A new study by Save My Exams has revealed a sharp rise in abuse directed at UK teachers by both students and parents. The findings indicate a growing crisis in schools, with significant consequences for teachers’ mental health, classroom performance, and decisions to remain in the profession.
The study surveyed 200 current and former teachers across the UK and incorporated data from a Department for Education Freedom of Information request, along with analysis of Reddit forums. The results reveal how widespread abuse is contributing to poor wellbeing and pushing many teachers toward resignation.
66% of teachers reported experiencing abuse from students. Verbal abuse was the most frequent, cited by 43%, followed by threats or intimidation at 34%, and online harassment at 21%. Department for Education data recorded a 164.5% increase in suspensions for verbal abuse or threatening behaviour toward adults in schools between the autumn term of 2022 to 2023 and the spring term of 2023 to 2024, compared to the 2016 to 2018 period.
The impact on teachers’ mental health is clear. 45% reported feeling unmotivated as a result of abuse, and 33% said they experienced stress, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion. The problem appears more acute among male teachers, with 42% reporting symptoms, compared to 25% of female teachers.
Abuse is also influencing career decisions. 41% of teachers said they had left or considered leaving the profession due to abuse. Among women, this figure rose to 45%. 40% of all respondents said abuse had a direct effect on their ability to perform effectively in the classroom.
Abuse from parents is also becoming more common. 66% of teachers said they had experienced parental abuse, often in the form of aggressive or mocking emails and messages, which affected 24%, and attacks via social media, which affected 23%. Millennial teachers appear most affected, with 75% reporting parental abuse. Only 21% of teachers believe that schools are addressing the issue adequately.
Teachers also noted a rise in behavioural problems since the Covid pandemic. 43% reported an increase in verbal abuse, and 34% noted more threats. These perceptions align with a 334.1% increase in suspensions for persistent disruptive behaviour over the same period.
Lucy Kirkham, a former teacher and Head of STEM at Save My Exams, commented: “Our report has revealed a significant rise in student-on-teacher abuse and the potential consequences this has on both teachers and students. Not only is it having a profoundly negative impact on the quality of education UK students are receiving, but it is also dramatically affecting attainment by demotivating students and teachers. Teachers themselves are having to deal with more verbal and physical abuse and negative comments on online social platforms. This abuse is not just perpetrated by students, but increasingly by parents too. All of this means higher teacher absences, which point to a worsening crisis in teacher retention. From this report, we are calling for more guidance and financial support from the UK Government to help rebuild the trust that has deteriorated. More investment is required to support behaviour policies for teachers to deal with the extreme rise in behavioural issues since the Covid-19 pandemic, and to improve the lines of communication between parents and schools.”
The Education Support charity’s Teacher Wellbeing Index adds further weight to these findings. It reported that 77% of education staff experience work-related mental health symptoms such as anxiety and burnout, and it has called for urgent government action to improve retention and mental health support in schools.
Calls for solutions focus on strengthening behaviour policies, increasing mental health resources, and enhancing communication between schools and parents. Without intervention, the profession risks losing more teachers, threatening the stability and quality of the UK education system.
