There is a strong interaction between how engaged and supported teachers feel and intention to remain or leave the profession, an analysis by Sarah Lynch and colleagues for the UK’s National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has found.
The research is based on data collected from four rounds of NFER’s nationally representative Teacher Voice survey between June 2015 and May 2016, and 21 in-depth interviews with teachers who have recently left or are considering leaving the state sector. It explores how engaged and supported teachers feel and how this has changed over the last year, and analyzes how it relates to their intention to remain in the profession or to leave. The findings were as follow:
- Half of the teachers surveyed were “engaged,” and of these, 90% said that they were not considering leaving, compared with 26% of “disengaged” teachers.
- Math teachers and senior leaders were found to have high levels of engagement and were also less likely to consider leaving.
- Job satisfaction, having adequate resources, reward and recognition, and being well-supported by management were among the factors associated with successful retention.
Overall, the proportion considering leaving has increased in the UK in the last year from 17% to 23%, suggesting that retention pressures are growing. The report includes recommendations to improve teacher retention for those with a role in helping to retain the current teacher workforce.
Source (Open Access): Lynch, S., Worth, J., Bamford, S. & Wespieser, K. (2016). Engaging Teachers: NFER Analysis of Teacher Retention. Slough, UK: National Foundation for Educational Research.