The 2025 Big Question Survey was completed by 10,626 teachers from across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies

Pay and pensions
Pupil health and wellbeing
Working practice and pupil behaviour
Bureaucracy and workload
Teaching quality
Technology
Health and wellbeing
Job satisfaction
 

Pay and pensions

Over the last 12 months, teachers have continued to report significant concerns about pay and financial pressure, although several measures have improved slightly compared with the 2024 survey. The proportion who feel teaching is not competitive with other professions has dropped to 79%, and those who believe their pay does not reflect their skills and experience has eased to 73%. While still high, these reductions suggest a gradual shift in perceptions during 2024/25.

Financial anxiety remains widespread, with 81% of teachers in 2025 saying they are worried about their financial situation—only a marginal improvement on 2024. Pension affordability continues to be a challenge for many, though the proportion finding contributions unaffordable has fallen to 24%.

Some areas of personal cost-cutting show modest improvement. Teachers are now less likely to report reducing spending on heating, food or clothing, and slightly fewer say they have stopped saving. However, the scale of financial strain remains severe: nearly three-quarters continue to cut back on social activities, nearly half on food, and more than one in ten have taken a second job. Overall, despite small improvements, the 2025 picture still reflects a profession facing considerable financial pressure.

Q18		do not think that teaching is competitive with other professions
Q19		do not believe they are paid at a pay level commensurate with their skills and experiences
Q20		believe that people are put off a career in teaching because of pay
Q21		find their pension costs unaffordable
Q22		are worried about their financial situation (somewhat/very worried)

Q23 In the last 12 months, have you had to do any of the following:

73%	Cut back on social activities
66%	Cut back on expenditure on clothing
34%	Cut back on expenditure on heating
47%	Cut back on expenditure on food
56%	Stop saving
43%	Delay household repairs
33%	Cut back on expenditure on essential household items
33%	Reduce contributions to charity
22%	Increase use of credit
15%	Increase overdraft
11%	Take a second job
8%	Delay the paying of bills
3%	Miss mortgage or rent payments
1%	Visit a foodbank

Pupil health and wellbeing

Findings for pupil health and wellbeing in 2025 remain broadly consistent with 2024. Almost all teachers continue to teach pupils with mental health challenges, and 85% report rising levels of emotional and social issues over the past year. Teachers increasingly describe these difficulties as complex and persistent.

Support for pupils’ mental health remains a major concern. As in 2024, eight in ten teachers say appropriate services are not available, reflecting longstanding capacity issues. Just over half report rising safeguarding referrals in 2024/25, and 81% say they feel supported by their school when making them.

New SEND-related questions in 2025 reveal that more than half of teachers work in schools with a resourced provision or SEN unit, and around four in ten report internal alternative provision. Fewer than half believe pupils in these settings are reintegrated into mainstream classes, highlighting ongoing challenges in delivering inclusive support.

Q24		believe that the rates of adverse emotional, personal or social issues among pupils they teach have increased over the last 12 months
Q25		don’t believe that appropriate support is available to help address pupils’ mental health issues
Q26		fulfil a safeguarding lead role in their school
Q27		say that the number of safeguarding referrals made has increased (slightly/significantly) over the last year

Q28 Teachers who say that the number of safeguarding referrals made has increased (slightly/significantly) by type:

16%	Sexual abuse
25%	Physical abuse
34%	Emotional abuse
34%	Neglect

 

Q29		feel supported (moderately/very) to make safeguarding referrals within their school

Q30 Teachers who say their school has an internal resourced provision or SEN Unit for pupils with SEND:

55%	Yes, run by my school
2%	Yes, run on site by external organisation
1%	Yes, run remotely by external provider

Q31 Teachers who say their school has internal alternative provision for pupils (e.g. pupils who have been suspended, are in seclusion, have anxiety issues):

39%	Yes, run by my school
2%	Yes, run onsite by external organisation
2%	Yes, run remotely by external provide

 

Q32		say that their school ensures that pupils attending internal resource provision are reintegrated back into main school classes

Working practice and pupil behaviour

Pupil behaviour remains a substantial concern in 2025, continuing trends noted in 2024. Teachers again cite rule-breaking, excessive chatter and irregular attendance as the most frequent forms of disruption. Problems such as incomplete work, backchat and lateness remain common. Reports of physical assaults on staff and misogynistic behaviour have risen slightly, although most behaviour indicators are broadly stable year-on-year.

Teachers’ experiences of challenging behaviour from pupils and parents remain similar to 2024, but more now feel their school does not respond to incidents adequately. At the same time, small improvements are reported in teachers’ perceptions of support and resourcing, with a slight increase in schools completing risk assessments for violent or potentially violent pupils.

Concerns about school buildings continue into 2025, though fewer teachers rate conditions as poor compared with last year. Recurring issues include extreme temperatures, leaking roofs and poor ventilation, all of which present ongoing challenges for maintaining safe environments.

Q33 Pupil behaviour problems that cause the most concern on a day-to-day basis:

80%	Inability to follow rules
67%	Pupils with irregular attendance patterns
70%	Chatter in class
65%	Failure to complete work, including homework
66%	Backchat
62%	Late arrival at lessons
55%	Failure to bring appropriate equipment
50%	Swearing/verbal abuse
46%	Failure to comply with uniform policy
34%	Distraction of mobile phones, e.g. texting, cameras
29%	Discriminatory language
29%	Violence between pupils
26%	Bullying between pupils
22%	Threatening behaviour
20%	Physical assaults on teachers
11%	Distraction of other portable electronic devices, e.g. iPad
5%	Pupils bringing weapons into school

Q34 Teachers in the last 12 months say they have been subject to:

62%	Verbal abuse by a pupil
30%	Verbal abuse by a parent or carer
27%	Criticism from parents/carers, including parent ‘bombing’ during remote education
25%	Discriminatory language/abuse by a pupil
24%	Pushing/shoving by a pupil
21%	Threats of physical assault from a pupil
20%	Misogyny by a pupil
17%	Physical assault by a pupil
8%	Discriminatory language/abuse by a parent or carer
5%	Misogyny by a parent or carer
3%	Abuse/allegations on social networking sites by a pupil
3%	Threats of physical assault from a parent or carer
3%	Abuse/allegations on social networking sites by a parent or carer
2%	Sexual harassment by a pupil
1%	Physical assault by a parent or carer
1%	Sexual harassment by a parent or carer

 

Q35		felt that their school had not dealt with abuse by a parent/carer or pupil in a satisfactory manner

Q37 My experience in my current school (agree/strongly agree with statement):

41%	they are made to feel they are to blame for poor pupil behaviour
45%	the culture in their school is that poor pupil behaviour is part of the job and they should expect to receive abuse/violence from pupils
41%	they feel supported by their school’s approach to dealing with poor pupil behaviour
29%	their school’s approach to pupil behaviour management empowers them as a teacher
29%	they have the adequate resources, support and tools to address poor pupil behaviour
59%	their school adopts a whole-school approach to behaviour management
31%	their school’s behaviour policy is effective and fit for purpose
33%	their school leaders have sufficient guidance to complete risk assessments for violent pupils

Q38 Percentage of schools that complete risk assessments for violent/potentially violent pupils:

27%		Yes - and shared with staff
16%		Yes - but not shared with staff

 

Q39		rate the condition of their school building as poor/very poor
Q40		say the condition of their school building has deteriorated/greatly deteriorated over the past three years

Q41 Concerns about conditions of school buildings:

72%	Extremes of temperature
44%	Leaking roofs
43%	Lack of ventilation
46%	Lack of welfare facilities (toilets, water, etc.)
22%	Lack of general site security
17%	Presence of asbestos
14%	Loose/falling windows
13%	Concerns around electrical supplies (broken sockets, exposed wires)
13%	Loose/falling masonry
8%	Concerns around fire safety (lack of extinguishers/fire exits/fire doors/fire alarms)

Bureaucracy and workload

Teachers continue to face significant workload pressures, with almost half (48%) reporting a substantial increase over the past year. The average working week is 47 hours, including 12 hours outside the school day, with the greatest increases in time spent on administrative tasks, pastoral care, and data and assessment requirements. Hours spent on classroom teaching, lesson preparation, marking, and remote education have remained relatively stable.

Overall, while the types of tasks have not changed dramatically, the continued high workload – especially time spent on non-teaching activities – remains a major challenge for teachers, highlighting the ongoing need for support and manageable workloads within schools.

Q42		say workload has increased significantly
Q43		hours worked in a typical mid-term week
Q44		hours worked in a typical mid-term week outside of school day

Q45 Change in time spent on activities (% saying more/much more time):

68%	Administrative and clerical tasks
63%	Pastoral care
56%	Dealing with parents
58%	Data and assessment requirements
45%	Lesson planning
38%	Classroom teaching or supervision and related preparation
39%	Marking
10%	Remote education/distance learning and related preparation

Teaching quality

Half of teachers in 2025 say they do not feel managed in a way that empowers them, a pattern consistent with 2024. Key contributors include constant change (62%), limited understanding from decision-makers (59%) and insufficient respect for professional judgement (59%). Teachers also cite unreasonable expectations and a culture of blame, continuing long-standing concerns about professional autonomy.

Capability procedures remain relatively uncommon, with 7% reporting they were threatened and 5% subjected to them—figures similar to 2024. Respect for teachers’ professional judgement has improved slightly. However, access to CPD continues to decline: teachers report fewer contracted hours and fewer voluntary hours than last year. Refused CPD requests (16%) and self-funding (8%) have reduced slightly but remain notable.

Q46		do not feel managed in a way that empowers them

Q47 Factors that professionally disempower (% agreeing):

62%	Constant change
59%	A lack of understanding by decision-makers of the day-to-day realities of the job
59%	Lack of respect for teachers’ professional judgement
50%	Unreasonable or unrealistic expectations
50%	Teachers’ views are not sought or listened to
46%	A culture of blame/criticism rather than praise
42%	Offensive behaviour from pupils/parents, or colleagues not being tackled by management
40%	Lack of timely support and intervention when teachers experience difficulty
32%	Punitive accountability, e.g. inspection/external moderation/league tables.
35%	Teachers are deployed to teach subjects/groups for which they have had no training
36%	Excessive monitoring of teachers
35%	Lack of access to appropriate CPD/Professional Learning (PL)
31%	Imposed individual pupil targets
28%	Teachers are restricted in the teaching methodologies they are able to use

 

Q48		have been threatened with capability procedures in the last 12 months
Q49		have been subject to capability procedures in the last 12 months
Q50		have been offered or put on a support programme in the last 12 months
Q51		think that the professional judgement of teachers about the needs of their pupils is not respected in their school
Q52		hours CPD accessed over the last year in contracted time hours CPD accessed over the last year in own time
Q53		have had CPD requests refused in the past 12 months
Q54		have had to fund/part-fund their CPD

Technology

Technology continues to play an expanding role in schools in 2025. Nearly half of teachers report that remote learning is still used during unplanned closures (48%), for pupils in seclusion (45%) and for those suspended (44%), consistent with 2024. Digital and remote activities are also used to support pupils with mental health needs (32%), SEND/ALN pupils experiencing social difficulties (31%) and school-phobic pupils (27%).

AI use has grown further. Teachers report using AI for lesson planning (43%), administrative tasks (28%), delivering aspects of teaching (15%) and marking (6%). A large majority (71%) say AI reduces time spent on specific tasks, but only 7% believe it reduces overall workload. As in 2024, only 7% of teachers report having dedicated time for AI or digital training, indicating a significant gap between increased usage and formal preparation.

Q55 Instances in which schools continue to provide remote education/distance learning/remote activities:

48%	Unplanned school closure days
45%	Pupils who are in seclusion/isolation
44%	Pupils who have been suspended
35%	Parents’ evenings
32%	Pupils with mental health needs (e.g. anxiety)
31%	Pupils with SEND/ASN/ALN who struggle with the social aspects of school
27%	Pupils who are school-phobic
8%	Pupils in another school to access curriculum subjects not taught at their school
7%	Pupils in several groups to be taught at the same time

 

Q56		use AI for lesson planning and preparation (Yes, occasionally/Yes, frequently)
Q57		use AI for delivering teaching (Yes, occasionally/Yes, frequently)
Q58		use AI for marking students’ work (Yes, occasionally/Yes, frequently)
Q59		use AI for other administrative tasks (Yes, occasionally/Yes, frequently)

Q61 Implications of workload being reduced through using AI:

71%	Reduced time spent on certain tasks and used that time for other essential work
9%	Reduced time spent on certain tasks but assigned new tasks
7%	Reduced my overall workload

 

Q62		are given additional time to train and prepare to use digital technologies, including AI-enabled technologies

Health and wellbeing

Teachers continue to experience high levels of stress in 2025, echoing patterns from 2024. Three in five say their physical health has been negatively affected by their job, and almost four in five report impacts on their mental health. Workload remains the dominant factor, with behaviour issues and management practices also major contributors. For the first time, teachers cite pressures linked to MAT, local authority and government expectations as additional stressors.

Physical symptoms are widespread, with many reporting headaches, back and neck pain, and rising levels of high blood pressure. Teachers mainly draw on informal support—friends, colleagues or line managers—with fewer accessing professional or medical help. Slight improvements are noted in attention to women’s health needs, though overall levels of work-related ill-health remain high.

Q63		have experienced more workplace stress in the last 12 months
Q65		believe that the job has adversely affected their mental health in the last 12 months

Q66 Factors that have been most important in causing adverse mental health (% saying most important):

44%	Workload
34%	Poor pupil behaviour
27%	Poor management
21%	Leadership initiatives/expectations from the MAT or local authority
18%	The wellbeing of my pupils
18%	The academic performance of my pupils
17%	Financial worries
17%	Monitoring and accountability measures
15%	Leadership initiatives/expectations from government
15%	Job security
12%	Workplace bullying
8%	Discrimination

Q67 In the last 12 months, have you experienced any of the following because of work (% agreeing):

83%	Anxiousness
81%	Loss of sleep
71%	Irritability/mood swings
68%	Low energy levels
51%	Lack of interest in other activities
46%	Lower concentration levels
38%	Poor health
33%	Increased use of caffeine
22%	Increased use of alcohol
19%	Loss of appetite
13%	Use/increased use of antidepressants
11%	Poor or erratic timekeeping
7%	Relationship breakdown
6%	Use/increased use of prescription drugs
5%	Increased use of tobacco
2%	Self-harm

 

Q69		believe that the job has adversely affected their physical health in the last 12 months

Q70 In the last 12 months, have you experienced any of the following because of work:

67%	Headaches
52%	Back pain
42%	Neck pain
27%	High blood pressure
17%	Other
13%	Frequent nausea
12%	Other musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders
7%	Carpal tunnel syndrome

Q72 If your job has negatively affected your mental/physical health in the last 12 months, have you done any of the following:

58%	Discussed the issues with a relative, colleague or friend
47%	Spoken to a line manager/senior manager
43%	Seen a doctor/medical professional
40%	Taken medication
17%	Spoken to your union representative
16%	Undergone counselling
14%	Sought any other professional help, e.g. physiotherapy
4%	Been admitted to hospital

 

Q73		say that their school/college takes issues of women’s health and wellbeing seriously

Q74 Teachers who say that their school/college has the following policies to support women’s health, safety and wellbeing:

Q74		Menstrual health Menopause Other (responder specified)

Job satisfaction

Teachers’ overall views of the profession show modest improvement in 2025 compared with 2024. More feel their classroom expertise is valued, and perceptions of school buildings and teaching spaces have improved (+6 points). Pride in one’s school has also risen (+4 points), and slightly more teachers would recommend teaching as a career (+1 point).

Workload remains the most pressing issue for three-quarters of teachers, followed by behaviour and pay. However, fewer teachers report a decline in job satisfaction or an intention to leave, continuing a gradual positive trend. Work-life balance indicators show mixed progress, with more teachers able to separate work and home life, while tiredness and family pressures remain high. Experiences of discrimination or harassment remain broadly stable year-on-year.

Q75		would recommend teaching as a career

Q76 About own school:

65%	My classroom expertise is valued
66%	My school’s buildings and teaching spaces are fit to teach in
63%	I am respected as a professional
63%	My work is valued by parents
61%	My safety is viewed as important
66%	My school’s buildings and teaching spaces are good for pupils
54%	My work is valued by school management
54%	I am provided with the resources to enable me to teach effectively
45%	My opinions are valued by school management
42%	Students have access in school to high-quality ICT that supports their learning
42%	My wellbeing is viewed as important
26%	My school uses digital technologies, e.g. digital platforms, tablets, CCTV, to monitor teachers’ performance

Q77 Views on own job:

84%	I work too hard for too little reward
65%	I feel trusted to do my job
63%	I feel my school gives me the freedom to teach to the best of my ability
66%	I am proud to work at my school
61%	I feel constantly evaluated and judged
58%	I am held responsible for problems I have no control over
57%	I feel I have control over what I do at work
41%	I would recommend my school as a place of work to family/friends
43%	I look forward to going to work
38%	I feel that I would be able to request flexible working arrangements at my school

Q78 Work/life balance statements:

82%	I feel too tired after work to enjoy the things that I would like to do
72%	I find that my partner and/or my family/friends often get frustrated with the pressure of my job
68%	I am often too worn down to give my job my best effort
36%	I have the space to devote time to my partner or family/friends
30%	I have been able to separate work and home life well since the start of the pandemic
28%	I am able to relax at home and to switch off from my work

 

Q79		experienced discrimination at work in the last 12 months
Q80		experienced harassment from a colleague or manager at work in the last 12 months

Q81 Top five things that teachers like most about their job:

90%	Interacting with pupils
84%	Seeing children/young people learn and progress
81%	Teaching
79%	Making a positive difference
45%	Support from colleagues

Q82 Top five concerns:

76%	Workload
70%	Pupil behaviour/indiscipline
52%	School budget cuts
46%	Pay
31%	School inspection

 

Q83		are not satisfied/very dissatisfied with their job
Q84		say that their job satisfaction has declined in the last 12 months
Q85		have seriously considered leaving their current job
Q86		have considered leaving the teaching profession

 

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