It’s well known that schools face a battle for talent in both teaching and support roles - something that is as true for international schools as it is for those in the state sector.
That is why I am privileged to have seen teacher retention of 97 per cent - and retention of 100 per cent for non-teaching staff - at the British curriculum school that I lead in the United Arab Emirates.
While the context of every school will, of course, dictate retention to some degree, I believe there are some universal themes that underpin retention that all leaders should focus on.
Five key factors in teacher retention
1. Reputation
The legacy of a school is not something that an incoming leader can be responsible for on day one, but they do have responsibility for driving forward whatever they inherit.
That’s a difficult balance to get right: you don’t want to carve up and disrupt something that is working well, but also you have to ensure that things continue to move forward.
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For example, when I arrived in my school there was a strong reputation of academic success and, of course, that is something we wanted to maintain. But I also wanted to ensure that we developed a healthy work-life balance, particularly around email and the timings of work WhatsApp communications. So we had to integrate this, too.
The hope is that by balancing this, staff - both those within the school and any that leave - become advocates for the school and spread a positive reputation to whoever they meet, rather than being a critic.
2. Respectability
Are you a reputable leader? This is not about outcomes because most school leaders can achieve this, especially with a “student outcomes at any cost” approach. This approach is common in schools in challenging areas, and leaders can also pander to parents in more affluent contexts. Rather, it is about your respectable approach towards all stakeholders.
Dealing in all matters in such a manner is vital. If you are perceived to be disingenuous, insincere or manipulative with staff, it takes away any credibility when you say that you “care for the children”. Caring for your staff in order for them to care for the children is a good rule of thumb to achieve a successful, stable school community.
The reputation of a school leader is gauged not only on how they treat current staff but also on how they treat staff who leave.
A sincere school leader, who is not bitter if staff leave and does not weaponise their reference in a spiteful way to potentially harm their future career prospects, is one whose actions will travel far and serve the whole school well.
3. Rapport
Be consistent in how you treat people and ensure that you make an effort to establish excellent working relationships with trust and kindness, underpinned with open communication channels with all staff.
This all comes down to emotional intelligence - a key requirement for any leader.
A lot of this is about making a good first impression, too: you don’t have another first opportunity after you meet someone, so you need to focus on making a good first impression with everyone, no matter how busy, tired or distracted you may be.
4. Resilience
Staff must have confidence in your leadership, and often this is shown best through resilience - leading from the front and shielding staff at times of high pressure.
This maybe guiding your school through a successful inspection, resolving complaints from parents, supporting challenges in the classroom or resolving disagreements among staff.
In all situations it is about you as a leader stepping up to relieve pressure from colleagues and deliver successful outcomes.
5. Roles
Leaders like to talk a lot about sharing their vision and holding staff to account. However, active listening with as many staff as possible gives these staff an opportunity to feel heard and valued within their school.
That is why I vowed to meet all staff last year. I am less than halfway towards fulfilling that pledge so far, but I think this underlines that you have to give each member of staff the time they need. A rushed meet-and-greet feels hollow.
By engaging in proper listening you can gauge the ambitions and aspirations of the staff as well as listen to their frustrations and grievances. It also allows you to get to know them as individuals and what their motivations are.
Consequently, it provides an opportunity to consider a restructure if the current structure is causing stagnation for some staff. Also, as school improvement never sits sill, I have been able, where possible, to fulfil the career development aspirations of as many staff as possible by defining and developing roles for them and realigning some designations.
This not only provides significant motivation for staff in the new roles but also opens pathways for other staff to aspire towards in the future by remaining in this school.
Kausor Amin-Ali is the school principal of Frontline International School Ajman, in the United Arab Emirates, and chair of governors at Robert Miles Infant School in Bingham, England. He is also the author of three books: A-Z of Teaching, A-Z of School Leadership and A-Z of Learning
