Some teacher retention payments made no difference to retention rates, according to new analysis which suggests the schemes are less effective than previously thought. But the National Foundation for Education Research (), which ran the study, said retention payments should still be used to boost teacher numbers 鈥渁s part of a wider strategy鈥. The research, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, examined the effectiveness of five different government schemes piloted since 2018, aimed at improving teacher retention with financial incentives for early career teachers. The schemes evaluated are: the Maths and Physics Retention Payment (MPRP), Teacher Student Loan Reimbursement (TSLR), Maths Phased Bursary (MPB), Early Career Payment (ECP), and the Levelling Up Premium (LUP). Each provided additional payments to teachers in shortage secondary subjects, with direct payments for teachers in their first five years and loan reimbursements paid to those in their first 10 years. Evidence on retention payments 鈥榤ixed鈥 Previous studies have suggested positive impacts from retention payments. But NFER said its new analysis shows 鈥渨eaker and often not statistically significant improvements in teacher retention鈥. However, Jack Worth, school workforce lead at the NFER, and co-author of the study, said 鈥渁n underlying level of uncertainty鈥 means 鈥渢he findings from any one study should be interpreted cautiously and within the context of the wider literature鈥. The Levelling Up Premium (LUP), which launched in 2022 with 拢60 million funding, included payments to new teachers initially of up to 拢3,000 a year. But NFER analysis found it had a 鈥渕odest鈥 reduction in leaving rates, at around one percentage point 鈥淭he effect is not statistically significant 鈥 suggesting more data would be needed before firm conclusions could be drawn.鈥 Meanwhile, analysis suggests the early career payment and teacher student loan reimbursement schemes 鈥渕ay have been associated with a slight worsening in retention鈥. Overall, the study found the schemes led to a 0.7 percentage point reduction in the rate of teachers leaving, which was deemed 鈥渟mall鈥 and not 鈥渟tatistically significant鈥. 鈥淥verall, this means our study provides some weak evidence that retention payments improve retention, but it is far from conclusive,鈥 the report added. 鈥淰iewed within the wider literature, it suggests retention payments may be an important tool for improving teacher retention, but the evidence is somewhat mixed.鈥 Ian Hartwright Ian Hartwright, head of policy at school leaders鈥 union NAHT, said retention payments, bursaries and other initiatives 鈥渉ave failed to deliver sufficient new entrants鈥r act effectively to retain serving professionals鈥. Bursaries more cost effective The analysis simulated the long-term effect retention payments versus bursaries, if the same amount of money was spent on each. It showed bursaries are 鈥渃onsiderably more cost effective鈥. The NFER report predicted every additional 鈥渢eacher year鈥 secured through teacher retention payments would cost around 拢20,000, compared to between 拢9-13,000 through bursaries. The report suggested retention payments could be a 鈥渦seful additional lever鈥 once bursaries have 鈥渞eached their practical maximum鈥, such as matching teacher starting salaries. There was no strong evidence that retention payments work better for certain teacher groups or schools. Calls for policy rethink NFER said its findings show retention payments should be 鈥渃arefully targeted鈥 and used alongside high bursaries to get 鈥渂est value鈥. Worth added they could 鈥渇ocus on subject shortages鈥 or target schools with more disadvantaged pupils, which often struggle to recruit and retain teachers. NFER also called for government to gather more evidence on the impact on recruitment and retention interventions. Julie McCulloch, senior director of strategy and policy at school leaders鈥 union ASCL, said to improve retention, said the findings show pay 鈥渕ust remain competitive throughout a teacher鈥檚 career and steps must be taken to dial down the accountability system and workload pressures that are driving many teachers away from the profession鈥. Julie McCulloch Hartwright added聽additional聽incentives on top of pay like 鈥渇ully funding teacher training, waiving student loans, and long service awards鈥澛燾ould help, but as a聽鈥渃herry on the cake, not its main ingredients鈥. A DfE spokesperson said: “Work is already underway to recruit an additional 6,500 teachers, restoring teaching as the highly valued profession it should be with a 10% pay award over the last two years and millions invested to encourage more talented individuals into teaching.” They cited data that shows around 2,300 more teachers in secondary and special schools this year compared to last year. 鈥淩etaining more talented teachers is vital to delivering on this pledge, which is why we are offering payments worth up to 拢6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers and we are working alongside the sector to improve workload and wellbeing including encouraging schools to offer more flexible working practices. “We are already seeing green shoots of early progress with the latest figures showing that this year has one of the lowest leaver rates since 2010, with 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector.鈥