Forecasted teacher exodus: education recruiter warns of urgent need for workforce planning

Following a survey from a teaching union which revealed that one in five teachers expect to leave the classroom in less than two years, Baljinder Kuller, managing director of education recruitment platform, The Supply Register, has urged schools and academies to put a greater focus on strategic workforce planning as a solution to the strains causing teachers to quit.

The poll, conducted by the National Education Union, surveyed over 8,000 teachers, school leaders and support staff, and found 18% expect to leave the profession in the next two years, while a huge 40% intended to quit in the next five years. When quizzed on their reasons for leaving, heavy workload was cited by 62% of respondents, and an ‘excessive’ accountability culture by 40%. The survey also found that 56% of school staff felt their work-life balance has deteriorated in the past year, when just 12% thought it had improved.

Commenting on the report, Baljinder Kuller, who has over 15 years’ experience in education recruitment, and is now Managing Director of online supply teacher portal, The Supply Register, said:

‘’Unfortunately, while the results of this latest poll do not make for pleasant reading – they don’t come as a surprise. Pressure on teachers has been growing for a long time now and we are now seeing the results of continued inaction around the subject. The fact that so many teachers are ready to say goodbye to the profession in the middle of a staffing crisis should not be taken lightly, and will only make the problems facing current teachers even greater.’’

“At a time when staff are being forced into crowdfunding to pay for their own lessons and teaching equipment – the situation is dire. Without urgent, targeted action aimed at boosting retention, this is unlikely to change. While commitments from the department of education to expand flexible working and tackle excessive workload are encouraging, something that is often overlooked, and could alleviate the burden on teachers, is effective workforce planning.’’

‘‘With a dedicated people strategy, where a comprehensive assessment of resources, spending and effectiveness of recruitment suppliers is examined, schools can begin to deploy existing skills effectively, lessen teacher workload, and pipeline talent for the future. This will make tackling the key factors causing teachers to leave far easier, not to mention improving the lives of staff and pupil attainment.’’