Politicians come and go – but teachers will endure

This is the final edition of SecEd for yet another academic year.

Yet again, it has been a year of great change, fierce debate and huge pressure for teachers as the government continues with its rapid implementation of educational policy.

From free schools and academies to on-going funding pressures and massive reform to examinations and curriculum – not to mention the attacks on pay, conditions and pensions – teachers are continuing to face huge pressure in their working lives.

This is spreading to their personal lives, too, as their incomes have been squeezed by pay freezes and increased pension contributions of up to £100 a month. Falling teacher numbers since 2010 have also led to increased workload pressures, with teachers working an average of 11.1 hours’ unpaid overtime every week, the third highest of any profession. Other research shows that some teachers are regularly working 70-hour weeks.