Teachers are leaving the profession in alarming numbers - both experienced staff and those new to the job, who often leave within a few years.

The causes often cited are poor pay and escalating demands from parents and carers, and, in some cases, violent behaviour from pupils.

Of course, these causes need to be addressed - but there are also deeper, more complicated issues that drive teachers out of the profession, as I found during my work for a book, Real Lives of Teachers, in which I spoke to 118 educators about their views on the profession.

From this, several themes emerged that show why retention of teachers needs to be seen as a holistic issue that should underpin almost every decision that is made.

Lack of appreciation

We talk a lot about pupils feeling a sense of belonging and why this matters so much - but it was striking in my interviews how often genuine belonging remains elusive for teachers.

Everyone, adult or child, needs to feel seen, heard and appreciated for their efforts, but too often this does not happen.

One person told me: “Sometimes I feel that my colleagues do not ‘get me’; they do not really understand my job or what I do or why I do it. I am not asking for certificates or a pat on the back, but I would like to feel more appreciated.”

Another said that their school “felt cliquey” and it was hard to build connections.

“While interactions were polite, they were brief, and I often found myself eating lunch alone or working through breaks. Invitations to team socials seemed to pass me by, and informal discussions rarely included me.”

This shows why schools have to focus on building true belonging - and that leaders must take the lead on this to avoid staff feeling neglected or isolated, with their efforts not recognised.

Sadly, though, it is often a leader’s actions that stop a teacher from feeling a sense of belonging. In my interviews, a common refrain was: “If he or she were not there, I would consider staying, but....”

For some, it wasn’t about antagonistic people but a failure to be supportive or consistent.

“My headteacher keeps changing his mind over whether or not I will make a good school leader myself,” said one deputy. “My confidence is at rock bottom.”

Another highlighted a similar issue, revealing that their line manager would say things like: “I have to be honest, I’m worried. I thought you were amazing, but now I’m not sure.”

Struggle with work-life balance

While flexible working is now more commonplace in education, it remains patchy, with shared roles, including headships, rare, and part-time leadership hours quietly dismissed.

Furthermore, many teachers said they did not apply for SLT posts because they were all advertised as full-time and there was a perception that it wasn’t possible to be a full-time senior leader.

Even when facing extreme personal circumstances, teachers can feel let down, too.

One teacher was told she could have no more than three days off to care for her father as his health deteriorated. When she returned, she was told she had “let her students down”. She said: “My commitment was questioned, and I felt judged and undermined.”

Meanwhile, for women in their thirties, the group most likely to leave the profession, issues around maternity support remain prevalent.

One new mother said she left teaching because she “got sick of [feeling she was] letting everyone down all of the time”.

Work by the Maternity Teacher/Paternity Teacher Project to champion these teachers, and an increase in maternity pay, show that tangible improvements can be made. So this is an area where we have to remain focused.

Why stay?

Despite the above, it is not all doom and gloom. Ninety one per cent of teachers stayed in the profession during the 2023-24 academic year. When I asked staff why, their answers underlined the deep sense of purpose that the sector offers so many.

“I am a teaching assistant. I work in a smallish school with wonderful teachers and fellow TAs. We genuinely look out for each other, and it is a privilege to work with them. Every achievement of every child makes it worthwhile.

“Working with kids is really special. Teenagers are fun and surprising, and the job has so much purpose.

“Because I love it. Every day is different, I am never bored. The kids make me smile and I feel like I am making a difference.”

Building a sense of belonging

It is clear that the value many people find in education remains strong - and it’s this that ultimately makes the profession what it is. Children will not remember Sats results, phonics scores, what Ofsted grade their schools achieved.

But they will remember being noticed, being told “I believe in you”, a moment of humour or connection, belonging to a community and all the elements of life in a school that make it such a special place.

This is why understanding what keeps teachers in the profession matters so much - because not only do staff deserve to have great places to work and thrive in, but also pupils will be a lot better served by teachers who feel that sense of belonging.

Emma Kell is an English and MFL teacher at an alternative provision setting in Watford, a coach and an author specialising in wellbeing and school culture. She has worked in education for 27 years