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Talent mapping across your trust: getting the most out of a skills database

Auditing your staff to create a skills database can help the schools across your trust access in-house experts. This can save you money, encourage collaboration, manage talent and drive improvement. Follow our tips to make this work in your trust and find examples of audits you can use.

Last reviewed on 3 March 2026
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 44203
Contents
  1. What is a skills database?
  2. Decide on your priorities
  3. Carry out skills audits
  4. Create your database
  5. Promote the database across your trust 
  6. Embed it in your practice

What is a skills database?

Also known as a competency database, it's collated information about the skills, qualifications and experiences that staff across your trust have. 

You can use it to:

  • Identify in-house experts across your trust
  • Spot skill gaps and areas for improvement that aren't being met by anyone across your trust

A skills database will help you match development needs to in-house experts across the trust and help you develop training across schools. This will:

  • Save money by cutting down on external training 
  • Help you foster school-to-school collaboration and a whole-trust culture

What should we include in our database?

Area: For example: Subject knowledge Experienced teachers Teachers with specialisms within a subject Subject experts who could support generalists (for example, non-specialists teaching maths) Skills Skills based on the Teachers' Standards Knowledge of a specific IT system or platform Experience using AI safely and effectively to support teaching and learning CPD Training, courses