Insights from the SBS MAT Leaders Survey
The financial pressures facing schools and trusts are well documented, but how leaders are responding to them is just as important.
School Business Services’ fourth annual MAT Leaders Survey gives a clear picture of where leadership attention is focused in 2026, what’s changing, and how trusts are adapting their financial approach in response.
Across 82 senior leaders, including CEOs, CFOs, COOs and trustees, one theme came through consistently:
Financial pressure isn’t new. But the way trusts are responding is evolving.
School Budget Pressure Hasn't Eased, It's Matured
Funding remains the number one concern for MAT leaders, with more than two-thirds identifying it as their biggest future challenge.
But this isn’t just about funding levels. Trusts are dealing with:
- Rising staffing costs
- Increased reporting expectations
- SEND demand
- Administrative workload
- System complexity
- Variability across schools
At the same time, leaders are continuing to prioritise pupil outcomes, staff wellbeing and long-term sustainability.
This creates a delicate balancing act: make efficiencies now while protecting long-term quality and stability.
How Trusts are Actually Responding
The survey shows trusts are not reacting impulsively. They’re taking strategic, multi-layered approaches.
1. A twin-track approach to cost savings
Most trusts are balancing two levers:
- Staffing restructures (67%)
- Reviewing non-staff costs (66%)
Single academy trusts tend to focus on staffing changes for immediate savings.
MATs are more likely to take a longer-term view by:
- Centralising services
- Reviewing procurement
- Improving data visibility
- Reducing duplication
This reflects the complexity of operating across multiple schools.
2. Greater focus on centralisation and oversight
MAT leaders are increasingly looking at:
- Centralised reporting
- Clearer financial visibility
- Consistent processes
- Shared systems
Complexity itself is becoming a cost. Inflexible staffing models, high agency costs and fragmented data were identified as major barriers to efficiency, particularly for MATs managing multiple sites.
Many leaders said they are exploring:
- Better-connected systems
- Automation
- Improved forecasting
- Clearer trust-wide reporting
Not as “digital transformation” projects, but as practical ways to reduce workload and risk.
3. Financial management is dominating leadership time
Around two-thirds of trust leaders said financial management now takes up the biggest share of leadership capacity. Add reporting and compliance, and the pressure increases further. More than 70% said administrative workload has increased in the last year.
For smaller trusts in particular, this is being felt acutely.
But even larger trusts are looking for ways to reduce manual processes and improve clarity.
Internal Scrutiny and Assurance: Moving up the Agenda
As financial pressure increases, so does the need for assurance.
Trusts told us they are focusing more on governance oversight, risk management and independent reviews in line with the new Academy Trust Handbook framework.
Internal Scrutiny is increasingly seen not just as a compliance requirement, but as a tool for improvement and confidence.
This is particularly important as trusts grow and systems become more complex.
Download our Internal Scrutiny Guide here.
Planning Ahead, Not Just Reacting
One of the most encouraging findings from the survey is that trusts are not simply reacting to pressure, they are planning ahead.
Common actions include:
- reviewing financial planning approaches
- scenario modelling different funding outcomes
- improving cashflow forecasting
- strengthening long-term sustainability planning
- exploring centralised systems
Trust leaders told us they often begin exploring options 6–12 months before making decisions.
That means much of the work happening now is about sense-checking, planning and building confidence.
What This Means for 2026 and Beyond
The survey paints a realistic but optimistic picture. Pressures remain.
Funding challenges are unlikely to disappear soon. But trust leaders are responding with:
- Strategic thinking
- Careful planning
- Collaboration
- Investment in systems and oversight
Above all, they remain focused on ensuring every pound is used effectively to support pupils.
A Sector Built on Resilience
Despite ongoing pressures, one message comes through strongly:
Trust and school leaders remain deeply committed to their core mission.
They continue to adapt, collaborate and look for better ways of working, not just to manage budgets, but to ensure pupils receive the best possible education.
2026 will likely bring continued financial pressure. But it will also bring continued innovation, partnership and strategic thinking across the sector.
If you are looking for support at any of these stages and want to partner with SBS, please contact our experts to start the conversation.
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