How to improve teacher retention
Teacher retention is one of the most pressing challenges facing the education sector today. With schools struggling to keep experienced educators in the classroom, understanding how to improve teacher retention has never been more critical.
According to the latest , the average teacher retention rate in England remains a concern. Only 70.6% of teachers stay in the profession five years after qualifying, and just 59.6% after ten years.
Why are teachers leaving?
There are many reasons behind these statistics. Below is a list of some of them.
Excessive workload and administrative burden
Teachers often work far beyond contracted hours, spending evenings and weekends planning lessons, grading, and completing paperwork. Administrative tasks—like data tracking, reporting, and compliance—can overshadow actual teaching. This is made worse by poor student behaviour, adding to the stress and administrative burden, especially when not supported by school-wide policies or resources, leading teachers to feel isolated or blamed for issues beyond their control. This workload leaves little time for rest or personal life, leading to chronic stress and burnout. It also detracts from the core mission of teaching—educating and inspiring students—by shifting focus to paperwork and compliance.
Uncompetitive pay compared to other professions
Despite requiring a university degree and ongoing professional development, teaching salaries often lag behind those in other fields with similar qualifications. In some areas, pay has stagnated or declined in real terms due to inflation. Low pay makes it difficult to attract and retain talented individuals, especially in high-cost areas. Teachers may leave for better-paying jobs in the private sector, reducing the pool of experienced educators and increasing turnover.
Lack of support for early career teachers
New teachers face steep learning curves when starting out. Many report inadequate mentoring, limited classroom management training, and overwhelming expectations. Without strong support, early career teachers are more likely to feel isolated and discouraged. This contributes to high attrition rates within the first five years, undermining efforts to build a stable and experienced workforce.
Burnout, often exacerbated by inspections and accountability pressures
High-stakes inspections (such as OFSTED), standardised testing, and performance metrics can create a culture of fear and stress that overshadows creativity and autonomy. Teachers may feel micromanaged or undervalued, leading to emotional exhaustion.
Limited opportunities for professional development
Opportunities for growth, leadership and specialisation are often limited or poorly funded. This can make the profession feel stagnant, especially for ambitious educators, leading to disengagement and lower rates of teacher retention.
Four solutions to improve teacher retention
Prioritise professional development
Teachers who feel that they are growing professionally are more likely to stay. Therefore, offering high-quality CPD (Continuing Professional Development) opportunities can significantly boost morale and retention. Our Staff Management subscription has proven to be successful in helping schools to invest in their staff’s growth and confidence through its all-inclusive access to online CPD courses and unlimited 51 training.
Listen to staff voices
With educators being to leave their school when they feel engaged, it is vital to give each member of staff a voice, so that school leaders can hear their concerns and act on them. Staff Management makes this incredibly simple with the anonymous wellbeing surveys that are included in the subscription. By providing real-time insights into staff wellbeing, Staff Management helps schools make data-informed decisions to improve morale and retention.
Foster a positive work environment
The latest figures exposing the scale of the teacher retention crisis reveal that of the 21,705 teachers who qualified in 2022, an outstanding 2,453 (11.3%) left after just one year. Creating a culture of recognition, support, and collaboration is essential. Schools that prioritise wellbeing and open communication tend to build stronger communities, where teachers feel more supported, less isolated, and are therefore more likely to remain long-term and contribute meaningfully to student success.
Support
In 2024, the found that 41% of teachers described their workload as “unmanageable”. Flexible timetabling, reduced non-teaching duties, and mental health support can go a long way in reducing burnout. Schools that actively promote work-life balance see higher levels of job satisfaction and lower turnover.
Here at Tes, we also offer a classroom management software called Class Charts, to assist teachers by lightening the load of the more tedious tasks, so that they can make the most of their time in the classroom.
How Tes Staff Management can help
Improving teacher retention is not a quick fix - it requires sustained effort, investment, and cultural change. At Tes, we’re proud to support schools with the tools, insights, and expertise they need to retain great teachers and build resilient teams.
Above all, our Staff Management subscription is the most strategic solution on the market in assisting school leaders to proactively support their teams. The platform delivers a wide range of operational benefits by streamlining administrative processes through unlimited recruitment advertising and ATS and facilitating clear communication across the school through its anonymous wellbeing surveys.
From managing absences to coordinating training, the platform enhances efficiency and reduces workload, allowing teachers to focus only on what they love – teaching. The platform even helps to strengthen your workforce through its unlimited 51 training and online CPD courses, so teachers can learn and grow in their professions. All these benefits combined significantly improves teacher retention, while schools are subsequently better equipped to deliver high-quality education to students.