Teaching is one of the most meaningful professions, but it also comes with demands that often extend far beyond the classroom. Between lesson planning, marking, managing student behavior, supporting individual learning needs and communicating with parents, teachers can find themselves carrying responsibilities long after the school day ends.
Tes’s 2026 Teacher Wellbeing Report, published in March, highlights just how challenging this has become. Its survey found that 71% of teachers described their workload as unmanageable, while 45% regularly worked at least nine additional hours each week. Only 3% said they managed to keep their work within their contracted hours.
More concerningly, 61% of respondents said they did not plan to remain in teaching long-term. Of those considering leaving, 54% expected to do so within the next five years.
Read Tes’s full report on teacher wellbeing in 2026.
These findings highlight a challenge that schools cannot afford to overlook. Teachers’ commitment to their students is important, but it should not come at the expense of their own health and wellbeing.
Supporting the people behind education
Improving teacher wellbeing requires more than encouraging staff to become more resilient. Schools also need to consider manageable workloads, supportive leadership, adequate resources and access to help when pressures become difficult to manage.
Shoorah can contribute to this wider approach through its Employee Assistance Programme, offering confidential 24/7 counselling and advice, in-the-moment support and structured counselling. Its digital wellbeing resources also provide practical tools, including stress and resilience guides, to support healthier habits.
These services complement the organisational changes schools need to make, giving teachers another place to turn when they need support.
Because retaining great teachers starts with creating environments where they can continue doing what they love without sacrificing their own wellbeing.
