the educator mag Jan 26 - Flipbook - Page 40
Beyond recruitment:
fixing the teacher
retention gap
By Emma Slater, former Head of English and lead
practitioner at Access Education, and Adam Speight,
As new government bursaries of up to
£31,000 are announced to attract more
teachers into the classroom, many in the
sector are asking the same question: is
recruitment the real problem - or is
etention where we should be looking?
Recent government data shows that more
than one in three teachers leave the
profession within five years of qualifying.
The reasons are consistent: excessive
workload, burnout, limited development
opportunities and the relentless pace of
change in schools. These pressures, coupled
with rising pupil needs and tightening
budgets, have created a profession in crisis.
At Access Education, we wanted to shed
further light on the issue to understand
current challenges with retaining and
recruiting teachers. The findings from our
‘Hidden cost of teacher retention’ report
revealed that, while financial incentives
may attract new entrants, they do little to
address the deeper cultural and operational
barriers that push talented teachers out of
classrooms.
Time, trust and wellbeing
Throwing more money at recruitment is like
filling a leaky bucket. Unless we fix what’s
causing teachers to leave, we’ll keep losing
experienced staff faster than we can replace
them. That’s not sustainable.
The report highlights the top three factors
influencing teacher retention - manageable
workloads, supportive leadership and the
ability to focus on teaching.
The data clearly shows that teachers value
time more than anything else. When they
have the breathing space to plan and develop their practice, rather than constantly
fighting with admin, their job satisfaction
rises dramatically.
Smarter workflows and digital
efficiency
Our research found that one of the most
effective ways schools can free up time is
through better use of digital platforms.
Schools that use integrated software for
lesson planning, assessment and
communication displayed significantly
lower workload pressures.
Digital tools can be transformative when
they are used properly. The smarter use of
assessment, planning and communication
platforms can save teachers hours each
week - but only if schools invest in the right
training and trust staff to use those tools
creatively. Technology should give teachers
back time, not take more of it.
With AI now reshaping conversations in
staffrooms and leadership meetings across
the country, many schools are taking the
opportunity to re-evaluate their entire
digital ecosystem. AI isn’t just an add-on; it
has become a catalyst for leaders to rethink
how technology can streamline processes,
reduce workload and make everyday tasks
more efficient.
Automated reporting, AI-assisted data
analysis and data-sharing between
departments can remove duplication and
reduce admin. This not only cuts time
spent on paperwork but also improves
collaboration between teaching, SEN and
pastoral teams.
Rethinking how schools use
time
As a practising secondary school teacher
and an educational consultant, Adam
Speight has seen firsthand how small
changes can make a big impact.
He says: “When schools build in admin-free
planning days or flexible working options,
it sends a powerful message that they trust
their staff. That trust is what keeps teachers
invested in the profession.”
Speight points out that while flexibility
has long been a feature of corporate life,
it remains relatively new in education.
Yet, with the right systems and leadership
culture, it is entirely possible.
He continues: “I’ve seen schools trial flexible
hours, split timetables and collaborative
planning sessions. The impact on morale and
retention has been huge.”
And the Access Education finding reinforces
this - schools that prioritise flexibility and
staff autonomy report significantly higher
retention rates and lower sickness absence.
Leadership that listens
Another crucial theme to emerge from the
report is leadership. Teachers who feel their
workload concerns are acknowledged and
acted upon are far less likely to leave.
Effective retention strategies always start
with listening. School leaders need to
understand what’s causing friction for their
teams and look for small, practical fixes.
Often, that means streamlining processes,
improving communication and cutting
unnecessary admin.
Adam says: “When teachers are trusted to
focus on teaching, rather than ticking
boxes, everyone benefits - students, staff and
school leaders alike.
“Wellbeing initiatives also need to go
beyond surface-level perks. It’s about
having the time and headspace to do your job
well. If you can give teachers that, you’ll see
retention take care of itself.”
From crisis to culture shift
While bursaries and recruitment campaigns
may help to plug short-term gaps, the
long-term solution lies in culture, not cash.
The teacher retention crisis can’t be solved
by incentives alone. We need to create
schools that value time, trust and
professional growth. When those
foundations are in place, teachers
thrive - and they stay.
Adam concludes: “We need to stop thinking
of retention as a firefight and start treating it
as part of strategic planning. The schools that
are getting this right are the ones investing in
technology, streamlining their operations and
prioritising staff wellbeing at every level.”
Ultimately, the research paints a clear
picture: the future of education depends
not on how many teachers we canrecruit,
but on how many we can keep.
