What helps to improve teacher retention? - A pathway analysis of factors affecting retention

Oct 15, 2026

Teacher retention remains a central focus for education policy, aimed at maintaining sufficient supply of qualified staff, especially in secondary and special schools. The report analyzes what helps improve retention by examining how teachers’ intentions relate to actual leaving behaviour and which factors are linked to leaving from the state-funded school sector. It uses Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey data alongside linked School Workforce Census information to assess associations with job satisfaction and wellbeing, then derives total effects, policy implications, and evidence-based recommendations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages58

Reading Time2 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

Research motivation and context

Previous literature

Our approach

Structure of this report

2. Methodology

Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey data

Measure definitions

Retention analysis

Limitations

3. Are teachers’ intentions to leave a good predictor of actual leaving behaviour?

Leaving intentions as a predictor at the individual level

Trend correspondence between intentions and leaving rates

4. What factors are associated with teachers leaving the state-funded school sector?

Factors associated with retention

Factors associated with considering leaving

Factors associated with job satisfaction

Factors associated with wellbeing

Insights from regression analysis

5. Implications of the findings

Total effects

Policy implications

6. Conclusions and recommendations

Conclusions

Recommendations

References

Appendix A

Factor analysis

Full regression models

Report What helps to improve teacher retention? A pathway analysis of factors affecting retention National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) What helps to improve teacher retention? A pathway analysis of factors affecting retention Jack Worth, Juan Manuel del Pozo Segura and Lisa Kuhn Published in February 2026 By the National Foundation for Educational Research, The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire SL1 2DQ [www.nfer.ac.uk/](www.nfer.ac.uk/) © 2026 National Foundation for Educational Research Registered Charity No. 313392 ISBN: 978-1-916567-49-8 How to cite this publication: Worth, J. , Del Pozo Segura, J. M. and Kuhn, L. (2026) What helps to improve teacher retention? A pathway analysis of factors affecting retention. Slough. NFER Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ..............................................................................2 1. Introduction ..................................................................................5 1.1. Research motivation and context .......................................5 1.2. Previous literature ..............................................................6 1.3. Our approach.....................................................................8 1.4. Structure of this report .......................................................9 2. Methodology .............................................................................. 10 2.1. Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey data ....... 10 2.2. Measure definitions .......................................................... 10 2.3. Retention analysis ........................................................... 14 2.4. Limitations ....................................................................... 15 3. Are teachers’ intentions to leave a good predictor of actual leaving behaviour? ................................................................................. 17 3.1. Leaving intentions are not a very reliable individual-level predictor of actual leaving behaviour .............................. 17 3.2. Is the overall trend of leaving intentions a good leading indicator for the trend in the leaving rate? ....................... 18 4. What factors are associated with teachers leaving the statefunded school sector? ................................................................ 19 4.1. Factors associated with retention .....................................19 4.2. Factors associated with considering leaving ....................20 4.3. Factors associated with job satisfaction ...........................22 4.4. Factors associated with wellbeing ....................................24 4.5. Insights from regression analysis .....................................26 5. Implications of the findings .........................................................27 5.1. Total effects .....................................................................27 5.2. Policy implications ............................................................33 6. Conclusions and recommendations............................................36 6.1. Conclusions .....................................................................36 6.2. Recommendations ...........................................................37 References ..........................................................................................40 Appendix A..........................................................................................44 Factor analysis ....................................................................................44 Full regression models ........................................................................49 Acknowledgements We are very grateful to Gemma Schwendel for assisting with the statistical analysis. Many thanks to Lowri Randell-Evans for formatting this report. We are

FAQs

How does the report evaluate whether leaving intentions predict actual leaving behaviour?

It tests whether intentions are a reliable individual-level predictor and whether overall intention trends lead changes in leaving rates.

Which data sources are used to study teacher retention?

The analysis is based on Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey data, linked to School Workforce Census information, conducted within ONS Secure Research Service.

What factors are examined for their relationship to teachers leaving the state-funded sector?

The report evaluates associations with retention, considering leaving, job satisfaction, wellbeing, and presents insights from regression analysis.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan