5 teacher retention strategies leading schools use
With schools facing teacher retention challenges, it’s more important than ever for schools to consider how they can retain staff.
Better connected systems that support easier flow of information are increasingly being looked to as a way of streamlining the school experience for staff, students and parents.
And while technology alone can’t solve retention challenges, schools that prioritise retention recognise its importance and combine connected systems with consistent people practices.
Here are five strategies leading schools use for teacher retention:
1. Connect recruitment, development and retention
When schools are under pressure, it’s easy to focus more on attracting new staff than on what happens after a candidate accepts an offer. But leading schools recognise that retention starts before a teacher's first day.
They don’t treat attraction, hiring, onboarding, development and retention as separate activities, instead viewing them as a continuous relationship with each member of staff.
These schools know that every interaction contributes to a staff’s long-term experience of working at a school.
As a result, they connect systems across recruitment, onboarding, development and performance management to create a more consistent and supportive staff experience.
2. Invest in year-round staff development
Schools that prioritise retention don’t limit professional development to annual reviews or occasional training and inset days.
They invest in ongoing opportunities for growth, helping teachers build new skills, explore career pathways and feel valued throughout the year.
In practice, this means:
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Relevant, personalised professional development
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Accessible learning delivery e.g. online sessions available on demand
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Mentoring systems that support continuous learning and self-reflection
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Establishing clear career development pathways for staff at all levels
When staff can see a future for themselves within a school, they are more likely to stay.
3. Grow talent internally
An increasing number of schools are looking inward to find future teachers and leaders, developing talent from within rather than relying on external recruitment.
This includes:
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Trainee placements and taking on apprentices
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Mentoring programmes
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Leadership development opportunities
Building internal pathways helps schools create a sustainable talent pipeline while demonstrating a commitment to staff progression.
4. Build strong systems that reduce workload
In our 2026 Wellbeing Report, we found workload and student behaviour as some of the biggest factors affecting teacher retention.
The schools best at retaining staff know addressing these challenges supports staff retention as well as improving outcomes for students.
Effective behaviour policies create calmer classrooms, reduce disruption and give teachers more time to focus on teaching and learning. This has a significant impact on job satisfaction and helps prevent burnout.
Similarly, streamlining systems such as classroom management and learning support reduces administrative burden on staff, enabling them to spend less time on paperwork and reducing their workload – in turn, reducing stress and improving retention.
5. Create a culture where long-serving staff become a recruitment asset
Schools with strong retention benefit from something recruitment campaigns cannot buy: genuine advocacy from their own staff.
A school’s long-serving staff build a positive reputation, share their experiences with prospective candidates and contribute to a stable school culture, which in itself supports staff retention.
In a competitive recruitment market, existing staff can become one of a school's most effective recruitment and retention assets.
How could better connections help your school?
Our new report, ‘The patchwork problem’, explores how connected systems support staff retention by boosting wellbeing and reducing workload – all while improving outcomes for students.
Read the report now to learn how connected data can support your school, and what the best-connected schools are already doing differently.