In a poll of 1,788 teachers by the National Education Union (NEU), 44% said they would leave by 2027, while one-fifth said they would leave as soon as possible within the next two years. This decision is largely due to a large workload, with 52% saying it was “unmanageable” or “unmanageable most of the time” – up from 35% in 2021. Image: A Ministry of Education spokesman says teaching remains an “attractive and satisfying profession” The teachers are “desperate” to leave The level of trust in teachers by the public and the government was another key motivator for those considering leaving. Teachers also cited remuneration and accountability as reasons. “I am desperate to leave education due to workload, constant monitoring and bureaucracy,” said one teacher. The survey found that schools were finding it difficult to fill vacancies, leading to a doubling of roles, with 73% saying the problem had worsened since the beginning of the pandemic. “People leave and then their responsibilities are added to another role,” said one teacher. Another described how “everything is made to the bone”. “Very few” teaching assistants Image: Dr Mary Bousted says teaching often becomes “unattractive and unsustainable” Two-thirds of secondary school teachers – 66% – said the issue of teaching assistants and support staff had also worsened since March 2020. One replied that there were “very few” assistant teachers and were asked to cover the lessons more than ever. “This is simply unsustainable and can only lead to exhaustion,” said Dr Mary Bousted, co-secretary general of the NEU. He added that the government should not just accept that the workload was a problem, but that it “played a leading role in many of the contributing factors”. Read more: Schools were asked to make sure the week lasts at least 32.5 hours A Ministry of Education spokesman said: “Teaching remains an attractive and satisfying profession. The number of teachers in our schools remains high, with more than 461,000 teachers working in schools across the country – 20,000 more than in 2010. “We have taken and will continue to take action to improve the workload and well-being of teachers and leaders, working proactively with industry to understand the factors behind such issues and to improve our policies and interventions.”