Teacher wellbeing ‘far below’ public levels, says NAHT
More than four in 10 leaders continued to work in excess of 60 hours a week, which Whiteman described as ‘the equivalent of at least a 12-hour shift every working day’
Register to get 1 free article
Reveal the article below by registering for our email newsletter.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said the latest Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders report shows only limited progress on improving working conditions for teachers and leaders, despite small year-on-year reductions in workload.
According to the trade body’s general secretary Paul Whiteman, the data pointed to marginal gains across areas such as workload, flexible working, wellbeing and perceptions of pay, but stressed these improvements were “from a very low bar last year”.
More than four in 10 leaders continued to work in excess of 60 hours a week, which Whiteman described as “the equivalent of at least a 12-hour shift every working day”.
The survey, published by the Department for Education (DfE), found leaders reported an average of 55.5 hours in the most recent term-time working week, while teachers reported 46.9 hours – the lowest levels recorded across the four survey waves.
However, Whiteman highlighted the gap between the profession and the wider population on key wellbeing measures, noting that average scores for life satisfaction, happiness and anxiety remain significantly worse among teachers and leaders than national benchmarks. The report shows wellbeing improved modestly in 2025 but continues to lag behind population averages.
Whiteman also said the survey reinforced concerns about retention, with “nearly one in three leaders and teachers still considering leaving state education amid stress, long hours, funding and accountability pressures, and poor mental and physical health”.
The latest findings show 29% are considering leaving within 12 months, down from 34% in 2024 but above 2022 levels.
Whiteman said: “If the government is serious about really shifting the dial when it comes to improving the experiences of our dedicated teachers and leaders, and making real inroads into tackling the recruitment and retention crisis, it must do more to restore the profession as one to aspire to.
“That means real action to reduce workload, rethink the damaging health impact of the revised Ofsted framework, fund workable solutions to deliver flexible working, and restore the real-term values of pay after a decade in which salaries fell dramatically.”
