Education Support poll shows signs of burnout for teachers

Teacher wellbeing charity Education Support (@EdSupportUK) today (Thursday 29 April) release a new poll that reveals ‘significant’ signs of burnout amongst teachers,

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“These results reflect exactly what we are hearing from teachers and school leaders. Morale is very low and we know many are considering leaving the profession.

“A recent NAHT survey found that the top words school leaders would use to describe their experiences over the last year are ‘challenging, exhausting and stressful’.

“Even before the pandemic there were significant existing challenges like heavy workload, the high-stakes nature of the job and a decade of salaries falling in real terms. But this has been exacerbated hugely by the lack of trust and support for leaders shown by the government over the past year.

“Three quarters of leaders cited the government’s constantly changing pandemic guidance as their biggest management challenge of the last year. Nearly half said they were less likely to stay in leadership for as long as planned, following the pandemic.

“There is now a real risk that we will see an exodus of leaders from the profession once the crisis is over. The government’s longstanding complacency on leaders’ workload and well-being has been laid bare and compounded by its announcement of a pay freeze which will again cut salaries in real terms.

“Despite the increased pressure on them, school leaders have stuck to their task. Up until now the government has not really had to face the consequences of its lack of support for leaders during the pandemic. But unless the government acts urgently to make school leadership an attractive proposition for teaching professionals the school leadership supply pipeline is going to run dry.

“To meet the challenge of recovery post-Covid we need great teachers and leaders in all schools for all children. The government has said that no child should be left behind. Investing in education and the teaching profession is the best way to keep that promise.”