Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

What Motivates People to Teach, and Why Do They Leave? Accountability, Performativity and Teacher Retention

Bibliographic Data

ID8405630
AuthorsJone Perryman (0000-0001-6880-8661, University College London, corresponding author), Graham Calvert (0009-0007-6460-7556, University College London)
Year2020
Volume68
Issue1
Pages3-23
Publication date2020-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Educational Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-1005 • E-ISSN: 1467-8527
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00071005.2019.1589417
OpenAlexW2929321846
LanguageEN
Citations received136
References cited35

A longstanding problem in the teacher workforce, internationally and in the UK, is the continuing and substantial numbers of qualified teachers who leave the profession within five years. This paper uses data collected from a survey to the last five years of teacher education graduates of UCL Institute of Education (IOE) in London, to explore what originally motivated them to teach, and the reasons why they have left or may consider leaving in the future. We discovered that despite claiming to be aware of the challenges of workload before entering teaching, workload was the most frequently cited reason for having left, or for leaving in the future. The data spoke to the reality of teaching being worse than expected, and the nature (rather than the quantity) of the workload, linked to notions of performativity and accountability, being a crucial factor. This paper draws on a substantial new source of data and explores reasons for leaving in the context of reported initial motivation of individuals who have left teaching, individuals who are planning to leave and individuals who are planning to stay in teaching

Accountability · Context (archaeology) · Economics · Management · Pedagogy · Performativity · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Workforce · Workload · Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion · Gender Studies · Law · Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation

  • (Un)teaching the ‘datafied student subject’

    Michaela J Harrison, C Davies et al.•Teaching in Higher Education•2020

  • Teacher autonomy in the age of performance-based accountability

    Open Access•Lluís Parcerisa, Antoni Verger et al.•Education Policy Analysis Archives•2022

  • Exploring the predictors of teacher retention among beginning teachers in Ethiopia

    Open Access•William Nketsia, Ali Sani Side et al.•Education Policy Analysis Archives•2022

  • Are these the accountable teacher subjects citizens want

    Open Access•Craig Skerritt•Education Policy Analysis Archives•2022

  • Changes over time in the professional identity tensions of Dutch early-career teachers

    Open Access•Harmen Schaap, Anna C van der Want et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2021

  • Teacher wellbeing in England

    Jude Brady, Elaine Wilson•Cambridge Journal of Education•2021

  • Hegemony, Equilibrium and Counterpower

    Open Access•Cornelia Beyer•International Relations•2009

  • Educators’ Psychosocial Burdens Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and Predictive Factors

    Open Access•Yasue Fukuda, Koji Fukuda•International Journal of…•2022

  • Teachers’ Well-Being and Associated Factors during the Covid-19 Pandemic

    Open Access•Sam S S Lau, Eric N Y Shum et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  • Initial Employment Choices of Secondary STEM Teachers

    Kristi McCann, Grant Clayton et al.•The New Educator•2025

  • Teacher recruitment for high school students

    Open Access•Fanni Liu Coward, Jaehoon Lee et al.•Frontiers in Education•2026

  • Breaking the Façade

    Open Access•Charlotte Feather•Social Sciences•2026

  • Where data rule the roost – teachers’ perspectives on job satisfaction, autonomy and change in UK post-compulsory education

    Marcin Lewandowski, Ana Maria Teodora Andronic•Research in Post-Compulsory…•2026

  • Predictors of educators’ professional uncertainty

    Open Access•Megan Hut, D Jake Follmer et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2026

  • Student teachers’ motivation for teaching

    Open Access•Dag Roness, Liv Eide et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2026

  • Professional Supervision for Principals

    Open Access•Mary Ann Hunter, Geoffrey Broughton•Professional Supervision for…•2025

  • Exploring the Context-Based Determinants of Turnover Intention among In-Service Teachers in Lira City, Uganda

    Open Access•Ivan Okello Odongo, Loyce Kiiza Kobusingye et al.•E-Journal of Humanities Arts and…•2025

  • Factors shaping the implementation of educational organizational change

    Open Access•Haneen Vasel•Social Sciences & Humanities Open•2025

  • School improvement and peer learning partnerships

    Open Access•David Godfrey, Bernardita Munoz-Chereau•Frontiers in Education•2024

  • A systematic literature review on the importance of teacher recruitment and retention in global educational reform

    Open Access•Md Mirajur Rhaman Shaoan, Tebatso Namanyane et al.•Frontiers in Education•2025

  • Identity Tensions

    Open Access•Tiffany Karalis Noel•Frontiers in Education•2021

  • Walking the Leadership Tightrope

    Open Access•Andy Love, Se Woong Lee•Education Sciences•2025

  • Mid-Career Teachers

    Open Access•JOSEPHINE BOOTH, Nick Moore et al.•Education Sciences•2021

  • Teacher Recruitment and Retention

    Open Access•Beng Huat See, Rebecca Morris et al.•Education Sciences•2020

  • Bracing Ourselves

    Open Access•Nicola Warren‐Lee, Lorna Smith et al.•Education Sciences•2024

  • Headteachers and external inspection in England

    Open Access•Jone Perryman, Alice Bradbury et al.•Educational Management…•2025

  • What is the problem and how can we solve it? School authorities’ perceptions of the shortage of teachers in Sweden

    Open Access•Lena Boström•Educational Research for Policy…•2023

  • The multiple societal roles of teachers in England

    Open Access•Katriina Maaranen, Jessica Holloway et al.•European Journal of Educational…•2025

  • Happier on the outside? Discourses of exclusion, disempowerment and belonging from former autistic school staff

    Open Access•Rebecca Wood•Journal of Research in Special…•2024

  • How are teacher shortages in hardest-to-staff schools represented in (inter)national policy documents from England and Australia

    Open Access•Reece Mills, Terri Bourke et al.•Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher…•2024

  • A summary of initiatives to address teacher shortages in hard-to-staff schools in the Anglosphere

    Open Access•Amy Mcpherson, Jo Lampert et al.•Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher…•2024

  • Hard work / workload

    Kathryn Spicksley•Teachers and Teaching•2022

  • Still standing

    Open Access•Jo Lampert, Amy Mcpherson et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2024

  • Not the job I imagined

    Open Access•Jo Lampert, Amy Mcpherson et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2026

  • The great resignation in teaching

    Open Access•Betina Hsieh, Alejandra Priede et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2025

  • Teacher retention in challenging schools

    Open Access•Linet Arthur, Simon Bradley•Teachers and Teaching•2023

  • The relationship between moral identity, motivation, and basic psychological needs to special education teacher retention

    Open Access•Jed Locquiao, Keri DeSutter•Current Psychology•2024

  • Exploring out-of-field teachers’ wellbeing profiles

    Open Access•Vo Ngoc Hoi, Hoi Ngoc Vo et al.•Current Psychology•2026

  • Motivation to teach a non-mandatory learning-unit on energy efficiency and renewable energy

    Keren Kaplan Mintz, Tzvi Tal et al.•International Journal of Science…•2021

  • How former beginning teachers reach the final decision to quit

    Open Access•Huixuan Xu, Zhuoran Li et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2026

  • Reflection through revisiting

    Open Access•Lorna Smith•English in Education•2025

  • The Deis programme as a policy aimed at combating educational disadvantage

    Open Access•Brian Fleming, Judith Harford•Irish Educational Studies•2023

  • Teacher emotions and emotional labour

    Open Access•Margaret Parks, Loraine Mckay•The Australian Educational…•2023

  • Notes toward a pedagogy of comfort

    Open Access•A Hickey•The Australian Educational…•2025

  • Understanding Australia’s teacher shortage

    Open Access•Mark Rahimi, Ben Arnold•The Australian Educational…•2025

  • Teachers’ working conditions, wellbeing and retention

    Open Access•Ben Arnold, Mark Rahimi•The Australian Educational…•2025

  • ‘I left the teaching profession … and this is what I am doing now’

    Open Access•Robyn Brandenburg, Ellen Larsen et al.•The Australian Educational…•2024

  • Finding a way through the fog

    Open Access•Josie Maitland, Jonathan Glazzard•Cambridge Journal of Education•2022

  • Responding to a cry in the wilderness

    Open Access•Lorna Smith•Cambridge Journal of Education•2023

  • Newly qualified teachers’ highs and lows during the first year of teaching

    Open Access•Marit Ulvik, Liv Eide et al.•Cambridge Journal of Education•2026

  • What does success mean to you? Negotiating individual definitions of educational success within an examination-dominated regime of truth

    Open Access•Thomas Godfrey-Faussett, Jo‐Anne Baird•Oxford Review of Education•2025

  • Has the mental health and wellbeing of teachers in England changed over time? New evidence from three datasets

    Open Access•John Jerrim, Sam Sims et al.•Oxford Review of Education•2021

  • British teachers’ declining job quality

    Francis Green•Oxford Review of Education•2021

  • Can a code-based approach to marking and feedback reduce teachers’ workload? An evaluation of the FLASH marking intervention

    Open Access•Rebecca Morris, Stephen Gorard et al.•Oxford Review of Education•2024

  • Reimagining teacher education in light of the teacher shortage and the aftershock of Covid-19

    Maria Assunção Flores, Cheryl J Craig•European Journal of Teacher…•2023

  • The shortage of teachers in Estonia

    Open Access•Äli Leijen, Liina Lepp et al.•European Journal of Teacher…•2025

  • Antecedents of preservice music teacher students’ career intention to become music teachers

    Open Access•Mingfu Qin, Roberto Alonso Trillo•European Journal of Teacher…•2025

  • Teacher shortage and Initial teacher education in Portugal

    Maria Assunção Flores•Journal of Education for Teaching…•2025

  • Effect of student teachers’ teaching beliefs and attitudes towards teaching on motivation to teach

    Gökhan Baş•Journal of Education for Teaching…•2022

  • Can the concept of the protean career help us to understand millennial pre-service teacher retention challenges? A study of two pre-service teachers’ career pathways in England

    Anne Parfitt•Journal of Education for Teaching…•2020

  • Choosing to stay

    Li Wang•Asia Pacific Journal of Education•2025

  • A critical evaluation of “paradoxical” leadership

    Jude Chua Soo Meng•Asia Pacific Journal of Education•2024

  • Teacher retention and attrition

    Open Access•H Cuervo, Esperanza Vera-Toscano•Asia Pacific Journal of Education•2025

  • Making Sense of Teacher Turnover

    Open Access•Michelle Doughty•Teachers College Record The Voice…•2024

  • Back to Basics With Teacher Recruitment

    Open Access•J S Snell Rebecca, Robert M Klassen et al.•European Journal of Education•2025

  • What are the possibilities for promoting teacher resilience at the school level? Insights from the co‐development of a participatory approach in England

    Open Access•Steph Ainsworth, Carrie Adamson et al.•British Educational Research…•2026

  • Motivation matters

    Open Access•Carina Bargmann, Lisa Thiele et al.•Higher Education•2022

  • The influence of subjective norms and science identity on academic career intentions

    Open Access•Chaoying Tang, Tao Yi et al.•Higher Education•2024

  • Through their eyes

    Emma Clarke, Shaun Thompson•Educational Review•2026

  • How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect the anxiety of teachers at work

    Open Access•John Jerrim, Rebecca Allen et al.•Educational Review•2024

  • Ecological Grading for Writing Instruction

    Philip M McCarthy, Maria Eleftheriou et al.•The Educational Forum•2026

  • Negotiating Needs in an Accountability Regime

    Open Access•Zihan Dai, Menghua Zhu et al.•British Journal of Educational…•2026

  • Performance-based accountability

    Open Access•David Baidoo-Anu, Isaac Ennu Baidoo•Education Inquiry•2022

  • Our unseen battle”

    Bich‐Phuong Thi Nguyen, Minh-Hong Cu et al.•Qualitative Research Journal•2025

  • Knowing me, knowing you

    Tara Walker, Elise Burbidge et al.•International Journal of…•2024

  • For the foreseeable future

    Open Access•Jo Lampert, Amy Mcpherson et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2026

  • Racial justice pedagogy

    Erold K Bailey•International Journal of…•2021

  • From taskforce to blueprint

    Open Access•David P Hurford, Alex C Fender et al.•Annals of Dyslexia•2025

  • Teacher job satisfaction

    Open Access•Nurullah Eryilmaz, Nurullah Eryılmaz et al.•Studies In Educational Evaluation•2025

  • A Teacher Like Me

    Yiting Chu•Multicultural Perspectives•2024

  • Newly qualified secondary school teachers’ perspectives on workplace learning

    Open Access•Marit Ulvik, Liv Eide et al.•Education Inquiry•2023

  • Better to lose than to gamble? The typology of career differentiation and agency of experienced teachers in rural areas in China

    Open Access•Tongtong Zhao, Xudong Zhu et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2023

  • Journey to becoming an English teacher

    Open Access•Hai Yen Vu, Mai Xuan Nhat Chi Nguyen et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2025

  • Retention intention

    Open Access•Jeffrey Keese, Hersholt C Waxman et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2021

  • Three worlds pitfall? A transfronteriza Latina bilingual teacher leveraging literacy to navigate, home, school, and university divides

    Open Access•Rosalyn Harvey‐Torres, Rosalyn Harvey-Torres et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2022

  • Secondary teachers’ experiences of presence in teaching

    Open Access•Edith C J Roefs, Ida E Oosterheert et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2024

  • Exploring teachers’ perspectives on career development

    Open Access•Youmen Chaaban, Hadeel Alkhateeb et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2022

  • Newly qualified teachers

    Open Access•Edel Karin Kvam, Dag Roness et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2023

  • Navigating a pathway of professional learning

    Open Access•Loraine Mckay, Tasha Riley et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2022

  • Beginner teachers and classroom communities

    Open Access•Jane Barnard, Mark Betteney et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2022

  • When is high workload bad for teacher wellbeing? Accounting for the non-linear contribution of specific teaching tasks

    Open Access•John Jerrim, Sam Sims•Teaching and Teacher Education•2021

  • Knowing when to step in

    Andrew Pendola•Teachers and Teaching•2025

  • Education and the social mobility conundrum

    Open Access•Caroline Sarah Jones•Children & Society•2024

  • Turning school inspections toxic

    Open Access•Graham Calvert, Jone Perryman et al.•Journal of Education Policy•2025

  • Inequitable teacher turnover and performance-based appraisal

    Open Access•Leah Natasha Glassow•Journal of Education Policy•2024

  • Primary teachers’ experiences of Ofsted inspections

    Open Access•Alice Bradbury, Jone Perryman et al.•Journal of Education Policy•2025

  • Gaming’ in the English primary school

    Open Access•Soo Sturrock•Journal of Education Policy•2024

  • From performative to professional accountability

    Open Access•Jennifer Gore, Bernadette Rickards et al.•Journal of Education Policy•2023

  • What are the key predictors of international teacher shortages

    Open Access•Stephen Gorard, Mark Ledger et al.•Research Papers in Education•2025

  • Experienced burnout and teacher–working environment fit

    Katariina Räsänen, Janne Pietarinen et al.•Research Papers in Education•2024

  • Teacher stress and burnout

    Chris Kyriacou•Educational Research•1987

  • The Teacher Shortage

    Open Access•Richard M Ingersoll•NASSP Bulletin•2002

  • Perceived Role Conflict, Role Ambiguity, and Teacher Burnout

    Open Access•Richard L Schwab, Edward F Iwanicki•Educational Administration…•1982

  • The education debate

    David A Bell, Millais Culpin et al.•Physics Bulletin•1978

  • Dimensions of teacher self-efficacy and relations with strain factors, perceived collective teacher efficacy, and teacher burnout.

    Einar M Skaalvik, Sidsel Skaalvik•Journal of Educational Psychology•2007

  • Initial and changing student teacher motivation and commitment to teaching

    Catherine Sinclair•Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher…•2008

  • Exploring beginning teachers’ attrition in the Netherlands

    Open Access•Perry Den Brok, Theo Wubbels et al.•Teachers and Teaching•2017

  • Teacher Recruitment and Retention

    Open Access•Cassandra M Guarino, Lucrecia Santibañez et al.•Review of Educational Research•2006

  • Retaining Black Teachers

    Abiola A Farinde, Ayana Allen-Handy et al.•Equity & Excellence in Education•2016

  • The adequacy of response rates to online and paper surveys

    Duncan David Nulty•Assessment & Evaluation in Higher…•2008

  • Exploring Why Career Changers Leave Teaching

    Jennifer Locraft Cuddapah, Mary Ellen Beaty‐O’Ferrall et al.•The New Educator•2011

  • School climate factors relating to teacher burnout

    Open Access•Jessica L Grayson, Heather K Alvarez•Teaching and Teacher Education•2007

  • I’ve decided to become a teacher’

    Open Access•Paul Richardson, Helen M G Watts•Teaching and Teacher Education•2005

  • Teacher self-efficacy and teacher burnout

    Open Access•Einar M Skaalvik, Sidsel Skaalvik•Teaching and Teacher Education•2009

  • Teacher self-efficacy in cross-national perspective

    Svenja Vieluf, M Kunter et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2013

  • Teacher attrition the first five years – A multifaceted image

    Open Access•Per Lindqvist, Ulla Karin Nordänger et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2014

  • Motivations for choosing teaching as a career

    Open Access•Helen M G Watts, Paul Richardson et al.•Teaching and Teacher Education•2012

  • Inspection and the fabrication of professional and performative processes

    Jone Perryman•Journal of Education Policy•2009

  • Primary school leadership in England

    Amanda Keddie•British Journal of Sociology of…•2017

  • The personal and professional selves of teachers

    Open Access•Christopher Day, Christopher W Day et al.•British Educational Research…•2006

  • The teacher's soul and the terrors of performativity

    Stephen Ball•Journal of Education Policy•2003

  • Stayers, Leavers, Lovers, and Dreamers

    Open Access•Marilyn Cochran‐smith, Marilyn Cochran-Smith•Journal of Teacher Education•2004

  • Perspectives on Reasons for Becoming Teachers

    Open Access•Pamela Bolotin Joseph, Nancy Green•Journal of Teacher Education•1986

Unique citing works136
Citations per year8
Citation span2009 - 2026 (18)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 129
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae