Headteachers... Could a VA Save Your Sanity?

Headteachers and school leaders are under immense pressure and their workload is huge (sometimes unmanageable) and with no sign of change any time soon. I wonder if using a VA could be one small step to protecting our country's school leaders.

Victoria Jenner

7/24/20263 min read

School leadership is a national crisis (waiting to happen or happening now depending upon your viewpoint). There is so much talk about accountability, pressure, capacity and, according to recent data, school leader retention is at an all-time low. Burnout isn’t a looming threat anymore; it’s the current reality and it will affect the sector and our children for years to come. Headteachers and deputies are leaving the profession they love because the weight of the role has become entirely unsustainable.

Whenever the conversation turns to workload relief, the immediate, completely understandable pushback from governors, trustees, and leaders themselves is always the same: there is no money. School funding is almost non-existent. We cannot justify spending public money on admin support when budgets are already far too tight. And so headteachers, deputies and leaders work ever-longer hours. They prepare documents, reports, training, communications and policies in their evenings, weekends and holidays. Directed time doesn’t apply to those on the leadership scale and the jobs just need done.

As a Deputy Headteacher transitioning out of the profession, I understand that pressure completely. Every single penny of public money must be protected and spent wisely to impact the children in our classrooms. It must be justified and the budget has to balance.

Now, as a business owner, I look at the current model that I have been living through and absolutely believe that all that time spent on admin and paperwork just is not the best use of a school leader’s time. It drains their energy, it pulls them away from being present for the children, families and staff, and it means far too many leaders are working hours that just are not sustainable. That’s without mentioning the impact it has on their own family lives and relationships.

The Real Cost

When a school leader spends five hours battling with formatting and proof-reading a 40-page policy package, or a weekend designing an INSET presentation from scratch, that isn't free labour. It is highly paid labour being diverted away from strategic leadership, staff development, and pupil outcomes. And, again, it is so often being done in their own time, taking away the rest and relaxation that is so vital to then be able to be on top form during the school week.

What happens when that leader hits a wall and decides that it is all just too much?

  • The cost of recruiting and onboarding a new senior leader can run into thousands of pounds.

  • The cost of interim leadership or supply cover drains budgets instantly.

  • The loss of institutional knowledge and stability destabilises the staff and the uncertainty unsettles children and families.

When we say we can't afford to protect our leaders' time, we ignore the massive, hidden financial liabilities of burnout and turnover.

Enter the Virtual Assistant: A Flexible Solution

In the 'real world', scaling businesses use Virtual Assistants and freelance consultants as a standard operational strategy because it keeps overheads lean and enables a flexible working model to suit ever-changing needs.

Maybe it is time for the education sector to adopt that same mindset. Bringing in a specialised, high-level VA (particularly one who already understands school compliance, safeguarding frameworks, attendance requirements and operational structures) could actually be a highly efficient and effective use of resources.

Here is why a freelance support model makes absolute financial sense for a cash-strapped school and exhausted school leader:

  • No Long-Term Overheads: Unlike a permanent staff member, a freelance assistant doesn't require pension contributions, National Insurance, sick pay, or a year-round salary. You pay strictly for the productive hours you need.

  • Targeted Intervention: You don't need to hire a full-time administrator. You can outsource specific, time-draining blocks, like summer policy updates or September INSET preparation, and then close the contract when the work is done.

  • Maximum use of Leadership time: By protecting a Headteacher or DHT from five hours of tedious formatting, we could free them up to do the job they are actually paid to do: lead, inspire, and drive school standards (especially at those task-heavy, intense times like the start and end of the academic year).

Protecting the Person Behind the Badge

Protecting public money shouldn't mean forcing school leaders to act as martyrs until they walk away from the profession. True financial and operational responsibility means structuring your operations so that your highest-paid assets (your leaders) are focused on high-impact work. And trustees have a duty of care to their school leaders.

Using flexible, targeted virtual assistance could well be a way to keep brilliant leaders in their schools, protect their mental health, and ensure that our education system is run by people who have the energy and clarity left to actually lead and look after their staff, children and families.

It’s time to stop wearing busyness like a badge of honour. It’s time to stop saying ‘that’s just what school leaders do’ and it’s time to start looking at ways of creating sustainable leadership.

I have created specialist Virtual Assistance packages for school leaders focused on policy preparation, INSET resources and leadership administration. As a DHT and DSL I know the weight that is on the shoulders of school leaders. I know how important it is to get the admin tasks perfect. I can help take the strain.