Responding to the summary findings of the latest Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“While this data broadly suggests some small improvements when it comes to issues like workload, flexible working, wellbeing and perceptions of pay, these are from a very low bar last year.

“It cannot be healthy for leaders, or beneficial for their staff and pupils, when more than four in 10 are still working more than 60 hours a week – that’s the equivalent of at least a 12-hour shift every working day.

“It’s a real eye-opener how much worse leaders and teachers score on average compared to the general population across key wellbeing measures including life satisfaction, happiness and anxiety.

“The results echo our own depressing findings when it comes to 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.

“It is hardly surprising so many quit when they feel the profession is under-valued, and that they could be paid more fairly by pursuing a different career - especially considering their responsibilities and the impact on their health and wellbeing.

“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.”