School staff believe children’s education is suffering due to shortages
School staffing shortages are harming children’s education and safety, report finds
- A Unison survey of nearly 3,000 school support staff has revealed widespread staffing shortages across UK schools.
- Three in five respondents reported fewer colleagues than a year ago, with over three-quarters stating there were insufficient workers to meet pupils' needs.
- A similar proportion of staff warned that reduced staffing levels made it more difficult to ensure pupils' safety.
- The primary cause identified for these shortages is schools' inability to replace staff who leave, leading to increased workloads and unpaid overtime for remaining employees.
- Unison and the NAHT union are calling for increased government funding for schools to allow for adequate staffing, fair pay and improved conditions for support staff.