TEACHING unions have warned there is evidence of a deepening crisis in teacher retention.

Responding to a report by the National Foundation for Educational Research, Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union said: “The NFER report is yet more evidence of a deepening crisis in teacher supply which ministers must develop a coherent strategy to address.

“The report reminds us that the rates of wastage have increased among younger teachers and older teachers alike in the last five years. We fully support action to address these problems but we already know that workload is the biggest single factor in teachers leaving the profession. The Government must work with the profession to find solutions to the teacher supply crisis.

“Fundamentally the Government must fund schools properly. Then schools will be able to employ sufficient teachers, pay them a decent wage and invest in CPD and career development to make the profession more attractive."