A TEACHING union in East Lancashire has warned more than half of teachers are considering leaving the profession in the next two years.

The National Union of Teachers said the two main reasons given for wanting to leave were because of the heavy workload and a desire for a better work/life balance.

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Its survey of teachers across the country found that 39 per cent said they suffered low morale, while 53 per cent were considering leaving in the next two years.

A majority (73 per cent) also said they believed current policies for the school curriculum and pupil assessment were ‘narrow and uncreative’.

Simon Jones, who represents the NUT in the region, said: “The government’s current priorities are both wrong and profoundly out of step with the views of teachers.

“They are the essential cause of the problems with teacher supply.

“This survey demonstrates the negative impact of the accountability agenda on teacher workload and morale.

“Teachers feel that the Department for Education’s work thus far to tackle workload has been totally inadequate.

“Meanwhile, nearly one million more pupils are coming into the system over the next decade.

“The government’s solution so far has been to build free schools, often where there are surplus places, and to allow class sizes to grow.

“Add to this a situation where teachers are leaving in droves and teacher recruitment remains low. We now have a perfect storm of crisis upon crisis in the schools system.

“The long-term erosion of teacher pay is further contributing to low teacher morale.

“The Department for Education remains wilfully and recklessly unable to see that they are the cause of teacher misery across England.”

The union said it was clear workload continued to be a huge problem, with teachers working up to 60 hours a week.

It said the government must take action on the key issues that drive teachers away – workload, pay and low morale .