An academy trust’s new nine-day fortnight improved wellbeing and resulted in financial savings for teachers, but some 鈥渇elt overwhelmed by the condensed schedule鈥, analysis suggests. And another research paper published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) today found including perks like more planning time and healthcare benefits in teacher job adverts can attract applicants as much as a 10 per cent salary rise. Retention for the teacher workforce, with more than one in 10 teachers leaving within a year of qualifying, and over a quarter (27 per cent) leaving within three years. Meanwhile recruitment to initial teacher training of government targets. Nine-day fortnight broadly positive… The has published several reports that shine a light on the impacts of various recruitment and retention strategies. The reports include initial findings from a flexible working trial at Dixons Academies Trust. It found teachers said their wellbeing and work-life balance improved when working a nine-day fortnight. Under the trial, staff received one day off every other week, while retaining full pay. Analysis by the Ambition Institute and IFF Research suggested most staff welcomed the policy. …but some ‘overwhelmed’ Teachers reported improved wellbeing, more free time and financial savings, though some 鈥渇elt overwhelmed by the condensed schedule鈥. Many leaders used their non-working day to work from home rather than as a non-working day as intended. But leaders still 鈥渞eport unexpected mental health benefits鈥. However,鈥痵ome early career teachers (ECTs) felt they had less access to developmental support from senior鈥痩eaders under the scheme. Some non-teaching staff also experienced a negative impact on morale, 鈥渇eeling excluded from the policy鈥檚 benefits鈥. Meanwhile pupils 鈥渨ere largely unaffected鈥 and some benefited. Some teachers said relationships with pupils improved, and some leaders said pupils benefited from being exposed to different teachers鈥 skillsets. Timetabling was 鈥渁 consistent challenge鈥, the report found. Schools implemented the nine-day fortnights in different ways, but generally 鈥渄id not reduce workloads of teachers by 10 per cent鈥. Instead, they adopted condensed hours or a smaller reduction in overall working hours. Also published today is a study led by Professor Becky Allen from Teacher Tapp – alongside Iain Ford, Professor John Jerrim, Loic Menzies, Dr Sam Sims, Dr Burak Sonmez, and Karen Wespieser 鈥 which looked at what makes teaching jobs more attractive to prospective candidates. ‘Effects comparable to a 10% pay rise’ Researchers compared responses to job adverts and used statistical analysis to determine which benefits are likely to have most impact. They also surveyed around 6,000 teachers and 400 headteachers across England. They found most teachers valued concrete perks listed on job adverts, such as more planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, smaller class sizes and free healthcare. When mentioned in job listings, these 鈥渉ad effects comparable to a 10 per cent salary rise鈥. Many of the most appealing strategies 鈥 like substantially reduced class sizes – are expensive, and the report said money could be better spent on increasing salaries. But it said 鈥渉ealthcare offers, childcare subsidies, and flexible working commitments stand out as both better value for money and more likely to influence application decisions than increasing salary for many teachers.” Incentives needed to attract teachers to disadvantaged schools The research also highlighted the additional recruitment challenges faced by disadvantaged schools, and provides 鈥渞are evidence on the scale of financial incentive needed to level the playing field鈥. Researchers asked teachers under what conditions they would apply to named local schools. They found teachers required, on average, a 拢6,250 (13 per cent) salary uplift to consider moving to a new school with a similar demographic profile. If the school had a higher FSM rate, they required an additional 拢115 per FSM percentage point to tempt them into applying. EEF co-chief executive Emily Yeomans said: “These findings underline the importance of targeted, evidence-informed approaches to tackling teacher shortages, particularly for disadvantaged schools. “By setting out what the evidence tells us is most likely to work鈥 through both the individual studies and wider evidence summary,鈥痺e hope to support decision-makers in developing more effective, sustainable solutions.鈥濃