Quitting The Classroom: Record number of teachers could leave the profession
Nearly two thirds are now looking to leave the profession
There are fears of a "crisis" in education, as unprecedented numbers of teachers leave the profession due to soaring stress levels.
As part of our #QuittingTheClassroom special, we're speaking to teachers who have already left, why they're leaving and if the worst is yet to come.
Research from Hays Education Training shows nearly two thirds (65%) of teachers have considered leaving the profession due to poor wellbeing.
The Hays Education Wellbeing Report, based on a survey of 780 respondents, reveals over two thirds (37%) have considered leaving the profession in the last two years.
Paul Matthias, National Director of Hays Education, says:
“There’s no denying that this year has been immensely challenging for educational professionals, but our survey has brought to light just how much of a detrimental impact this could have on the profession.
"What is also noteworthy is that poor wellbeing isn’t just as a result of the pandemic, but part of the wider picture."
Here are some of the stories of teachers from the West Midlands, who have already "quit the classroom":
Birmingham teacher Martin Blyth left the profession in December 2020, he's now setting up the Heart of England Wildlife Park in Redditch:
"I think if you ask most teachers who have left the profession, they'll say the lack of work-life balance was the key driver for their exit from the profession.
"I remember in lockdown in 2020, we had moved to homeschooling, I remember teaching lessons on Teams, being sat in my own home, being unable to go to the toilet because I was trying to get to grips with the new technology and also support the young people who were going through a really tough time with their mental wellbeing.
"That became a huge part of the job, trying to support the students, but we also had all the technical stuff we had going on as well.
"I think I would have stayed in the profession longer if it wasn't for the pandemic, we all know teaching offers fantastic job security, it is hugely motivating and working with the students every day is incredible.
"I do miss that interaction with the students.
We asked Martin what an average day was like for him, he said "it was a really long day, that's the first thing I have to say.
"I thought, I don't want to do this anymore"
"I was in the school building by 7:30 trying to do an hour marking or prep before the students arrived.
"It turned out I was doing 12 hours days as a minimum, even when I got home I was still on my work emails addressing things.
"I feel like every student deserves 100%, they deserve to be your priority but unfortunately with the increasing workload that all teachers have had during the pandemic, I wasn't able to make each student a priority when I needed too.
"I felt like my standards had slipped, I thought I don't want to do this anymore".
This teacher from Wolverhampton wanted to share her story, but didn't want to be identified:
"I think it was a gradual realisation that teaching wasn't for me.
"There were meetings every day and there wasn't a chance for personal development.
"You're constantly living in preparation for Ofsted, and if it's not Ofsted, you're preparing children for exams.
"It's a factory of preparing children for exams, pushing them out, getting the next ones in.
"If they didn't get their target grades, this was reflected in teacher salary.
"For teachers still in the profession - well done, I don't know how you're doing it.
"Keep going but remember you don't have to."
Lauren is a former teacher from Cannock:
"To be honest, I realised I was very over worked.
"It was the paperwork side of it, the stress of having to do all this extra stuff to keep ahead.
"Once I left, I realised how much I'd let the other stuff take over my life, I wasn't having much of a personal life.
"I don't know a single teacher who doesn't do work during holidays.
"I was going into school, making sure everything was ready for the next term.
"People assume we start at 9am and we finish at 3:30pm.
"If they had support, I don't think there would be a crisis of teachers leaving the profession."
"I know teachers who go into school before 7am and they're there after 8pm.
"It really takes over your life, teachers feel like they don't have a lot of support at the moment.
"If they had support, I don't think there would be a crisis of teachers leaving the profession."
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.