ASCL comment on EPI teaching workforce analysis

Commenting on the analysis published by the Education Policy Institute on the post-pandemic school workforce, Sara Tanton, Deputy Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“It should be of concern to the government that more teachers are quitting the profession before their retirement age, and in particular that the number of headteachers leaving has rocketed. This is perhaps not surprising as over the past two years they have worked relentlessly to keep education going throughout the pandemic with little support and much confusion from the government.

“Now they are once again being subjected to virtually the full battery of accountability measures – Ofsted inspections and performance tables – with little recognition of the huge impact of the pandemic. In addition, they are struggling with tight budgets that are being made worse by rising energy costs, while the government blithely insists they have never had it so good. In short, many leaders are ground down, demoralised and have had enough. It is clear that there is a school leadership crisis brewing and the government should take heed.”