Moore Teachers | Reducing teacher workload is essential to stem the exodus of teachers leaving the profession

09 Feb Reducing teacher workload is essential to stem the exodus of teachers leaving the profession

Posted at 12:35h in Uncategorised by admin

The recent NEU teacher strikes have further highlighted the pressures that teaching staff are facing. Pay is certainly a driving factor; however, heavy workloads and unsustainable expectations are a significant contributor in teachers’ decisions to leave. A poll by the NEU shows that nearly half of teachers in England plan to quit within the next five years, with 22% saying they would leave within two years. More than half of respondents (52%) said the workload was “unmanageable” or “unmanageable most of the time”, up from 35% in 2021.

For those planning to leave within two years, workload was the key motivation for 65% of respondents, while concerns about the level of trust in teachers from the public and government were also a significant factor. [1]

Stemming the exodus of teachers from the profession is essential, and reducing teacher workload is a crucial part of this:

Teacher well-being: Excessive workload can lead to burnout, stress and decreased job satisfaction, which can impact teachers’ physical and mental health.

Improved instruction: When teachers have a manageable workload, they have more time to plan and prepare high-quality lessons, differentiate instruction for pupils, and provide meaningful feedback to students.

Attraction and retention of teachers: High workload can contribute to teacher turnover, making it difficult for schools to attract and retain quality educators.

Student outcomes: Research has shown that students perform better academically when staff are less stressed and have more time to focus on their teaching.

Working in primary schools, whether as a teacher or a member of the primary support staff, requires passion, enthusiasm and bundles of energy. At Moore Teachers, we know many of our primary school staff have considered leaving the education sector but have found their passion for teaching has been reignited since working on supply with us. The workload has decreased, which means our staff can focus on the important part of the job – inspiring and educating the children in their care.

If this is ringing true with you, call Moore Teachers today where you will certainly find that we will be able to empathise, having been primary school teachers and educators in our past lives! We’d love to have a conversation with you about whether working on supply in primary schools could work for you.

Tags:

essex, hertfordshire, primary school, primary teacher, supply, teacher

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