In the latest survey of almost 18,000 National Education Union members, conducted ahead of Annual Conference in Harrogate, we asked teachers and support staff to reflect on their future plans and the staffing situation at their workplace.
- 16% of teachers plan to leave the education profession within two years, and 41% of teacher respondents plan to be gone within five years, excluding “don’t know” answers. Almost a quarter of support staff respondents (23%) will no longer be working in education by 2025, and almost half (48%) expect to have left by 2028.
- Since the pandemic, 78% of teachers in our survey have seen worsening levels of staff absence at their workplace due to sickness, 72% a reduction in support staff, and for 66% an increase in the rate of staff leaving their post. Support staff reported 71%, 62% and 63% respectively.
- The majority of respondents have adapted to the cost-of-living crisis by reducing home heating (85% teachers, 81% support staff), a quarter have skipped meals (23% teachers, 26% support staff) and one in five have taken on a second job to make ends meet (18% teachers, 21% support staff).
