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The End Of An Era: 5 Critical Changes Since The Teaching Schools Alliance Was Replaced

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The landscape of teacher professional development in the UK has undergone a seismic shift, rendering the term "Teaching Schools Alliance" (TSA) largely a historical footnote in 2025. For years, these alliances were the backbone of school-led improvement, but a major government overhaul has replaced a vast network of over 800 teaching schools with a streamlined, centralised system. This monumental change, which culminated in 2021, has fundamentally redefined how teachers are trained, supported, and developed across the country, focusing on a more consistent and quality-assured approach.

The transition from the old Teaching Schools Alliance model to the new structure of Teaching School Hubs (TSHs) is the most critical update for anyone in the education sector today, as of December 2025. The new system is designed to provide a single, dedicated point of contact for schools in every region, ensuring high-quality professional development for educators at every stage of their career journey, from trainee to executive leader.

The Great Overhaul: From 800 Alliances to 87 Hubs

The Teaching Schools Alliance (TSA) model was established to leverage the expertise of outstanding schools, allowing them to lead the way in teacher training, professional development, and school-to-school support. While noble in its intent, the sheer number of alliances—over 800 at its peak—led to a fragmented system with inconsistent quality and coverage across different geographical areas.

The Department for Education (DfE) recognised the need for a more strategic and equitable distribution of resources. Consequently, in 2021, the entire system was overhauled and replaced by the Teaching School Hubs (TSHs).

A New Era of Centralised Excellence

The TSH model dramatically reduced the number of organisations responsible for teacher development. The DfE designated just 87 schools as official Teaching School Hubs, each serving a specific, clearly defined local area.

This smaller, more focused network of hubs, often led by successful Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) or outstanding single schools, was given a mandate to act as a single, unambiguous point of contact. Their primary focus is on the "Golden Thread" of teacher development, a term used to describe the continuous pathway of professional learning for educators.

The shift was not just numerical; it was philosophical. The new hubs were given a much clearer, more focused remit, moving away from the broad and often resource-intensive school improvement work that the old TSAs were expected to undertake.

5 Critical Changes Redefining Teacher Professional Development

The move from the decentralised Teaching Schools Alliance to the centralised Teaching School Hub model has brought about five major, career-defining changes for teachers and school leaders in 2025.

1. The Focus on the 'Golden Thread' of Teacher Development

The TSHs are tasked with delivering the three core elements of the DfE’s "Golden Thread" of professional development, ensuring consistency and high quality from a teacher's first day of training right through to senior leadership. These three pillars are:

  • Initial Teacher Training (ITT): TSHs play a crucial role in the recruitment and delivery of ITT, often working in partnership with universities and SCITTs (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training) to bring new talent into the profession.
  • The Early Career Framework (ECF): This is perhaps the most significant change. TSHs are central to the delivery of the two-year, funded ECF program, which provides structured support and training for all new teachers.
  • National Professional Qualifications (NPQs): TSHs facilitate access to and delivery of the reformed suite of NPQs, which are essential for aspiring and current school leaders, including NPQ for Headship (NPQH), NPQ for Senior Leadership (NPQSL), and specialist NPQs like NPQ for Leading Behaviour and Culture (NPQLBC).

2. The Elimination of School Improvement as a Core Function

One of the most defining differences between the old Teaching Schools Alliance and the new Hubs is the removal of a direct mandate for school improvement. The old TSAs were expected to lead school-to-school support, often through brokering Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) and National Leaders of Education (NLEs).

The new TSHs are now explicitly focused on professional development (CPD). School improvement is now largely the remit of other DfE-backed initiatives, such as School-to-School Support and Trust Capacity Fund projects, which are separate from the TSH core functions. This specialisation allows the hubs to dedicate all their resources and expertise to the quality of training, rather than being spread thin across multiple, complex areas.

3. Defined Geographical Coverage and Accountability

The 87 Teaching School Hubs each have a clearly defined, non-overlapping geographical area. This means every school in England now knows exactly which hub is responsible for providing their key professional development services.

This structure ensures a more equitable distribution of high-quality training, preventing the 'postcode lottery' that sometimes plagued the old, fragmented alliance system. The hubs are held to account by the DfE to ensure they meet the needs of all schools within their designated area, whether they are a single-academy trust, a local authority school, or a large MAT.

4. Increased Emphasis on Research and Evidence-Based Practice

The modern TSH model places a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice. The delivery of the ECF and NPQs is heavily rooted in educational research, ensuring that teachers are learning and implementing the most effective pedagogical strategies. TSHs often work closely with Curriculum Hubs (such as Maths Hubs and English Hubs) and Behaviour Hubs to integrate specialist knowledge and research into their professional development offerings.

This commitment to research ensures that the professional learning provided is not just anecdotal but is built on a solid foundation of what works in the classroom, leading to better teacher efficacy and, ultimately, improved student outcomes.

5. A Streamlined System for Teacher Recruitment and Retention

In 2025, the hubs are playing a vital role in addressing the ongoing challenge of teacher recruitment and retention. By serving as a single, high-profile point of contact, they simplify the process for graduates looking to enter the profession through ITT. Furthermore, by providing high-quality, continuous professional development (CPD) through the ECF and NPQs, they contribute significantly to teacher job satisfaction and career progression, which are crucial factors in retaining experienced educators.

The success of the TSH model is measured not just in the number of teachers trained, but in the long-term impact on the teaching workforce. The system is designed to create a pipeline of highly skilled, well-supported educators who are equipped to lead schools into the future.

The Future of School-Led Development in 2025

The transition from the Teaching Schools Alliance to the Teaching School Hub has been a comprehensive and decisive reform. While the name "Alliance" may still exist in some legacy groups (like the Bury Schools Alliance, which has rebranded but maintains its collaborative spirit), the official, government-backed system is now entirely hub-centric.

For school leaders, the key takeaway in 2025 is to understand their local hub's offer. The TSH is the gateway to all DfE-funded professional development. By engaging with their designated Teaching School Hub, schools can ensure their staff benefit from the latest, highest-quality training, securing the "Golden Thread" of development for every teacher in their school, from Early Career Teachers (ECTs) to Executive Leaders. This focused approach is set to solidify the quality of teaching across the UK for years to come.

The End of an Era: 5 Critical Changes Since the Teaching Schools Alliance Was Replaced
teaching schools alliance
teaching schools alliance

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