About the Teaching Supply Alliance
The Teaching Supply Alliance (TSA) is a collaborative initiative bringing together expertise from across school and Further Education teacher education to improve understanding of teacher supply in England through a curated website of evidence on teacher recruitment and retention.
The TSA evolved from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Teaching Profession Teacher Supply Special Interest Group (SIG). When the APPG closed in May 2024, the Teacher Supply SIG continued to meet, focusing on new evidence generation in early career teacher supply, SEND teacher supply and the teacher status and supply. In 2025 the SIG decided, following a review of outputs and the voluntary membership capacity, to use the evidence on teacher supply it had curated to support its work as the foundation for a new approach to allied working.
Vision Statement
The TSA supports the securing of a robust, sustainable, and diverse teaching workforce for schools and Further Education,, informed by research evidence on teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development strategies.
Mission Statement
To serve as a collaborative hub and repository of open access, published evidence on teacher supply, recruitment and retention.
The Teaching Supply Alliance curates and shares research, reports, and policy documents to improve understanding of the teacher supply landscape and support evidence-informed solutions that contribute to a sustainable, high-quality teaching workforce for schools and Further Education.
Purpose
The Teaching Supply Alliance has evolved from a cross-sector collaboration of experts to a website-based resource that provides easy access to knowledge about teacher supply. Operating as an unfunded, volunteer-led initiative run by expert contributors, the TSA works through collaboration and partnership to:
01
Provide a single, authoritative repository of published, open access evidence on teacher supply, recruitment, and retention
02
Support evidence-informed decision-making by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and institutional leaders
03
Facilitate cross-sector learning through curated thematic content relevant to schools and Further Education
04
Strengthen understanding of factors influencing teacher supply and workforce sustainability
05
Contribute to improving conditions for the teaching profession and educational outcomes
Terms of Reference
1. Structure and Governance
1.1 Secretariat
The Teaching Supply Alliance is governed by a Secretariat comprising the following five roles:
- Co-Chairs (2): Provide strategic leadership, oversee website development and content direction, represent the TSA externally, and coordinate partnership agreements
- School Content Lead: Curates and manages research and evidence relating to teacher recruitment, retention and supply in schools
- Further Education Content Lead: Curates and manages research and evidence relating to teacher recruitment, retention and supply in Further Education
- Web Lead: Manages the technical operation of the website, coordinates content uploads, ensures website functionality, and liaises with the website provider (Penrose Education)
- For more information about our Secretariat, please visit: Our Secretariat
1.2 Members
TSA Members are content providers and collaborators who contribute evidence and insights to support the work of the Content Leads. Members may be drawn from schools, colleges, universities, professional bodies, research organisations, think tanks, and other institutions with expertise or interest in teacher supply.
1.3 External Partners
The TSA establishes formal partnerships with organisations that generate or hold evidence on teacher supply. These organisations are acknowledged on the website and exchange hyperlinks with the TSA to increase visibility and traffic to relevant resources.
2. Membership
2.1 Eligibility
Membership is open to individuals and organisations with expertise or interest in teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development in schools and Further Education.
2.2 Member Roles and Responsibilities
- Members act as content providers and collaborators
- Members contribute expertise, evidence, or insights relevant to the TSA purpose
- Members engage with the Secretariat to identify and recommend evidence for inclusion in the repository
3. Content and Evidence Curation
3.1 Scope of Content
The TSA repository includes published, open access evidence on teacher supply, recruitment and retention in England. Content covers evidence published since 2019 and includes:
- Peer-reviewed research articles and reports
- Policy documents and white papers
- Institutional research and evaluation reports
- Grey literature from organisations working in teacher supply
3.2 Content Quality Standards
All content included in the TSA repository must:
- Be published and open access (wherever possible)
- Be relevant to teacher supply, recruitment, retention, or professional development in schools or Further Education
- Have been published in or after 2019 (as the baseline for current evidence)
- Meet standards for academic and professional credibility
3.3 Content Curation Process
- Content Leads identify and recommend evidence for inclusion
- Evidence is tagged with themes and includes a two-sentence summary to support searchability
- Themes are generated using standardised AI assessment to ensure consistency
- The Web Lead manages content upload and website functionality
3.4 Future Content Expansion
Historical content (pre-2019) will be considered for inclusion once the website is established and the initial repository is fully populated.
4. Website Structure and Operation
4.1 Website Architecture
The TSA website comprises:
- Landing/Welcome Page: Introduces the TSA, its vision, mission, and purpose
- Schools Page: Curated evidence and research relevant to teacher supply in schools
- Further Education Page: Curated evidence and research relevant to teacher supply in Further Education
- Tagged Content and Posts: Evidence is tagged by theme and searchable across the website to facilitate discovery
4.2 Content Delivery Schedule
A schedule of agreed content delivery dates will be established and maintained by the Secretariat to ensure regular updates and sustained engagement with the website. This schedule forms part of the TSA Operational Schedule.
4.3 Website Provider Relationship
The TSA has established a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Penrose Education, the website provider. The MoU sets out:
- Responsibilities for website development, maintenance, and technical support
- Protocols for content management and updates
- Service standards and support arrangements
5. Partnership and Collaboration
5.1 Partnership Strategy
The TSA actively seeks formal partnerships with organisations that generate, hold or promote evidence on teacher supply. Partners include but are not limited to:
- Educational research organisations and think tanks
- Universities and Initial Teacher Training providers
- Professional bodies and education unions
- Government and policy bodies
- School and college networks and associations
- International organisations with relevant work
5.2 Partnership Agreements
Formal partnerships are through partnership agreements that establish:
- Reciprocal hyperlinks between the TSA website and partner organisations’ websites
- Exchange of logos and organisational branding
- Collaboration on content development and promotion
- Regular communication and feedback mechanisms
5.3 Network Development
The Secretariat maintains and develops a network of contacts and collaborators to support the TSA’s reach and impact.
6. Operational Management
6.1 Decision-Making
The Secretariat operates by consensus where possible. Decisions regarding website content, partnerships, and strategic direction are made by the Secretariat collectively with a quorum of three (of five).
6.2 Secretariat Meetings
- Secretariat meetings are held regularly (termly) to oversee website development and operation
- Additional meetings may be scheduled to address specific issues or opportunities
- Agendas and action notes are maintained to ensure transparency and accountability
6.3 Communications
- The Co-Chairs maintain primary responsibility for external communications and representation
- Content Leads coordinate directly with Members and external partners on content-related matters
- The Web Lead manages technical communications with the website provider
7. Funding and Resources
The Teaching Supply Alliance operates as an unfunded initiative developed and maintained by expert volunteers. The Secretariat members contribute their time and expertise on a voluntary basis. The website is hosted and maintained by Penrose Education in accordance with the agreed MoU.
8. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The Teaching Supply Alliance is committed to:
- Expert representation in the Secretariat and membership
- Curating evidence that reflects diverse perspectives on teacher supply
- Promoting ease of access to research and evidence on teacher supply
9. Sustainability and Impact
9.1 Sustainability
The TSA is designed to be sustainable through:
- Voluntary contribution from expert members and Secretariat
- Partnership and collaboration with organisations generating evidence
- Reciprocal relationship with website provider
9.2 Impact Monitoring
The Secretariat will:
- Monitor website usage and engagement metrics
- Gather feedback from users and partners
10. Review and Ammendment
10.1 Review Schedule
These Terms of Reference will be reviewed after one year and then every three years by the Secretariat and updated as required to reflect changes in the TSA’s structure, function or strategic direction.
10.2 Amendment Process
Proposed amendments to these Terms of Reference require agreement by consensus among the Secretariat members.
Approved by the TSA Secretariat
Date: 27/02/2026