Revisiting the teacher retention crisis: recommendations for change

Education Support’s new policy paper, published in October 2025, presents the compelling case for a teacher retention strategy in England. Retaining skilled educators is not just a workforce issue - it is central to the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity for children and young people.

Two years on from our 2023 Commission on Teacher Retention, this paper sets out our evolving thinking through an evidence-based approach to workplace wellbeing that will improve workforce retention. With one in eleven qualified teachers leaving the profession in 2023–24, the stakes have never been higher.

The future of education depends on our ability to retain talented, passionate and healthy teachers. Our work shows that the mental health and wellbeing of our education workforce are not peripheral concerns. They underpin job satisfaction, retention and performance.

This paper explores how teacher retention directly affects educational outcomes, social mobility, and workforce sustainability. It makes the case for a strategic, system-wide response grounded in the mental health and workplace wellbeing evidence base.

This evidence-based report outlines:

• Why teacher retention is critical to educational quality and equity
• The cost of attrition to public finances and pupil outcomes
• A framework of 12 workplace wellbeing drivers to guide change
• Practical recommendations for government, employers, and school leaders

The report shows that improving mental health and workplace wellbeing is key to helping teachers, leaders, and education staff stay in the profession, and, through doing so, to deliver better outcomes for all pupils.

Download the report below and share our practical recommendations with colleagues, school leaders, and policymakers who care about the future of education.