Our latest Leadership Focus feature, School closures on the rise, explores an issue affecting many schools across the country: falling pupil numbers and the difficult decisions that follow.

The piece shares the experience of school leader Amardeep Panesar, who led a North London primary school through closure. She describes the emotional and operational challenges, supporting staff through job changes, helping families find new schools for their children and navigating the sudden end of a school community.

Even amid these pressures, the article shows that thoughtful leadership and support make a difference. Amardeep reflects with pride on how her team ensured every child was placed in the right school, and she personally supported staff through an incredibly stressful period.

Other topics covered:

• The emotional and professional toll on staff and school leaders
• How NAHT supports members through advice, advocacy and local branch networks
• Opportunities for government policy to take a more flexible, community-focused approach
• A view from Wales and Northern Ireland, showing how local contexts and government approaches affect school sustainability across the UK.

Your voice matters

Tell us about your experiences. Your insights help our policy and campaign teams understand what’s happening on the ground, so we can push effectively for better support and fair processes.