Reducing attrition of more experienced teachers from the workforce 

This project will explore how family-friendly workplace reforms can improve retention of teachers in their 30s. 

Why this project is important

Schools in England continue to face teacher shortages in primary and most secondary subjects. A significant proportion of teachers leave the profession in their 30s and yet there has been relatively little research on why so many of these experienced teachers leave, or what would retain them. Those leaving teaching in this age bracket often cite childcare responsibilities and/or a lack of flexible working opportunities. Despite surveys suggesting that flexible working would aid retention, there has been a lack of experimental or quasi-experimental evidence on the effects of flexible working.  

What the research will involve

The research team will administer a survey via Teacher Tapp, asking participants choose between pairs of hypothetical teaching jobs varying in family-friendly arrangements and salary. The following questions will be answered: 

1. What is the relative importance of family-friendly working arrangements, compared to salary and other workplace characteristics, in determining teachers’ job choices? 

2. What salary-equivalent value do teachers place on these family-friendly working arrangements and how does this compare to the costs of providing them? 

3. How do teachers’ preferences for different job attributes vary by a) age, b) gender, c) parenting responsibilities, and d) stated intention to quit teaching?  

The research will consider job attributes such as: number of hours worked, number of days working from home, availability of part-time working, compressed working weeks, availability of time off for appointments, frequency of work outside contracted hours, availability of support staff, paid maternity and paternity leave, levels of work fatigue, and salary. The findings will: 

1. Reveal the relative importance of different arrangements.  

2. Quantify preferences in salary-equivalent terms, enabling comparison of costs against teacher-valued benefits.  

3. Identify whether different demographic groups need different solutions, allowing targeted interventions.  

How the research will make a difference 

Findings will identify promising and feasible interventions for future evaluation and provide actionable insights and guidance for school leaders and policymakers.