Why are teachers leaving in record numbers?

Recent reports have noted worrying trends towards disaffection within the teaching profession that is leading to ‘around one in five teachers (18%) expect(ing) to leave the classroom in less than two years, while two-fifths of teachers, school leaders and support staff want to quit in the next five years.’  This poll, conducted by the UK’s largest teachers union, the National Education Union (NEU), also found that ‘more than a quarter (26%) of those with less than five years’ experience plan to quit by 2024.’

Such disturbing figures highlight the severe lack of engagement felt by teaching staff in our schools and emphasise the need to build back confidence by giving teachers a voice that is both heard and acted on. Not only is losing teachers disruptive to our children’s education, it is also extremely costly. Sourcing and replacing leaving staff has been shown to cost around a third of an annual salary, a budgetary burden that the education system struggles to bear.

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Sadly, the costs are not only monetary. According to the education support charity Education Support Organisation, ‘stress and anxiety levels across the sector are reaching alarming levels and calls to our helpline are increasing year on year.’ As engagement and morale plummet, so increase issues of mental and physical wellbeing.

Engaged teachers deliver better student outcomes
While reasons for leaving can often be out of the individual school’s control, there are many ways SLT’s can help improve teacher engagement. Not only are more engaged teachers less likely to want to leave the profession, they are also more effective in their roles. A Hanover Research paper noted that ‘the majority of existing literature reports a correlation between indicators of teacher engagement and student performance. Research suggests that higher levels of teacher engagement and job satisfaction result in greater student engagement and achievement.’

So – how can Schoop help increase teacher retention, improve engagement and thereby, ultimately, improve student outcomes?

Feedback improves teacher engagement
The Hanover Research paper emphasises the importance of the ‘school climate’, however places particular stress on the importance of feedback. ‘To support teachers’ engagement and involvement in their students’ experiences, a review of the literature emphasises the importance of constructive feedback for teachers as a promising practice to improve classroom instruction and teacher aptitudes.’ It was also noted that ‘immediate feedback is better than delayed feedback’. Using Schoop’s Push Notification feature delivers this positive feedback required for teacher engagement.

Senior leadership team can highlight school culture
School culture, as in any other field of work, tends to follow a top-down approach, with support from the head being crucial in teacher engagement. A clear, concise school mission can be communicated via the Schoop app so everyone understands the shared vision. Not only that, but job resources, such as helpful links and videos forwarded from engaged management both aid teachers in their profession as well as demonstrating interest and support on behalf of the SLT. The Surveys feature is also invaluable in obtaining feedback from staff to assist with operational change etc.

Admin burden eased
Schoop isn’t just a cutting-edge engagement tool – it can also help with the mundane stuff too. The interactive calendar makes sure everyone knows where they need to be and when, with the option of manual or automatic scheduling of meetings encompassing one person or a whole department. The sharing of minutes and disseminating other news is the work of seconds – and having all business conducted in the app means that staff don’t have to check the staff-room noticeboard – meaning printing and paper costs are reduced dramatically.

Schoop in the school can be used in tandem with Schoop for parental engagement to ensure that not only parents, but teachers too can be in the loop! Ask for a free demo to see how Schoop can work within your school and community.