New research conducted by education market research specialists VoicED (part of Stockport based DJS Research Ltd) has discovered that two fifths of teachers say they are “less likely to stay in their role following a Conservative victory in the recent General Election.”
Following the General Election, teachers in primary and secondary schools across the UK were asked: “Will the result of the General Election make you more or less likely to continue working in your current role in education?”
The findings showed that more than two fifths (43.1%) of teachers said that the Conservative Party majority in the General Election would make them less likely to continue working within their current role. A fifth (22%) said they were ‘much less likely’ to continue in their current role.
Teachers were also asked which party they had voted for. It was found that 62.4% of those who supported Labour felt that the election result would make it less likely that they’d stay in their current role.
On the other hand, 23.9% of the respondents who voted for the Conservatives said that the election results would make it more likely that they would continue in their current position, as opposed to just 2 individual Labour-voting respondents, who said the same.
Overall, 68% of the education professionals surveyed said that they felt negatively about the General Election result at an overall level, and just 21.8% claimed to feel positive about the Conservative’s success.
Three quarters (74%) of Labour voters, and half (53%) of Green voters felt ‘very negative’ about the result of the election at an overall level.
Of the respondents who supported the Liberal Democrats, 55% said that the election results would not affect their decision to stay or leave their current position. However, 40.8% said that the results would make it more likely that they’d leave their current role. No respondents said that the results would make them more likely to continue in their current position.
When all of the respondents were asked if they would vote for the same party if the election was held again today, 92% said that they would stand by their original vote and vote for the same party. On the other hand, one in twenty (5%) said that they would vote differently.
Looking at those teachers who would change their votes, it appears that those who supported the small parties would be more inclined to alter their vote if given a second chance.
- 95% of Labour voters revealed that they would vote for the same party again, whereas 3% said they would vote differently.
- 98% of Tory supporters would vote Conservative again and just 1% would vote differently.
- 85% of Liberal Democrat voters would vote the same, as opposed to 11% who would change their vote.
- 93% of Green Party supporters would vote Green again, whereas 8% would vote differently.
Speaking about the results of the survey, Elliot Simmonds, Panel Manager at VoicED, had the following to say:
“The results we see in our snapshot survey in terms of teacher voting are largely in line with a poll carried out by TES in April, just prior to the Election, to ascertain teacher voting intentions.
“There is clearly work for Nicky Morgan and the Conservative Party to do in terms of reassuring teachers. Whether these results are an on-going hangover from the toxic relationship between educators and Michael Gove remains to be seen, but with two fifths of teachers suggesting the Election outcome has left them less likely to continue in their current role, the new Government needs to work fast to re-establish widespread support and reassure education professionals.”