Research on teacher recruitment, retention and workforce supply.
Sims, S. & Routledge, C. (2026). Why do so many people train to teach but never teach? Assessing the role of preferences and shock using longitudinal survey data.
Working paper here / Coverage here / Blog here
Allen, R., Ford, I., Jerrim, J., Menzies, L., Sims, S., Sonmez, B., & Wespieser, K. (2025). Evaluating teacher recruitment strategies: Using fully randomised paired conjoint experiments.
Working paper here / Coverage here
Sims, S., & Routledge, C. (2025). Understanding the decision (not) to become a teacher: evidence from survey experiments with undergraduates in the UK and US.
Working paper here / Coverage here and here / Thread here
Sims, S., Lowes‐Belk, H., & Routledge, C. (2025). Why do people choose to enter and exit the teaching profession? An interdisciplinary quantitative synthesis. British Educational Research Journal.
Journal paper here / Summary for Educators here / Column here
Sims, S., & Benhenda, A. (2022). The effect of financial incentives on the retention of shortage-subject teachers: evidence from England.
Working paper here / Cited by the Labour Party in their education policy framework here / Cited by the STRB in their 2024 report here / Cited by the National Audit Office here
Sims, S., & Allen, R. (2018). Identifying schools with high usage and high loss of newly qualified teachers. National Institute Economic Review.
Journal paper here / Blog here / Coverage here , here
Sims, S., & Jerrim, J. (2020). TALIS 2018: teacher working conditions, turnover and attrition. Department for Education.
Paper here / Blog here / REF Case Study here
Sims, S. (2019). Increasing the quantity and quality of science teachers in schools: Eight evidence-based principles. Gatsby Foundation.
Paper here / Coverage here , here / Cited by Ofsted here
Sims, S. (2018). What happens when you pay shortage subject teachers more money? Simulating the effect of early-career salary supplements on the supply of shortage-subject teachers in England. Gatsby Foundation.
Paper here / Coverage here / Referenced by govt’s teacher pay advisory body (p. 69) here and the Government’s Teacher Retention Strategy (p. 3, 14) here
Sam Sims Quantitative Education Research 