AN OXFORD academic says he is not surprised by a thinktank’s claim that many teachers are keen to leave their profession due to workloads.

John Howson, who has advised the Government on education policy, said teaching was now ‘a more onerous occupation’ than in the 1990s.

This is because classroom and out-of-classroom hours had risen, he said.

Prof Howson added: “Pay, moral and workload have all been adversely affected and historically when that happens in a time of full employment, teachers do quit the profession.” His comments came after Education Datalab claimed many teachers did not like the job but were trapped by financial circumstances.