The chapter presents a research-informed conceptualisation of ‘educational isolation’ to understand the nature of place-based, contextual school challenges for teacher recruitment and retention in England. The authors’ research exposes how educationally isolated schools are typically located in coastal and rural areas and experience limited access to resources for school improvement as a result of their location. The argument is made that this impacts on teacher recruitment and retention in complex ways. Key challenges include: reduced local infrastructure, such as high and low housing costs; poor public transport, making these areas unattractive to potential new employees; and socio-economic deprivation creating greater challenges for school improvement, leading to high levels of staff churn. Conversely, a lack of staff turnover is also attributed to restricted wider employment opportunities for the existing school workforce. This is linked to cultural isolation and there being few other schools within local areas to provide alternative job opportunities.

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