Clare Routledge
Department, Institution: Institute of Education, UCL
UBEL Pathway: Education
Supervisor: Dr. Jake Anders, Dr. Sam Sims
Contact details: clare.routledge@ucl.ac.uk
Social Media: https://bsky.app/profile/clareroutledge.bsky.social
About Me
I began my career through Teach First and taught in London primary schools for four years. Wanting to develop stronger quantitative research skills, I completed a Master’s in Education Policy and Analysis at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Since then, I have worked in education and policy research in the USA, at Ambition Institute, at the BBC, and as a research assistant at UCL. My interests lie in education workforce issues and in applying quantitative methods, including longitudinal analysis and survey experiments, to policy-relevant questions.
My Research
My project investigates the causes of mid-career teacher turnover in England. While policy has focused heavily on early-career teacher retention, mid-career attrition remains understudied, despite being the largest single group of teacher leavers.
To address this gap, I will use large-scale longitudinal datasets to examine both early predictors of entry into teaching and the life events that shape mid-career exits. I will also design and run an experimental survey to understand how teachers trade off different job attributes such as pay, workload, and flexibility. By combining evidence from longitudinal data, life-course analysis, and experimental methods, the research will generate new insights into why teachers leave the profession and which policy levers are most likely to improve retention.
Impact of My Research
Teacher turnover is a major challenge for schools and pupils, particularly in disadvantaged communities. High attrition disrupts school communities, reduces instructional coherence, and negatively affects attainment. Yet there is limited evidence on why mid-career teachers leave and what might encourage them to stay.
This project will generate timely evidence at a moment when education workforce planning is a national priority. Findings will inform the Department for Education, multi-academy trusts, and school leaders considering interventions such as flexible working, enhanced parental leave, workload reduction, or financial incentives.
By combining longitudinal analysis, life-course data, and survey experiments, the research will both improve understanding of teacher labour markets and simulate the likely effects of targeted retention policies. This will help policymakers and school leaders make evidence-based decisions on how to retain experienced teachers, reducing recruitment pressures and supporting greater stability for pupils.
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