Key Voices

This week we talk to Jack Worth, lead economist at National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) about the report he recently authored on the impact of teacher autonomy. We delve deeper into what “autonomy” means and why teachers often feel less autonomous compared with other professionals.We look at the different levels of teacher autonomy experienced by teachers at different stages of their careers and in different types of schools. We consider how teachers feeling less autonomous relates to their levels of job satisfaction, workload and their propensity to stay in the profession. We also talk about what school leaders can practically do when it comes to professional development and culture, to help staff feel more autonomous and satisfied in their roles.