Fewer secondary heads stay in post than primary, data shows

Fewer than two-thirds of secondary head teachers remain in post after three years compared with almost four in five primary heads, according to new analysis of the school workforce in England.

The Department for Education release, based on the School Workforce Census, provides updated figures on the retention of senior leaders who were new to their posts in each census year. Retention is defined as remaining employed in the same leadership level or higher, and in the same school phase. Leaders moving between primary and secondary or into special schools are counted as not retained.

The latest figures show that 79.3% of primary head teachers were still in post three years later, compared with 64.7% of secondary heads. Retention was higher among deputies, with 80.3% of primary deputy heads and 74.8% of secondary deputy heads remaining in role after three years. Assistant heads recorded lower rates at 76.0% in primary and 71.4% in secondary.

Officials cautioned that the data may understate true retention levels because the census does not cover centrally employed staff in academy trusts and may miss some executive leaders working across multiple schools.

Exploratory analysis of Teacher Pension Scheme data suggests more leaders remain in service than appear in the census, with the gap increasing in recent years.

The release updates a 2022 publication with revised methodology and retention rates, and also provides headcount figures alongside percentages.