New IRIS Software Group Research Shows Correlation Between Teacher Satisfaction and Pupil Outcomes

• The vast majority (96%) of teachers believe their job satisfaction is directly linked to better pupil outcomes
• Three quarters (77%) of teachers agree that having performance management, training and career progression metrics managed in one, central system boosts happiness

LONDON, Nov. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to two new research studies sponsored by IRIS Software Group, a leading global provider of accounting, education management, HR and payroll solutions, student academic progress is measurably higher in schools where staff report greater job satisfaction.

In February 2024, research from the Department for Education (DfE) revealed a troubling trend: over one-third (36%) of UK state school teachers are considering leaving the profession within the next 12 months due to high workloads and stress—a notable uptick from 25% in 2022. With post-pandemic learning loss and student outcomes on the line, it's never been more important for schools to invest in staff retention, support, and professional development.

IRIS Software Group-sponsored Edurio analysis of 73,795 UK school staff revealed:

•  Academic progress – from the last year of primary school to when they take GCSEs – was higher among pupils in schools where staff reported greater job satisfaction.
• School staff who felt that their senior leadership teams understood and actively addressed their needs were far more likely to recommend their workplace (78%), while factors such as career advancement opportunities (86%) and effective performance management processes (85%) were also identified as strong drivers of staff satisfaction.
• Findings indicated that strong performance management, leadership that addresses day-to-day challenges, clear career progression paths, reduced administrative burdens, and flexible working options are essential to fostering teacher satisfaction.

IRIS Software Group-sponsored Teacher Tapp poll of 7,743 UK state teachers revealed:

• 96% of survey respondents believe that their job satisfaction directly leads to improved pupil outcomes.
• Among surveyed teachers who had access to an online HR management system for performance management, career progression, and training, 77% agreed that this centralisation has improved staff morale. This said, only one-in-two staff had access to such a system.

Simon Freeman, Managing Director for Education at IRIS, said: "It's a challenging time for school leaders, teachers and staff – and we stand at a critical inflection point. In order to provide the high-quality education children need, and nurture our next generation of thinkers, leaders, and citizens, we must invest in staff and teacher well-being. If we fail to act now, we risk falling behind on the global stage, leaving our younger generations unprepared in a world that is rapidly advancing."

"Our latest white paper analyses today's research findings and outlines actionable strategies to help retain and invest in school staff, such as investing in streamlined HR systems that support teacher development, reduce administrative burdens, and offer clear paths for career progression."

Findings from both pieces of research are now published in IRIS' new white paper – Happy staff, happy pupils: The new tools and rules to help staff and pupils thrive – which is available to read here: https://www.iris.co.uk/guide/helping-staff-and-pupils-thrive/.

For more information, please contact:
news@irisglobal.com

About Edurio's National Staff Experience and Pupil Experience Datasets
The National Staff Experience and Pupil Experience datasets were collected by Edurio and analysis for the purpose of this research project was sponsored by IRIS Software Group. These datasets include responses from 73,795 staff members across 1,453 schools and trusts, as well as 131,950 pupils from 344 schools and trusts, collected throughout the 2023/2024 academic year.

About IRIS' Teacher Tapp Poll
IRIS also surveyed teachers in English state schools using Teacher Tapp, a daily polling app that surveys over 10,000 teachers each day. The data presented reflects the percentage of teachers responding to each category, with responses reweighted to match the national teacher population in England. For each question, an average of approximately 7,500 responses were collected.

About IRIS Education
With more than 30 years of experience, IRIS Education is a trusted partner to more than 12,000 schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs), including 50% of schools and 75% of MATs in England. With a presence in over 90 countries worldwide, IRIS Education integrated solutions help schools and trusts manage their day-to-day operations by saving time and offering a clear view to improve education outcomes. Its product suite includes integrated student management information systems (MIS), as well as finance and budgeting, parental engagement, estate management, and HR and payroll tools – to support smarter schools and trusts with software and services. IRIS Education, an official partner of the Multi Academy Trust Association (MATA), has been recognised with the 2024 Global EdTech Award for 'Best EdTech Product, School Management Systems' and was named 'Company of the Year' at both the 2023 BETT and National MAT awards. Learn more about IRIS Education here: https://www.iris.co.uk/education/.

About IRIS Software Group  
IRIS Software Group is a global provider of mission critical software and one of the UK's largest privately held software companies. IRIS provides software solutions and services for finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organisations, and accountancy firms that takes the pain out of processes and lets professionals focus on the work they love. Through simplifying, automating and providing insights on everyday mission critical tasks for organisations of all shapes and sizes, IRIS ensures customers can look forward with certainty and confidence.

IRIS is the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government. Ninety-three of the top 100 UK accountancy firms use IRIS software. One in six of the UK's workforce is paid by IRIS payroll offerings, and globally, six million employees receive their payslip via IRIS software every month. More than 850,000 UK employees are managed by IRIS HR solutions. Over 12,000 UK schools and academies use IRIS, with four million parents and guardians using IRIS apps to connect with their children's school; 300 million messages are delivered between schools and parents each year, and over £15 million transactional payments are processed every month. IRIS is certified as a Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality in 2023. IRIS is also recognised as one of the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing, one of the Best Workplaces in Tech and one of the Best Workplaces for Women.

To see how IRIS helps organisations get things right first time, every time, visit www.iris.co.uk or follow IRIS Software Group on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. 

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