Answer extracted from the Education: Joining the Dots podcast — listen to the full episode below.
What percentage of school staff have contemplated leaving the teaching profession?
According to the TES School Wellbeing Report 2024 UK, 74% of school staff have contemplated leaving the profession entirely in the past year. This striking figure reveals a widespread crisis in teacher retention and job satisfaction across UK schools.
The scale of this exodus threat is not evenly distributed across school roles. As explored in this episode on teacher wellbeing, certain positions face even sharper pressures—78% of SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators) reported that their workload is not manageable, compared to 71% of middle leaders, underscoring the particular strain on those juggling dual responsibilities.
Workload emerges as the central driver behind these figures. 61% of the nearly 7,000 respondents to the TES survey identified workload as unmanageable, a finding that transcends job title and experience level. The data suggests that burnout and capacity exhaustion, rather than pedagogy itself, are pushing educators toward the door.
Why experienced and new staff alike are reconsidering their future
The contemplation of leaving spans both ends of the career spectrum. Early career teachers face their own distinct challenges—training cohorts show significant attrition, with some losing nearly half their graduates to alternative careers within a few years. Meanwhile, headteachers and established leaders report the mental and emotional toll of managing schools under relentless pressure.
The wellbeing crisis, detailed at length in the full podcast conversation, points to systemic issues—insufficient time for planning, marking, and pastoral care; competing demands from accountability frameworks; and a lack of tangible support structures. When three-quarters of staff have seriously considered leaving, the issue is no longer individual resilience but institutional sustainability.
What makes this data particularly concerning is that it captures a moment when schools were already adapting to post-pandemic conditions. The percentage reflects not an aberration, but what may be a new baseline for teacher dissatisfaction—a warning sign that incremental approaches to workload are insufficient.
See also
What are the main positive takeaways for early career teachers and new school leaders completing their first year?
Jordan highlighted having taught over 800 students in his first year and the impact he had on so many of them. Catherine emphasized her amazing team and the support they provided throughout the transition.
What is the typical duration of the New Group Math Test assessment?
The New Group Math Test takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes for learners to complete. Once students have finished the assessment within this timeframe, they progress through the learning pathway.
When was the New Group Math Test first proposed as a concept?
The New Group Math Test was first proposed back in 2017 as a seed of an idea. This early vision has since evolved into a comprehensive assessment tool now in use across schools.
Key takeaways
- 74% of UK school staff have contemplated leaving the profession in the past year—a crisis-level figure affecting staffing stability across the sector.
- 61% of survey respondents cited unmanageable workload as the primary concern driving their consideration to leave.
- Certain roles bear disproportionate strain: 78% of SENCOs and 71% of middle leaders report unsustainable workload levels.
- The crisis spans both early career and experienced educators, signaling a systemic rather than individual problem requiring structural solutions.