With standards and improvement high on the national agenda, schools across England are being supported by the Department for Education’s new RISE (Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence) model. In this session recorded from the Schools and Academies Show London, John Edwards, Director General, Regions Group at the Department for Education, outlined how RISE teams are helping schools break down barriers to opportunity and deliver sustainable improvement.
This discussion highlighted key areas such as:
💡 Targeted interventions – bespoke support packages for “stuck” schools, combining local expertise with high quality external organisations over 12–24 months.
📊 Diagnosis and planning – rise advisors working with responsible bodies to assess capacity, identify challenges and co-construct clear improvement plans with milestones and metrics.
🏫 Universal service – ensuring every school can access the best practice and networks nationally and regionally, including hubs and local exemplars.
🎯 National and local priorities – tackling challenges like attendance, reception year quality, attainment in english and maths and mainstream inclusion while adapting to regional needs.
🤝 Collaboration and sector-led improvement – leveraging trusts, local authorities, dioceses and school partnerships to share expertise and build collective capacity..
The message was clear: RISE is most effective when the whole sector leans in, whether as a recipient of support, a provider of expertise or a participant in national networks.
🎧 Listen to the full session below to discover how RISE is shaping a sector-led approach to school improvement and how your school can engage 👇
