Teacher Retention in 2026: Why Recruitment Gains Alone Won’t Solve the Challenge

At NextGen, supporting schools to attract high-quality teachers is what we do every day. As we move into 2026, we’re equally committed to supporting you in retaining them.

Encouragingly, teacher training numbers are rising. The 2025/26 Initial Teacher Training Census shows a welcome uplift in new entrants, suggesting renewed confidence in teaching as a profession. However, research shows that without a stronger focus on retention, these gains risk being short-lived.

Teacher recruitment is recovering, but retention is key

The latest Initial Teacher Training Census (ITT) shows:

• 32,175 new entrants to ITT, up 11% year-on-year
• Postgraduate ITT entrants increased by 10%, driven by both primary and secondary subjects
• Primary recruitment exceeded target, reaching 126%
• Secondary recruitment rose significantly to 88% of the target, up from 61% the previous year

This marks the second year of growth following post-pandemic declines and brings recruitment closer to pre-pandemic levels.

From a market perspective, this is positive. More trainees entering the system increases future supply and helps relieve pressure in hard-to-staff areas. But recruitment numbers alone don’t address what happens once teachers are in post.

What we’re seeing in the retention market

Alongside improving recruitment figures, government workforce data shows that while teacher vacancies fell in late 2024, overall teacher numbers declined marginally. Entrants continue to outnumber leavers, but changes in working patterns and ongoing attrition among experienced teachers remain a challenge.

The reasons are consistent:

• Workload remains the biggest pressure, with long hours and administrative demands continuing to drive burnout
• Support and leadership quality matter: teachers are more likely to stay where expectations are clear, and autonomy is respected
• Classroom complexity is increasing, particularly around SEND and pastoral need, often without sufficient training or capacity
• Flexibility and progression are increasingly influential, particularly for mid-career teachers weighing up their long-term future in education

These factors don’t always lead to immediate exits, but they do shape decisions over time, whether that’s moving schools, reducing hours, or leaving the profession altogether.

Why retention matters for recruitment outcomes

From a recruitment perspective, retention and hiring are deeply connected.

High turnover creates ongoing vacancy cycles, limits continuity for pupils, and places additional strain on leadership teams. It also impacts the candidate market: teachers talk, and reputations travel quickly.

Conversely, schools with strong retention tend to attract candidates more easily, benefit from better referrals, and make more confident long-term hiring decisions.

Stability supports everything else, from mentoring early-career teachers to building sustainable staffing models.

Turning recruitment progress into long-term stability

The rise in trainee numbers gives the sector momentum. The challenge for 2026 is ensuring that momentum translates into long-term impact.

From our vantage point, schools that are retaining staff most successfully are those focusing on:

• realistic workload expectations
• strong induction and ongoing support, regardless of experience level
• clarity around progression and development
• open conversations about flexibility and sustainability

Retention doesn’t come down to a single initiative. It’s the cumulative effect of culture, leadership and day-to-day experience.

Looking ahead

The ITT data gives the sector reasons to be optimistic. But optimism needs to be matched with action.

As a recruitment partner working closely with both schools and teachers, we see clearly that recruitment keeps classrooms staffed, and retention keeps schools strong.

In 2026, the schools best placed to succeed will be those that treat retention not as a separate challenge, but as a central part of their workforce strategy.