Head teachers leaving before retirement hits 12-year high

MORE than 2,300 head teachers in England left the profession before retirement in 2021/22 – the highest number since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.

Figures from the Department for Education’s school workforce census, published in June, also show that 44,000 classroom teachers quit within the same time period.

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “This data shows the consequences of real-terms cuts to teachers’ pay and unmanageable teacher workload. It is imperative that Government increases and fully funds pay and reduces teacher workload.”

On 20 June, NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted gave evidence to the Education Select Committee, which is carrying out an inquiry into recruitment, retention and training. Mary told MPs the numbers of teachers leaving was “alarming”.

Workload, poor pay, and the pressures of coping with the rise in child poverty, and growing numbers of children with mental illness – with little or no support from overstretched outside agencies –was driving educators out, she said.

See final word, page 22

The groundbreaking test case involved a member who, along with many others, lost her income when exams were cancelled during the pandemic.

Pearson has now been forced to admit the member had ‘worker’ rather than self-employed status and is entitled to, among other things, holiday pay.

The member has received back-pay for holidays.

Senior examiners began contacting the union when exams were cancelled during the pandemic. Many rely on the work as their only income and had no way to pay their bills.

The exam board refused to furlough them, claiming they were self-employed, while HMRC said they were employed and therefore not entitled to benefit from the self-employed income support scheme.

NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: “What this case has highlighted is that across the country the highly skilled and experienced professionals who are responsible for writing exam papers, ensuring they are marked fairly and consistently, and keeping the entire exam system going are all on precarious piecemeal contracts with no job security or employment rights afforded them.

“The NEU is hopeful that this test case is just the beginning of securing improved employment rights and security for all those examiners who are integral to the smooth running of the UK’s exam system.”