Quitting The Classroom: Prime Minister tells us teachers leaving is 'biggest single challenge' after Covid-19
We put the findings from our investigation to Boris Johnson
As part of our investigation called 'Quitting The Classroom' we found unprecedented numbers of teachers are leaving the profession due to soaring stress levels caused by the pandemic.
The Hays Education Wellbeing Report, reveals over two thirds (37%) have considered leaving the profession in the last two years.
We also found the pandemic's having an extreme impact on the mental health of teachers.
Research from Education Support, based on findings from a YouGov survey, also shows half of the UK's school teachers (52%) say their mental health declined during the first stage of the Covid-19 crisis.
Although we've spoken to teachers who say it's the "best job in the world", we were contacted by more teachers who decided to 'quit the classroom'.
So, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a visit to the West Midlands, we decided to ask him about our findings and Quitting The Classroom investigation.
This is what he told our Chief Reporter Megan Jones:
"The investment we're making in education was record, even before the coronavirus pandemic began.
"We put, I think, £14bn straight away, when the new government came in after the 2019 election, we increased funding for primary pupils to £4000 per head minimum, £5000 per head minimum for secondary pupils.
"The starting salary for teachers, which is so crucial and we massively value teachers for everything they've done during pandemic, we've raised to £30,000.
"I understand the stress teachers have been under during the pandemic, the huge efforts they've made.
"The stress of teaching people remotely and making that work, by the way, they've learned a huge amount.
"If you go to schools and you talk to the pupils, it's changed from the first lockdown to the second.
"They've got much better at it, they've been doing an incredible job.
"So we're investing now in the Education Recovery Programme.
"After dealing with the immediate health crisis, this is the biggest single challenge the country faces.
"We need those teachers, we're going to be investing in them, we're going to be supporting them in any way we can.
"Particularly supporting them in their mental health needs, because they've been under huge stress like many, many other people.
"The crucial thing is getting those kids back in school and keep them back in school and that's why we've got to continue with all the measures we're taking to fight the pandemic in order to keep schools open, and give parents a release from a lot of stress they have suffered too."
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