Why CPD is key to teacher satisfaction and retention

By Dr Marcin Lewandowski, an experienced manager, tutor, teacher trainer and researcher.

Continuous professional development (CPD) is an essential part of teachers’ growth and effectiveness. It keeps educators updated with the latest teaching practices, enhances their skills, and ultimately improves student outcomes.

However, this is not the only reason why a comprehensive CPD offer should be on the menu of all educational establishments. Recent studies have shown that effective CPD may also contribute to teachers’ satisfaction at work and even retention.

A 2020 survey by the Department for Education (DfE) found that 52% of teachers who left the further education (FE) sector indicated that more progression opportunities and better training might have encouraged them to stay (29% and 23% respectively). Additionally, in 2021 Van den Brande and Zuccollo estimated that as many as 12,000 more full-time equivalent teachers remain in the profession each year because of the CPD entitlement.

An exploratory study I conducted with my colleague Ana Andronic in 2025 confirms similar findings. The study examined how teachers’ perceptions of autonomy impact job satisfaction, and one of the variables we considered was CPD. It was a relatively small sample of 153 teachers from the post-compulsory sector (FE, ACL and charities). Our study showed that despite the prevailing culture of compliance, the majority of teachers (59%) felt that they had opportunities for professional development in their organisations and this positively correlated with job satisfaction. Interestingly, the correlation was higher for FE staff compared to non-FE teachers. This could be due to colleges being better resourced to provide training for staff, which, coupled with downward pressures for quality, means that there are more training opportunities in FE.

However, quantity doesn’t always equal quality. Although we did not assess the quality of CPD directly, our qualitative data captured teachers' perspectives, with many noting that CPD sessions could be more meaningful which suggests a need for greater focus on improving CPD effectiveness.

CPD in colleges typically takes several forms: statutory training on key policies like safeguarding, prevent, health and safety, large-scale training days featuring addresses from principals, departmental workshops, and informal training sessions. In 2018, the Education and Training Foundation published a large-scale survey of 2366 respondents from 481 training providers on the training needs of people in the post-16 education and training providers in England. It found that as many as a quarter of staff working in the sector felt that they had not received the training they needed, over a third felt that the training they undertook was of little value to them or was just ‘tick box’ training to meet organisational or external requirements and 12% said that their training was of low quality.

This sentiment is shared by some of the teachers in our survey who made several suggestions. They proposed that changes could be made through:

• restructuring of the organisation with a view to supporting staff development, and therefore improving retention of staff.

• meaningful training sessions in which teachers can discuss teaching methods and new research.

• protected time on timetables for practitioner action research and to share findings with peers. Then, for teachers to have time to reflect, adapt, try out ideas in their classroom and feedback.

Comments like these demonstrate that professional development is seen by teachers as an important element of their jobs. They also highlight the need to move beyond the workshop-heavy approach to CPD and embrace a more experiential approach such as practitioner research. In doing so, teachers recognise the value of meaningful CPD in maintaining their professionalism as well as its contribution to morale and thus retention.

In 2023, I advocated the adoption of practitioner research in the service of teacher professional development, arguing that it is a teacher-driven, reflective approach that deepens learning, boosts job satisfaction, drives quality improvement, enhances learner outcomes, and builds a collaborative research culture. However, I have also noted that such an approach requires a buy-in not only from teachers but must be embraced by everyone in the organisation in order to provide the necessary resources and support systems where necessary.

This point was made cogently by another teacher in our sample: “I feel that institutions should embrace teacher autonomy and celebrate risk taking. Teaching is a creative profession and as with all creative pursuits, if too many limitations are put in place, the creative process suffers and practice becomes predictable and mundane both for teachers and learners. To encourage creativity in practice, managers, both at senior level and middle managers, have to be supportive and forward thinking. Also, institutions should use staff training events to share practice, share experiences and celebrate innovative teaching and learning.”

The teacher effectively advocates a system akin to the ‘sandpit’ method where ideas can be discussed and tested, risks taken, and pedagogic creativity and innovation flourish. Such an approach represents a departure from the prevailing creativity stifling managerialist culture to a more holistic model that prioritises trust and teacher autonomy. By fostering a supportive, trust-based environment, institutions can empower teachers, promote job satisfaction, and ultimately create a more resilient and effective educational workforce.

In research published by the NFER in 2020, Worth and Van den Brande found that giving teachers autonomy over their professional development goals can have a positive impact on their satisfaction and intention to stay in teaching. Colleges are starting to recognise this potential. The Research College Group, for example, is a consortium of seven FE colleges and sixth forms are committed to practitioner research. Meanwhile Barking and Dagenham College’s TRACKS programme allows their teachers to tailor their training to their needs and interests through choice and the range of activities on offer, demonstrate the acknowledgement of the value of meaningful, teacher driven professional development.

CPD is not just a tool for enhancing teaching skills and staying updated with educational practices; it is also crucial for improving teacher satisfaction and retention. By moving beyond compliance-driven training to more meaningful, teacher-driven CPD, educational institutions can foster a supportive environment that values autonomy and innovation. This holistic approach not only benefits teachers but also contributes to a more resilient and effective educational workforce.