Teachers' reasons for leaving the profession

A report by the National Union of Teachers

April 2001

In the March 2001 edition of the NUT's 'The Teacher' magazine, the NUT included two short paragraphs entitled, 'Who's Leaving?' on page 4 of the magazine.

""Are you a young teacher who is thinking of leaving the profession?"" The NUT is researching the reasons why recently qualified teachers quit.

So we'd like to talk to you - or any of your colleagues who are planning to leave".

Within two weeks, the NUT had received 56 detailed letters from teachers who had already left teaching, had handed in their resignations, or were seriously considering leaving the profession. They represented a wide age range.

The majority of these letters were detailed, frank, honest and heartfelt. They described the frustrations and, often painful, experiences faced by these teachers. Many of the respondents' reasons for wishing to leave were common and, perhaps, of little surprise to the profession as a whole.