Exploring teacher attrition, retention and relocation in a Dutch urban context

Introduction: Teacher shortages are a growing concern, particularly in urban areas where retaining teachers is increasingly challenging. This study examines the factors influencing teacher attrition, retention, and relocation in Dutch primary education and explores how these factors differ across teachers who leave the profession, remain in urban schools, or relocate to schools outside Amsterdam.
Methods: A comparative qualitative design was employed, combining semi-structured interviews with a card-sorting task based on the four-capital model of teacher retention and attrition. The sample comprised former teachers (n = 13), current teachers in Amsterdam (n = 9), and teachers who had relocated from Amsterdam to another school (n = 7). This multi-method approach enabled both an in-depth exploration of teachers' experiences and a structured comparison across groups.
Results: Workload, limited intellectual stimulation and task variety, and insufficient flexibility emerged as the main contributors to teacher attrition. Factors supporting retention included enjoyment of working with children, making a societal contribution, and positive collegial relationships. Relocation decisions were primarily driven by housing affordability, long commuting distances, and inadequate travel reimbursement, highlighting the importance of urban contextual factors.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that teacher attrition, retention, and relocation are shaped by distinct but interconnected factors. Strengthening school leadership, improving induction and classroom management support, and addressing housing and commuting barriers may help reduce teacher shortages and improve teacher retention in urban areas.