A survey of teachers across the Midlands has found that more than 80% have considered leaving the profession in the last two years, and in two-thirds of cases “excessive workload” was the reason given.
The findings were uncovered as part of an ITV News Central special investigation into the challenges facing teachers working in the Midlands.
The survey, commissioned by ITV News Central, was carried out by the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ Union and was based on questionnaires sent out to the union’s members in the Midlands.
The main findings were:-
• 83.58% of respondents had considered leaving teaching in the last two years.
• 67.44% cited “excessive workload” as the reason why they had considered leaving the profession.
• 84.76% knew of a teacher who had left the profession in the last two years because of disillusionment with the job.
• 23.64% expected to be still teaching in five years’ time.
• 9.11% said they would recommend a career in teaching to their friends and family.
In a special series, ITV News Central’s Education Correspondent Peter Bearne examines the crisis in teacher recruitment and retention. It will be broadcast on consecutive evenings at 6pm from Monday 9th-Friday 13th November in the ITV Central region.
He said: “This gives an unprecedented insight into the current mood among staff in our region’s classrooms. Our research uncovered a real sense of disillusionment among teachers which could have worrying implications for recruitment and retention in the future.”
One secondary teacher told ITV News Central of her desperation to get out of the profession because of the "relentless admin" in the job: "It feels like you're drowning," she said. "In order to keep on top of everything I am supposed to do, somebody else looks after my child while I work all day on a Sunday."
A headteacher described how filling teacher vacancies is becoming more and more challenging: "I used to be taking home 15-20 applications and shortlisting - in a number of cases recently, it's been two or three or even no applications at all. It's a mark that people are not applying for jobs in teaching as much as they were a few years ago."
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“This survey has confirmed shocking statistics showing that there is a real crisis in teacher recruitment and retention which is having a negative impact on the education of children and young people.
“We have seen year on year an increase in the numbers of teachers considering leaving the profession with excessive workload being a key driver of this.
"Being a teacher should be one of the most rewarding jobs in public service but the Government's policies have left teachers overworked, stressed and demoralised."
