What is The Key?
The support that matters. For the decisions that count.
The guidance, resources and CPD that matter to your school, staff and governors right now. Designed to actively engage, and make a real impact.
✓ Quality assured by in-house education specialists
✓ Tailored to you, delivered in the right format for the task in hand
✓ In-depth support for all staff, covering much more than compliance
Rated the must-have support by 8 out of 10 school leaders.
With over 4,300 resources, The Key offers the most comprehensive, time-saving support to schools. Over 80% of school leaders rated The Key as an essential resource, worth every penny.
Source: market research by education.co.uk, 2023.
Educational Impact
 Company | Business Name: The Key HQ Location: United Kingdom Founded: 2007 |
| Age Range | 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-18 |
 Features | Professional Development CpdOnline SafetySafeguardingStatutory Requirements School Improvement Ofsted Inspection Staff TrainingPerformance Management Staff DevelopmentGain CertificationGovernance Budget Setting Training Planning |
 Languages | English |
 Accessibility | Robust features |
 Policies |  Terms of ServicePrivacy PolicyGDPR |
 Requirements | Internet - Low BandwidthInternet - High BandwidthDesktop - MacDesktop - WindowsDesktop - ChromebookDesktop - LinuxMobile - iPhoneMobile - iPadMobile - WindowsMobile - Android |
 Set Up | No time at all - you can access your membership straight away. |
 Training | Live OnlineDocumentationVideos Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to easily navigate our services without any training. If you need any extra help, just get in touch with our support team. |
 Support | EmailFAQs/ForumKnowledge BasePhone Support |
| Home Learning | School must create the account. |
 Tags | Recruitment supportPolicy and compliance Safeguarding trainingCPD trainingSchool improvementOnline training Prevent Duty training KCSIESafeguarding CPD |
The Key PricingPricing Plans Free TrialPaid Subscription The Key pricing starts from £764.4 / year This price is for Whole School membership for a school with 0 - 50 pupils.  Optimised for a quick response | |
Compare The Key with...
The Key Reviews
from 21 Verified Reviews
User rating
Country
Mar 2024
It helps keep up to date on current issues and regulations and helps with solutions
Paul Smith found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money
- Slightly reduces teacher workload
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge
- Significantly improves school processes
Mar 2024
Invaluable resource that saves time and offers high quality information
Helen Ridout found The Key:
- Moderately saves school money“Saves time, reduces workload”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“All information in one place”
- Moderately improves teaching efficiency“Sharing best practice”
- Moderately improves teacher knowledge“Sharing good practice”
- Significantly improves school processes“Used all the time to review and influence systems and policies from full rewrites to reviews, interview questions, restructures etc etc”
Mar 2024
I would recommend to a SBM as its good for the guidance. Not sure how The Key helps with teachers.
Stephanie Starkey found The Key:
- Does not save school money“None”
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency
- Does not significantly improve teacher knowledge
- Significantly improves school processes“I use it to refer to for policies, guidance, examples etc”
Mar 2024
Lots of useful information re. policies, interview questions, curriculum info, OFSTED guidance etc.
Kuben Reddy found The Key:
- Does not significantly save school money“Not really”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Key information re. curriculum, policies etc. that are helpful”
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency“Useful resources and training presentations”
- Moderately improves teacher knowledge“Lots of useful information”
- Moderately improves school processes“Policies”
Ian Partington
Academy Business Manager
Used The Key weekly for 5 years+
Mar 2024
We find the key easy to understand plain english style and informative
Ian Partington found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“Tender information”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload“not applicable”
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency“not applicable”
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge“not applicable”
- Moderately improves school processes“Finance information and general guidance”
Mar 2024
On hand information when needed
Tracy Strutt found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“Used for interview questions - better recruitment”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency
- Significantly improves teacher knowledge
- Significantly improves school processes“Recruitment and job role lists”
Mar 2024
The key is good as a resource to keep you updated, but overall it is expensive and has little effect on the school overall, as the sections most relevant you have to pay an additional subscription to use them.
Beverley Hughes found The Key:
- Does not save school money“costly for what it provides the school”
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency“None”
- Moderately improves teacher knowledge“Safeguarding updates”
- Slightly improves school processes“None”
Rebecca Fawcett
Operations Manager
Used The Key weekly for 7–12 months
Mar 2024
Very clear guidance, always up to date, examples of how other schools have used the information
Rebecca Fawcett found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money
- Slightly reduces teacher workload
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge
- Moderately improves school processes“Good advice and guidance on topical issues, some of which is new information.”
Simon Jaggard
Headt Teacher
Used The Key occasionally for 5 years+
Mar 2024
Yes its a very useful organisation for templates as they have done the work for you
Simon Jaggard found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“It provides an excellent time saving reference library of resource information”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“See before”
- Does not improve teaching efficiency“NA”
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge“Useful for developing policies”
- Slightly improves school processes“interview structures”
Mar 2024
It's excellent
Eamonn Kelly found The Key:
- Significantly saves school money“Training Resources”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Policy examples etc.”
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge
- Moderately improves school processes“various documentation”
Angela Purchon
School Business Manager
Used The Key weekly for 5 years+
Mar 2024
It is a good tool
Angela Purchon found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“.”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload“.”
- Slightly improves teaching efficiency“.”
- Slightly improves teacher knowledge“.”
- Significantly improves school processes“Policies”
Elizabeth Leer
Deputy Headteacher
Used The Key occasionally for 3-4 years
Mar 2024
I am likely to recommend
Elizabeth Leer found The Key:
- Does not significantly save school money“No”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“SEND Impact report, Ofsted guidance”
- Moderately improves school processes“Policy frameworks”
- Does not significantly improve behaviour or wellbeing“No”
- Slightly improves attainment“No”
Mar 2024
Whatever I look for I usually find something that supports me to achieve my outcome. I would be lost without it!
Jayne found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“Policies”
- Significantly improves school processes“performance management”
- Slightly improves behaviour or wellbeing
- Slightly improves attainment
Mar 2024
I recommend this all the time and was mentioning it at our women in leadership conference today!
Amy Myers found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“time saved for leaders to find good information and resources”
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“Using the well-being plans to help teachers with workload and capacity”
- Significantly improves school processes“recruitment process”
- Moderately improves behaviour or wellbeing“Well-being support planning, well-being initiative development”
- Slightly improves attainment“Nothing springs to mind at this moment”
Mar 2024
Provides the most up to date and relevant info
Kerry found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“filtering and monitoring info”
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload
- Moderately improves school processes“GDPR, KCSIE”
- Does not improve behaviour or wellbeing
- Does not improve attainment
Steph
Head Teacher
Used The Key daily for 5 years+
Mar 2024
Sometimes it is not easy to search what you are looking for
Steph found The Key:
- Does not significantly save school money“None”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“CDP opportunities, safeguarding updates”
- Moderately improves school processes“Policies and procedures”
- Slightly improves behaviour or wellbeing“Ideas/examples for behaviour”
- Slightly improves attainment“Updates in bite size format from DfE”
Mar 2024
I have always used the key for templates, ideas and I check the weekly roundup all the time. Thank you
Alison found The Key:
- Moderately saves school money“Less courses and time out of school because you have the information”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“We are given the key changes in documents saving us time in reading the whole thing”
- Significantly improves school processes“The calendar of events and the reminders when things need to be done by”
- Moderately improves behaviour or wellbeing“It will give ideas and strategies.”
- Slightly improves attainment“N/A”
Kim Paling
Academy Business Manager
Used The Key daily for 5 years+
Mar 2024
It's my 'go to' place for guidance on policy and procedures. Several of our leadership and admin teams use The Key regularly.
Kim Paling found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“Saving on consultancy fees when writing policies”
- Slightly reduces teacher workload“Having resources, templates & examples available”
- Significantly improves school processes“Policy writing simplified. Recruitment guidance.”
- Does not significantly improve behaviour or wellbeing“.”
- Slightly improves attainment“Availability of guidance”
Mar 2024
There is a lot of information and advice that can be found on The Key if you need help.
Laxhmi Solder found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money“I don't have any examples.”
- Does not significantly reduce teacher workload“I don't have any examples of this.”
- Moderately improves school processes“Updates on safeguarding”
- Slightly improves behaviour or wellbeing“Don't have any examples”
- Slightly improves attainment“No examples”
Mar 2024
It is a great resource that supports leaders and teachers in many aspects of education
Clare found The Key:
- Does not significantly save school money“No”
- Significantly reduces teacher workload“Writing of policies, guidance that otherwise would take time to find”
- Slightly improves school processes“Policies”
- Does not significantly improve behaviour or wellbeing“No”
- Does not significantly improve attainment“No”
Feb 2024
It has some excellent resources and I can imagine in a school that is not part of a large trust is crucial. We have a central team to draw on however, the key is invaluable at having those last minute bits and pieces a leader needs. I would still advocate for it's use even within a school which has other sources to draw on. They are still developing their EY resources, but have been so opening to listening to what was lacking in order to rectify this!
Rachael found The Key:
- Slightly saves school money
- Moderately reduces teacher workload“For the leaders that use it, it reduces a lot of the time spent thinking and creating templates.”
- Moderately improves school processes“During OFSTED it was crucial in supporting leaders to check they had everything to hand - reducing a significant amount of pressure and ensuring that we were ready!”
- Moderately improves behaviour or wellbeing
- Slightly improves attainment