Exploring the impact of offsite planning, preparation, and assessment (PPA) on teacher retention

In collaboration with the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, the Chartered College is carrying out research to explore the perceived impact on teacher retention when schools encourage teachers’ PPA time to be taken offsite. Funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, the project runs from September 2024 to July 2032.

Background

Teacher recruitment and retention is a major challenge in England and globally. Historically, teachers have had less access to flexible working than other professionals. This is an issue that has become more salient with the recent rise in working from home.

All teachers in state schools in England are entitled to at least 10% of their timetabled teaching time as protected PPA time. This cannot be allocated to other duties. Evidence suggests that offsite PPA is a feasible but currently underused approach to flexible working in primary schools. This study aims to build the evidence base for this approach and its potential impact on teacher retention.

The project

The project consists of a scoping phase followed by a trial phase.

The scoping phase (2024–25), led by the Chartered College of Teaching, will explore the factors impacting the availability and uptake of offsite PPA in primary schools and establish the final trial design. This phase will also explore secondary-specific issues relating to offsite PPA.

The trial phase (2026–31), led by researchers from the IOE, will evaluate the impact of an offsite PPA policy in primary schools on:

🔵 teacher retention
🔵 job satisfaction
🔵 wellbeing.

The team

Project lead

Becky Taylor: Professorial Research Fellow, Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research (UCL)

Project team members

Sally Riordan: Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Teachers and Teaching Research (UCL)
Jake Anders: Professor of Quantitative Social Science, Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities (UCL)
Lisa-Maria Müller: Head of Research and Policy, Chartered College of Teaching
Victoria Cook: Education and Research Project Specialist, Chartered College of Teaching

How to get involved

There will be many ways to get involved in the scoping phase of the project. Opportunities will be advertised through our newsletters and via social media.