Paid partnership: This article is produced as part of a paid partnership between Forum Strategy and Wesleyan Financial Services.
Brenda Baig
Rachael Gacs speaks with Vicky Newton-Gore and Brenda Baig from our partners at Wesleyan Financial Services about the role of specialist financial advice in supporting education leaders, the growing focus on retirement planning, and how financial wellbeing can contribute to recruitment, retention and staff confidence across trusts.
Please tell us about Wesleyan’s offer to education leaders and professionals?
We support education leaders by providing financial planning and regulated financial advice, tailored to the profession.
Trust leaders, senior leaders, and teachers, are doing a huge amount day to day, and they are often very time-poor, so managing their finances can be difficult to prioritise. What we try to do is act as a single point of support, where they can come to us for help with things like pensions, tax planning, and understanding the benefits they have within education, and how those link to their future plans.
Wesleyan Financial Services is an organisation that education professionals can come to for financial advice and guidance across all areas related to finance, rather than having to piece it together themselves. And I think that’s what makes us unique. Our advisers specialise in education, so they understand the career path from early career teaching right through to senior leadership and retirement. That includes a detailed understanding of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, which is a really valuable benefit but also quite complex, and not always fully understood. That’s something we’re very passionate about – helping people understand what they have and what it means for them longer term.
“Wesleyan Financial Services is an organisation that education professionals can come to for financial advice and guidance across all areas related to finance, rather than having to piece it together themselves.”
We’re also guided by our Member Advisory Board, which includes individuals with experience in education, so that helps make sure what we’re offering is relevant to the sector. Ultimately, our work is about helping people understand their finances better, and plan ahead with more confidence.
What are some of the key trends you are seeing right now?
It’s actually quite an exciting time, because we’re seeing people become much more interested and empowered when it comes to their own pension and retirement planning.
A lot of senior leaders are now looking at their pensions and thinking, I don’t necessarily want to work until 68 — so when can I retire? Historically, when the retirement age was 60, people often worked to that point and then retired because the scheme said they could. Now, the question is shifting. It’s less, ‘when does the scheme say I can go?’ and more, ‘when do I want to go, and what plan do I need in place to make that happen?’
In some cases, people are even looking at whether they can retire earlier than 60. There is more being asked of the profession than ever before, and we are seeing some burnout within teaching. People have given a lot to their careers over time, so retirement has become something they are actively aspiring to and planning for.
We’re also seeing senior leaders wanting to understand tax allowances, tax planning, and whether they are breaching certain thresholds. More broadly, people want to understand their whole benefits package better – their pension, sickness package and wider benefits – and what that really means for them.
The Teachers’ Pension Scheme is a hugely valuable benefit, but it is still complex and not always well understood. That came through in our recent white paper (could we have the link to include here please?), where we surveyed 500 teaching staff about the scheme. A lot of what we’re seeing now is that people recognise the value, but they need support to understand the detail.
That’s where financial education comes in. We’re working with schools and trusts day in, day out to explain the benefits of the scheme and help staff plan for the future. In turn, that can support retention, because people better understand the value of what they have within education.
“People have given a lot to their careers over time, so retirement has become something they are actively aspiring to and planning for.”
What is your role in terms of Forum Strategy partnership?
We sought the partnership because we felt there was a need for senior leaders and trust leaders to have support to get them to where they want to be in terms of financial planning and retirement. That’s been a key focus for us over the last few years.
Our partnership with Forum Strategy gives us access to leaders within education and helps raise the profile of what we do, particularly our specialism within education. Our focus is on being dependable and acting with integrity. There is a huge amount of information out there, and finance can feel like a bit of a minefield. It’s very easy for the wrong information to be shared, so our partnership with Forum Strategy allows us to be a reliable point of contact for members and help people navigate the context – cutting through the jargon and making sure they have the right information.
On one side, we’re there to support the individual – the trust leader/senior leader – with their own financial planning. But we’re also there to support them with their staff, particularly from a financial wellbeing perspective. Our partnership with Forum Strategy means we can help more schools and trusts provide financial education, so staff understand their benefits, recognise the value of what they have, and feel more confident about their future. In turn, that can support retention.
We also see the value of building long-term relationships, and our partnership with Forum Strategy gives us more opportunities to do so. Our advisers work with individuals over many years, sometimes decades, and that support goes beyond pensions. It might include investments, protection, or even things like mortgage queries – areas where people would otherwise have to go to multiple places. Being able to offer that support in one place, alongside our sector specialism, is the thing that really sets us apart for those that work with us.
“while working with Forum Strategy has helped raise our profile, the bigger benefit has been being embedded in those wider conversations, the quality of the interactions we have, and having that direct line of sight into what’s actually happening across the sector.”
What has been a benefit of working with Forum Strategy and engaging with the trust leaders networks?
A key benefit of working with Forum Strategy is the insight that comes from being a part of wider conversations about what is currently impacting the sector.
It’s not just about being visible – it’s about having the time and space to learn as well as engage. The networks allows us to listen as much as we talk, and to better understand what’s front of mind for leaders at the moment. That’s been valuable for us, because it means the support and guidance we offer is shaped by what we’re hearing directly from leaders, rather than assumptions. Through the #TrustLeaders Network and the symposiums, we’re also able to have in-depth conversations with individuals about what they’re dealing with, about the support we offer, and how that fits with what they need.
So while working with Forum Strategy has helped raise our profile, the bigger benefit has been being embedded in those wider conversations, the quality of the interactions we have, and having that direct line of sight into what’s actually happening across the sector. It gives us the opportunity to engage in a way that is really grounded in the reality of what is happening across trusts.
What’s your best memory of working with the networks so far?
One of the most memorable moments was attending the National #TrustLeaders Symposium in 2025. What stood out was how different it felt from other events we’ve been to. We really had the opportunity to connect with leaders at a new level. There was a real openness to the discussions – not just around financial support, but around what was actually happening within trusts and the kind of challenges leaders were dealing with day to day.
It gave us a much clearer sense of the balance leaders are managing between strategic ambition and operational pressure. That came through really strongly. There’s a huge amount sitting with them, and it highlighted how important it is that the support around them genuinely helps to ease that.
It helped to clarify that our role is to reduce the burden on leaders. By helping them with the financial side of things – by simplifying it and giving clarity – we’re making sure they’re not having to navigate that space on their own. And that means they can stay focused on leading their trusts as successfully as possible.
“When people feel secure, both professionally and personally, they are more likely to stay, develop, and contribute more fully over time.”
What can trust leaders do to further support retention and recruitment, from the perspective of your experience supporting the sector?
The trusts that tend to retain staff well are the ones that treat wellbeing as part of the whole organisation, not as something separate or a “nice to have”. When people feel secure, both professionally and personally, they are more likely to stay, develop, and contribute more fully over time. Recruitment is becoming more competitive, and people are looking beyond salary. They want to understand what the wider offer looks like – culture, development opportunities, and how their wellbeing is supported, including their financial wellbeing.
That financial side is important. We see a lot of cases where staff, and sometimes leaders themselves, aren’t fully confident in understanding things like pensions or benefits within the scheme. Even relatively straightforward areas – for example, maternity benefits – can feel unclear, and that can have a real impact. So helping staff feel informed and supported in that space is key. That might be through access to financial guidance, or simply giving leaders the confidence to signpost support where it’s needed. Ultimately, it’s about helping people feel secure. When that’s in place, it tends to have a positive impact on both retention and recruitment.
What role does proactive financial advice play in giving individuals the confidence and flexibility to decide when they retire?
From a practical point of view, the earlier people engage with financial advice, the more flexibility they tend to have later on.
Quite often, we see people coming towards the end of their careers and only then starting to look at their retirement position. At that stage, what they can do is largely shaped by what they’ve already built up, rather than what they might ideally want to do. Whereas when those conversations happen earlier, even small changes can have a significant impact over time. Starting a little sooner, or adjusting things along the way, can make a meaningful difference to the overall picture.
It also shifts the mindset slightly. Instead of asking, “when can I retire?”, it becomes more about, “when would I like to retire, and how do I get there?” That sense of control is important. We often get asked that question – “when can I retire?” – and the honest answer is that it depends on the individual. It depends on what they want their retirement to look like, what they plan to do, and what kind of lifestyle they’re aiming for. Having those conversations earlier means we can shape that with them, rather than simply responding to it at the end.
“For many leaders, their role is a central part of their identity, so stepping away can feel like a considerable shift.”
How can trust leaders best prepare for the transition into retirement, when it comes?
When it comes to retirement, finances are crucial, but they are also not the whole picture. For many leaders, their role is a central part of their identity, so stepping away can feel like a considerable shift. There may be a sense of relief, but also some uncertainty if there has been little opportunity to think about what comes next.
Those who tend to manage the transition most positively are often those who have something to move towards – whether that be travel, hobbies, time with family, projects – or anything else related to finding purpose in your daily life. It can also be helpful to speak to others who have already been through the process. While this does not replace formal advice, it can provide reassurance and make the transition into retirement feel more tangible and less daunting.
Find out more about how Wesleyan can support you financially: https://www.wesleyan.co.uk/teachers
Please note that Wesleyan is part of a paid for partnership with Forum Strategy.
Inheritance tax planning is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Advice is provided by Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd.
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