to governance practice, professional development, inclusion, priorities and emerging challenges. This long-term evidence base allows us to identify patterns and track changes across the sector over many years, strengthening our ability to advocate on behalf of governors, trustees and governance professionals, including highlighting persistent challenges such as recruitment and retention pressures.

Influencing policy and national conversations

With a new government shaping education policy, the role of AGS data has never been more important. Your responses help ensure governance perspectives are represented in national discussions and policy development. Over the past year alone, survey findings have informed government consultations across areas including SEND, safeguarding and social media, as well as several NGA policy papers. The evidence gathered through AGS also feeds directly into our ongoing engagement with the Department for Education and Improving Education Together (IET) subgroups, where we work alongside other representative organisations on issues including school funding, admissions and exclusions.

Shaping our own priorities

The survey does not only help shape government thinking; it also shapes our own. Having such a direct line to governors, trustees and governance professionals allows us to ensure our work reflects the realities facing the sector. Quite simply, you tell us what matters most, and we use those insights to guide our priorities, campaigns, resources and support throughout the year.

What’s changing this year?

As the challenges facing schools and trusts continue to evolve, so too does the survey itself. In 2026, we are building on everything AGS has become over the past 16 years, introducing new areas of focus designed to strengthen governance voices, deepen our understanding of the sector and ensure the experiences of those involved in governance are represented more clearly than ever before.

Hello governance professionals!

The role of the governance professional has evolved significantly over the past decade, with NGA playing a key role in supporting the profession. For the first time, the 2026 survey will capture the perspectives of governance professionals, providing valuable insight into their experiences and contributions.

These insights will strengthen our advocacy for everyone involved in governance, helping to amplify collective voice and ensure governance perspectives are fully represented. This is a vital step towards securing governance professionals a well-deserved place at the table, recognising their critical role in delivering effective governance and improving outcomes for children and young people.

Looking back to look ahead

AGS is unique in the way it enables us to track change over time, identifying the trends that are worsening, those that are improving, and those that are only just beginning to emerge. Each snapshot we capture contributes to a much bigger picture, helping us understand the long-term story of the school and trust sector.

This year, we are not only reflecting on the past few years; we are looking all the way back to where it began in 2011. By revisiting some of the same questions we first asked over a decade ago, we can map how school governance has evolved. In doing so, we can recognise the key factors that have shaped the sector, learn from the changes we have seen, and begin to consider what the future may demand, and what we may need to change in response.

Recognising the value of governance

Governance contributes more than £1 billion of value to education every year through nearly two million hours of voluntary expertise. It represents one of the largest voluntary contributions to any public service in England, with each governing board providing more than £45,000 annually in leadership, knowledge and support to the education system.

At the same time, our survey data has consistently shown that schools and trusts are under growing pressure to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that supports every pupil and prepares them for adult life, all against a backdrop of significant financial challenge.

The commitment governors and trustees continue to show in these circumstances plays a vital role in helping schools and trusts deliver the best possible education for every pupil. That’s why we hope the incentive of the chance to win a £500 book voucher for a school or trust serves as a small recognition of the time, expertise and dedication you contribute to that shared goal.

Bringing governance voices into the national conversation

For years, this survey has helped shape conversations across education, providing valuable insight into the realities of school and trust governance. This year, we want its impact to go further than ever before. That is why we are bringing together policymakers, sector leaders and decision-makers to hear the findings live and in person at our launch event in October.

This event is an opportunity to move beyond the data alone and start meaningful conversations about the future of the sector, the pressures schools and trusts are facing, and the changes needed to support the delivery of the best possible education for every pupil.

Your 15 minutes count!

Alongside our long-term trend questions, this year’s survey will explore some of the most significant issues currently shaping the education sector, including artificial intelligence, Ofsted and the government’s school’s white paper.

Every response contributes to greater understanding. The strength of AGS has always come from the willingness of those involved in governance sharing their experiences openly and honestly. We hope you will take the opportunity to have your say. Your 15 minutes really can help shape the future of school and trust governance

Megan Tate

Senior Policy and Research Officer

Megan’s role involves supporting NGA’s policy, research and information team. She is responsible for policy relating to the environment and sustainability.