The findings show that lesson-planning and marking remain two of the biggest drivers of workload, with teachers spending almost 17 hours a week on these tasks.
The study, which took place in March 2016, saw 3,186 teachers responding from 245 schools across England.
Ninety-three per cent of the respondents said that workload in their school was a “fairly serious problem”, while 52 per cent said it was a “very serious problem”.
Teachers reported that the most time was spent on lesson-planning and preparation – 8.8 hours a week – followed by marking – 8.1 hours a week. Other notable workload drivers included general administrative work (4.1 hours a week), engaging in extra-curricular activities (2.9 hours a week), and pupil supervision and tuition (3.8 hours a week).
Ultimately, teachers and middle leaders in the survey spent an average of 21.6 hours a week teaching and 33 hours on non-teaching tasks.
The Teacher Workload Survey was one of the commitments made by the DfE after the 2015/16 Workload Challenge initiative. The survey is now to take place every two years.
The survey comes as teachers this week once again found themselves highly ranked on the list of professions most likely to work unpaid overtime. Work Your Proper Hours Day is the day in the year when the average person who does unpaid overtime stops effectively working for free. This year, the day fell on Friday (February 24).
The TUC research shows that more than 5.3 million people put in an average of 7.7 hours a week in unpaid overtime during 2016. Teachers put in the second most unpaid overtime – with an average of 12.1 unpaid hours every week. Only chief executives worked more unpaid hours (13.2 a week).
The Teacher Workload Survey, meanwhile, found that secondary school teachers are working an average of 16.9 hours a week out of school – either in the evenings or at weekends. Senior leaders in secondary schools meanwhile reported working an average of 17.7 hours a week out of school hours.
The report states: “Over three-quarters of staff were dissatisfied with the number of hours they usually worked. Most staff disagreed that they can complete their workload in their contracted hours, have an acceptable workload and that they can achieve a good balance between their work and private life.
“Those who strongly disagreed with these statements again reported longer total hours, more hours working out of the regular school day and more additional hours beyond their contract.”
The findings also showed that teachers with less than six years’ experience are working longer hours – 57.5 hours a week, compared to 53.9 hours for those with six to 10 years’ experience and 52.5 for those with 11 years or more. This pattern repeats itself for out-of-hours work – 18.1 hours a week, compared to 16.6 and 16.8 hours a week.
The findings come in a week when MPs on the Education Select Committee directly linked workload problems to the current recruitment and retention crisis.
Also this week, a study from the Education Support Partnership involving 865 school leaders and teachers, found that 44 per cent do not expect to be working in the sector beyond the next five years. However, it revealed that things likely to keep people in the profession include better wellbeing support and a reduction in workload.
The findings come on top of existing evidence showing that a third of new teachers joining in 2010 – around 6,400 people – had left teaching by 2015.
Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, is calling for an enforceable limit on working hours. He said: “Working hours are unsustainably high, well in excess of the limits in the Working Time Regulations and will deter prospective teachers from entering teaching.
“Work associated with lesson-planning, marking, admin and data-management has ballooned out of all proportion to its educational value. Teachers are calling for an enforceable limit on their working hours outside teaching time, as the open-ended nature of the teacher contract is clearly failing them and their pupils. Teacher working hours are simply unsustainable. Exhausted teachers, struggling in the face of funding cuts and teacher shortages, cannot do their best for the children they teach.”
Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, added: “Once again, the government’s own data confirms that teachers and headteachers are dealing with unsustainable workload demands on a daily basis, and much of their time is being spent on activities which are either unnecessary or which could be undertaken by staff other than teachers.
“The government’s own evidence confirms that the crisis in teacher retention and recruitment is a direct result of excessive workload coupled with real-terms cuts to teachers’ pay. More than 80 per cent of teachers cite excessive workload as the main reason why they are seriously considering quitting the teaching profession.
“A coherent government-wide strategy is needed which secures effective downward pressure (on) workload and working hours.”
After the Workload Challenge last year, the DfE published reports from three review groups on ineffective marking, use of planning and resources, and data management in a bid to spread good practice. Now the DfE this week has updated its “reducing teacher workload action plan”, including an “offer of targeted support” to schools from 2017/18 to reduce workload.
The plan states: “We will ensure there is an integrated package, funded by government, which will explore the best way to support school-to-school initiatives, including consideration of tailored packages of support for classroom teachers and middle leaders working in primary and secondary schools.”
The Teacher Workload Survey is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-workload-survey-2016 and the DfE’s Reducing Teacher Workload action plan, see www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-teachers-workload