Survey finds hundreds of school employees weighing resignation
- markdarrenwilkinso
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Hundreds of education staff across Jersey thought about leaving their posts in 2025, according to a newly released government survey.
The Jersey Schools' and Colleges' Survey — completed by 28% of the island’s education workforce, representing more than 600 employees — found that 62% of respondents had contemplated quitting. Many pointed to concerns about wellbeing, pay pressures, workload, and leadership as key reasons.
Despite this, the report noted that roughly two-thirds of staff expressed overall satisfaction with their roles, highlighting positive relationships with students and colleagues and the rewarding nature of the work.
The survey, distributed to all school employees over a two-week period in July, will be used by the government to guide “future planning and policy development”.
According to the findings, more than 30% of respondents rated student behaviour as poor or very poor, and 68 staff members reported experiencing “parental aggression”, including hostile messages, social-media attacks, and formal complaints.
“Sexualised behaviour”
A number of respondents also raised concerns about “sexualised behaviour” between pupils, with 27 staff members reporting incidents such as sexual harassment and explicit language. Six respondents said they had been threatened with sharp or dangerous objects.
Long working hours were another recurring theme. Teachers reported averaging around 50 hours a week, while senior leaders — including head teachers and their deputies — said they often worked even more. Much of the time outside classroom teaching was spent on administration, managing behaviour issues, and dealing with parents, alongside unpaid extracurricular responsibilities.
Some staff also reported facing discrimination linked to age, gender, disability, or their role.
The government said the annual survey is designed to recognise effective practice, pinpoint areas needing improvement, and help ensure targeted support for the education workforce.
