We must not let excessive workload drive teachers out of the profession

Dear Caroline,

Thanks for your letter and congratulations on qualifying to teach and on getting your first teaching post. I know from growing up in a family of teachers that there is no profession more fulfilling, none more worthwhile, than educating the next generation, passing on your knowledge and love of learning and inspiring your pupils to reach their potential.

But I am also aware of the challenges that the teaching profession is facing. Over the last five years, we have seen the paper work pile on, the role of school support staff undermined, and the constant doing down of the profession from Ministers. According to the Government’s own research, the average primary teacher is now working more and more hours – nearly 60 per week. Last week I published figures that show the country now has the highest number of teachers leaving the profession since records began. More teachers quit the profession last year than entered it. This is an issue that is at the centre of the chronic shortage of teachers facing our schools.

I completely agree that we cannot let the workload issue continue to kill progression and commitment in the teaching profession. Qualified graduates are highly mobile and are able to change professions unless they continue to enjoy teaching. We need more highly qualified graduates in our classrooms, not less, and to do this schools absolutely must be places where people want to work. Sadly applications to teach are plummeting and official recruitment targets have been missed year on year.

The Government’s response to all this would be laughable, if the situation wasn’t so serious. Their ‘workload challenge’ was first launched a year ago. This week the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan had her own ‘light bulb moment’, announcing that she had identified marking, planning, and data management to be key issues leading to rising bureaucracy in schools. It has taken her 12 months to work out what any teacher could have told her in five minutes. If only the Government listened to teachers on this critical issue, we’d be moving at a much faster pace.

Whilst I believe that assessment is incredibly important so that parents and schools can identify where there are gaps in a child’s knowledge and ability and support them to make progress, it is crucial that teachers are not being distracted from getting their pupils to master topics and subjects in favour of teaching to the test. Assessments should enable teachers, parents and children to identify where a child needs help, not put them off learning. As Shadow Education Secretary I want to be clear that I am not here to tell the teaching profession how to teach. I believe that excellent head teachers and teachers absolutely should be trusted to get on with the job. But I also recognise that the Government is not doing enough to support the development of better training for both new and established teachers. I want to see improved professional development, linked to high quality research and evidence, for both classrooms teachers and leaders in schools at every level, so that we can be sure school wide policies are not creating excessive or unnecessary paperwork or bureaucracy for teachers.

I wish you the best as you embark on your teaching career Caroline. I am in no doubt of your passion and commitment and I am sure that over the years you will constantly continue to refine your craft, achieving great things for the children that come into your classroom. Like you, I am passionate about state education and I look forward to working with your profession to ensure that we get the very best outcomes for all children up and down the country.

Yours,

Lucy Powell

Shadow Education Secretary