59 per cent of teachers have considered quitting over last six months, poll suggests

The poll gained responses from more than 1,000 teachers across the UK. 76 per cent of those who have considered quitting cited workload as the main factor, while 29 per cent said they did not get enough support.

Additionally, 43 per cent of respondents felt unhappy with the quality of leadership in their schools, and 41 per cent were unhappy with pay.

Science teachers were the most likely to consider quitting the profession, with 69 per cent saying they had considered it within the last six months and 62 per cent saying they would not recommend teaching to their brightest student, compared to 49 per cent for all teachers.

Shaun Reason, chief executive of the Association for Science Education, said: “There have been considerable changes to A-level science followed by GCSEs. This has resulted in science teachers having to teach a different curriculum to different year groups. Many of these changes have been applauded but they have undoubtedly led to a big increase in workload.”

Alan Smithers, director of Buckingham University’s Centre for Education and Employment Research, said: “Science teachers really have got a difficult job to do in schools. They are responsible for practical classes that involve a lot of hassle and 20 to 30 potentially unruly students. A not insignificant number of physics teachers switch to teach maths and one of the reasons is to escape the hassle and stress of practical lessons.”

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