Nearly half of England’s state-school teachers plan to quit by 2027, according to the latest NEU poll with half of those intend to leave within two years according to a survey published this morning by the National Education Union.
Their State of Education survey published ahead of their annual conference also found that Schools are struggling to fill vacant posts, leading to a doubling up of roles. 73% of teachers say this has worsened since the start of the pandemic.
Over half of teachers say their workload is either ‘unmanageable’ or ‘unmanageable most of the time’, up from 35% in 2021.
Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“It is high time that the government reflected on the failure of successive education secretaries to get a grip on the issues facing teachers. When Nicky Morgan launched the Workload Challenge in 2014, little did we expect to be scarcely off the starting position eight years later. We remain a profession with amongst the highest number of unpaid working hours, and we are still well above the international average for hours worked by teachers. This is simply unsustainable and can only lead to burn-out.”
“The government would do well to not just accept that high workload is a problem, but that they have played a starring role in many of the contributing factors. Our survey findings show that whether it be recruitment targets missed, talented teachers leaving the profession, the pernicious effects of a punitive and deeply flawed inspection system, or the effect of real-terms cuts to pay over many years, a national policy decision is always the villain of the piece. The Department for Education must take steps to right the ship, which is currently shedding too many staff and not finding enough to replace them. This is to a very large extent because the job is made unattractive and unsustainable.”
“Let us be in no doubt. Teaching is a great and fulfilling job, and people go into the profession because they want to make a difference. Yet the government makes this more difficult, and if we are to collectively do the right thing for young people then we must be able to deliver the education they deserve. That change must come from the top.”
