TEACHING CAREER AN INCREASINGLY UNATTRACTIVE PROSPECT, SAY YOUNG TEACHERS
The majority of young teachers are not convinced that they will still be in the profession in five years’ time, a conference organised by the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, has heard.
Young teachers aged 30 and under gathered in Birmingham today (Saturday) for the NASUWT’s Young Teachers’ Consultation Conference to take part in professional development workshops and receive support and advice.
A real-time electronic poll of members attending the Conference found that:
More than six in ten (62%) say they either definitely will not remain in teaching or were undecided about remaining in the teaching profession over the next five years;
Less than a quarter (23%) say they would recommend teaching as a career to family or friends;
Over a third (34%) say they feel generally or very pessimistic about their future in the teaching profession. Only 5% say they feel very optimistic about their future as a teacher.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“It was clear that the young teachers at the conference are absolutely and fully committed to being great teachers and to serving the children and young people they teach.
“However, it is deeply worrying that many do not feel confident of being able to remain in teaching in the longer term and would not recommend a career in teaching to others.
“Spiralling workloads, unsustainable working hours and worsening pay and conditions of service are the main factors impacting on young teachers’ morale and job satisfaction.
“The deepening recruitment and retention crisis gripping our schools will not be solved unless Government acts on the concerns of young teachers.
“The Government should be concerned that its reforms are resulting in young teachers feeling unable to commit to a career in teaching, which will have a negative consequences for the quality of education available for pupils.
“The Government needs to listen to the concerns of young teachers and act urgently to save even more teachers from voting with their feet and choosing to leave the profession.
“Young teachers are the future of the profession, a future which is being severely compromised by this Government's failure to encourage and secure employment practices which nurture and value teachers."
