Is the teacher retention problem as serious as it looks?

Government figures released earlier this year showed that 30 per cent of teachers who began their careers in 2010 had left the profession by 2015. This cued a wave of doom-ridden headlines about a teacher retention crisis. It is clear that there is a problem with teacher retention, yet the government are seemingly reluctant to recognise it.

Why is it happening?

Unions cite workload and increasing pressures as the key reasons. However, it is important to look at the bigger picture. The tectonic plates of education are shifting more rapidly than ever; teachers are constantly being tested with curriculum and assessment changes and bureaucracy is on the rise. People are asking themselves whether teaching remains a rewarding career.

But surely teaching is a vocation? Isn’t that what matters?

It is, but so does paying the bills, seeing your family and being happy and healthy. Teachers are relentlessly vocal about their workload and the state of their profession, but little seems to be done. Take, for example, Nicky Morgan’s workload survey, which seemingly had little impact, despite a response from over 40,000 teachers. There is a desperate need for the role of the teacher to be examined and repositioned.

Would higher salaries help?

We need to start at the beginning by recruiting and training high quality teachers. Much was made of the glossy government recruitment campaign that asked “what does a good teacher make these days?” But this was met with fury by many within the teaching profession because of its misleading claims and idealised view of the profession, especially in terms of salary. In reality, NFER research suggests that the majority of teachers don’t leave for a higher salary, again reiterating wider themes are at play here.

So, what can be done to fix things?

Teachers desperately need to feel more valued. There is an urgent need to review the apparent disconnect between the classroom and increasingly intrusive and demanding policy. At school level, much more needs to be done to address the workload balance. This includes embedding a culture within schools where teacher wellbeing and mental health are at the forefront of leadership priorities.   

It’s not hopeless, then?

Not at all. Despite the challenges, teaching remains a profession that is bolstered by incredibly dedicated, driven and resilient people. ‘Grass roots’ movements like #Teacher5aday are bringing the community together in terms of wellbeing, and teacher-led CPD events such as Northern Rocks and Primary Rocks are growing in stature and attendance. The profession has a strong and ever-present heartbeat ─ we just needs more people to listen to it. 

Sarah Wright is a senior lecturer at Edge Hill University. She tweets as @Sarah__wright1

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