Today’s news review looks at coverage of the number of teachers leaving the profession.
Teacher retention
On Monday, 24 October, the i reported that almost a third of newly qualified teachers who began their careers in 2010 have since left the profession.
It’s important to note, however, that figures for retention have remained steady for many years with around 70% of those who start in the classroom still teaching five years later. This rate is comparable with other professions. Furthermore, more teachers entered the profession last year than left it.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
Teaching remains an attractive career and we have more teachers entering our classrooms than those choosing to leave or retire. Teacher retention has been broadly stable for 20 years and the annual average salaries for teachers in the UK are also greater than the OECD average, and higher than many of Europe’s high-performing education systems like Finland, Norway or Sweden.
We want every child to have access to great teachers that aren’t bogged down with unnecessary workload so they have the time and freedom to do what they do best - inspire the next generation. We recognise teachers’ concerns and are continuing to work with the sector to find constructive solutions to this issue.
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