"The OECD report provides further evidence that low pay and excessive workload are key factors driving the teacher recruitment and retention crisis in the UK."

NASUWT comments on Education at a Glance report

Commenting on the publication of the OECD’s Education at a Glance report, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers Union, said:

“The damaging impact of the Government’s public sector pay cap is confirmed in this report which identifies England is one of the few countries where teachers’ salaries have declined since 2013.

“The OECD report provides further evidence that low pay and excessive workload are key factors driving the teacher recruitment and retention crisis in the UK.

“Teachers have found that their pay has simply not kept pace with inflation, with a cumulative average salary loss of 15% since 2011.

“The Government’s policy to depress teachers’ pay is forcing many to take on a second job or use credit cards and payday loans in order to make ends meet.

“The OECD report also suggests that the UK’s deepening teacher recruitment and retention crisis is affected by excessive workload pressures and stress which has driven many teachers out of the profession due to burnout, ill health and lack of access to flexible working.

“The OECD report highlights that strong and high-quality education systems are built on foundations of valuing, supporting and investing in the teaching workforce. Without action to tackle the factors driving teachers out of the profession, the UK will not be able to sustain the world-class education system needed to compete with the rest of the world.”

ENDS