Teacher Retention - The revolving door

As a leading education consultancy, anzuk is acutely aware of the pressure points facing Head teachers and governing bodies in the education landscape. 

The term “teacher shortage” is so common in the English lexicon it has almost become cliché, and I found myself wondering why?

What are the facts?

Source: The Guardian

“43% of teachers in England plan to leave the profession; 98% are under increasing pressure; 82% say their workload is unmanageable”

“Nearly one in ten teachers left the profession last year – the highest proportion for a decade – and almost a quarter of teachers now leave within three years.”

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), says the union’s internal records confirm the Guardian’s findings:

“This is the worst time for teacher recruitment since 2003 when I took up this post,” she says. “We know 50,000 teachers left last year, that’s 11% of the workforce, and we will have 300,000 more pupils in our schools by 2020. It’s largely due to the toxic mix of accountability pressures, curriculum and qualification reform, compounded by mixed messages from the government.”

We are seeing record levels of vacancies along with much greater competition between schools to snap up those “in the market” for a new Teaching role.

It’s clear that change is needed to retain teachers.

Should it be the responsibility of Education decision makers? Should they take steps to make the teaching occupation more compelling to keep teachers teaching in an age where workload, pay, governmental reforms, Ofsted pressures and perceived status have had a profound impact on the profession.

Could Head teachers and school leaders re-energise disenchanted or disengaged teachers?

Are the days of a teacher feeling privileged to have the opportunity to teach in a school now outweighed by the idea that they can hold all the cards and “take their pick” from the offers on the table?

Is it possible to recalibrate and re-focus staff? Are there ways of encouraging them to remain at the school and in the profession?

What could we do?

Being able to make a difference in this area is no small task, but I can see opportunities. If we work with school leaders perhaps we can make positive change that will alter the current trends. Areas to address could include:

- Department mapping to explore options for greater responsibility and promotion opportunities

- Following on from the above, providing middle leadership training for those who may be feeling “lost” within a school

- Not every school is the right fit for every teacher and vice versa. For teachers who may be considering leaving the profession there could be structured consultations where a range of options are explored to find a better fit

- Promoting relocation opportunities throughout England and even internationally

- Mindfulness training – Education leaders collaborating to assist in the retention of Education professionals within the industry.

anzuk Education was created because we care about helping to make a difference every day, and ensure quality teaching and learning experiences continue. Imagine what we could achieve if we work together! Contact us for a chat about how we can help find the right fit for you or visit www.anzuk.education