Exit interviews for staff

Exit interviews help improve staff retention by letting you find out why staff are leaving. Use our template questionnaire to find out what questions to ask.

Last reviewed on 27 June 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 4209
Contents
  1. Download our template questionnaire
  2. Key points
  3. Examples 

Download our template questionnaire

Adapt our exit interview template and add questions to suit your school's context. Use the questions as prompts during an interview or give the document to leavers as a questionnaire to fill in. 

Key points

The purpose of the exit interview is to get honest feedback on the leaver's experiences of working at your school/trust. This feedback is valuable, as you'll use it to understand where improvements should be made. Explain this when you invite someone to an exit interview, and thank them for taking the time to speak to you. Make sure this is explained in your exit policy too, if you have one.

Remember that employees can refuse to take part, as there's no statutory requirement.

Governors conducting exit interviews can be a good option, as staff members might feel more comfortable and speak more freely. Taking part