A SURVEY carried out in Jersey in 2021 found that hundreds of teachers had considered quitting their jobs in the 12 months prior to the study.
At the time, the “impact of the pandemic” was cited by the government, which stated that it was working on responses to the issues raised.
This included concerns around workload, stress, and feeling unsupported or undervalued.
But a few years – and a pay dispute – later, a similar survey open to all staff working in Government of Jersey schools and colleges has shown that many of the same themes remain.
In fact, nearly half (46%) of those who took part in the Jersey Schools and Colleges Survey 2025 reported being less satisfied than they were three years ago.
The feedback was sourced by the Children, Young People, Education and Skills
(CYPES) department in partnership with trade unions in July, with the subsequent report published yesterday.
Over 600 responses were received, representing 28% of the workforce.
This comprised a wide-range of roles, including teachers, teaching assistants, student services and support staff, catering staff, site staff, technicians as well as office and administrative staff.
At the time of the survey, 69% of respondents were “very or fairly satisfied” in their current role, whilst 5% were “very dissatisfied”.
Nearly half (46%) of those who took part in the survey reported being less satisfied than they were three years ago, a theme that was more evident in fee-paying schools (54%) and special schools (70%).
Around a quarter (26%) of respondents based in primary schools, as well as 20% of those based in secondary schools, were more satisfied than they were three years ago.
Student-facing non-teaching respondents were the most positive in response to this question, with 32% in that group feeling more satisfied.
The majority (70%) of all respondents said they would recommend their school to their friends to send their children to. This was similar in fee-paying (74%) and non-fee-paying schools (69%).
The figure shrank slightly among the teachers who responded, with 63% reporting that they would recommend their school. This was also a decrease on the figure of 68% recorded in 2021.
Of the overall respondents, 56% reported that they would recommend their school as a good place to work, while 30% weren’t sure.
Over three-fifths (62%) had considered leaving their role in the last 12 months – a response more likely among teachers (69%) compared with around 50% in each of the other staff groups.
“Responses were consistent amongst teaching professionals, with leadership, management and classroom teachers all responding at around 69%,” the report noted.
“This consistency was observed between primary and secondary based staff as well.”
The largest factors cited by those who had considered leaving in the last 12 months included workload, work-life balance and stress as well as pay and cost of living, leadership, support and progression opportunities.
“Around two thirds of respondents were positive about their roles, enjoying relationships with pupils and colleagues and the rewarding nature of the work,” the report stated.
“However, concerns about workload, pay, leadership support, and limited career progression meant that some respondents were considering leaving.”
In the section on working conditions, the report also noted that: “Most respondents reported working long hours, with teachers averaging around 50 hours and headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers over 55 hours, compared to about 40 hours for non-teaching roles.
It continued: “Time beyond teaching was dominated by administration, behaviour management, and parent interactions, alongside unpaid extracurricular duties.
“Many respondents also reported experiencing challenging behaviours and a minority reported discrimination linked to gender, age, disability, and role bias.”
The survey also asked about the behaviours that teachers had been subject to, which included “parental aggression”.
The report cited 68 responses documenting various experiences, such as “hostile” emails and social media “attacks”.
The report also highlighted incidents of “sexualised behaviour” from pupils including sexual harassment and explicit language (27 responses).
False allegations (22 responses), staff bullying (14 responses) and threats with sharp objects or dangerous items (6 responses) were also listed.
The majority of respondents rated pupil behaviour as “good or acceptable”, though nearly a
third saw it as poor.
“Support for managing behaviour is mixed, and while positive behaviour is widely celebrated, responses indicate a need for clearer policies, consistent consequences, and stronger parental engagement,” the report stated.
“Common issues included rule refusal, equipment and uniform breaches, with serious incidents less frequent but notable in some settings.”
The more recent study comes in the wake of the since-resolved pay dispute that saw strikes take place in 2023 and 2024.
Education Minister Rob Ward had previously stated that the survey had been redeveloped to gain a better insight into the “experiences, working conditions and perceptions of being employed at a Government of Jersey school”.
“Going forwards, it will run every two years, to allow us to map trends and changes over time,” the minister noted.
“The responses we receive will provide us with rich data that allows for the sharing of good practice, as well as identifying areas for improvement.”
Deputy Ward also thanked the respondents for their “ongoing dedication and hard work in education” and for “supporting our children and young people”.
“I am hugely grateful for all that you do,” he added.
