Emergency measures needed to stop teachers quitting, say Lib Dems

Nearly half of the teachers surveyed by the Liberal Democrats in England say they intend to leave the classroom within five years, with one in ten planning to quit in less than a year. The poll of more than 900 teachers, headteachers and SEN coordinators found that over 75 percent have felt “frequently or constantly burnt out,” citing heavy marking, lesson preparation and other duties that cut into teaching time. Liberal Democrat schools spokesperson Caroline Voaden urged new Education Secretary Lucy Powell to fully fund teachers’ pay—rather than drawing on school budgets—and to enforce limits on overtime as the new academic term begins.

The findings echo longstanding concerns about teacher retention, which successive governments have struggled to address. The National Education Union, which helped conduct the survey alongside the Association of School and College Leaders, previously reported that four in ten teachers were planning to quit in 2019 because of “huge workloads and excessive accountability.” NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede described the education system as “on its knees” after a decade of austerity and under‑funding, calling for a fresh start that includes fully financing the pay award and properly funding schools and colleges. The Department for Education noted that last year saw the lowest departure rate since 2010 and a record number of teachers returning, but acknowledged that further action was needed.

In response, the Liberal Democrats proposed an emergency “back to school” package: fully funded pay rises of 3.5 % in September followed by an additional 3 % the next year, strict enforcement of legally mandated working hours, reasonable overtime caps and mandatory flexible‑working policies for all schools. While the party did not specify how to finance these measures, the education department highlighted upcoming pay awards totalling almost 17 % over two years, funding for improved maternity pay and targeted support to normalise flexible working and manageable workloads, aiming to keep teachers in classrooms and improve student outcomes.

⚡ Effects Interpreter