The Guardian view on a four-day week for teachers: a clever way to end the staffing crisis

The Government Must Listen: Four-Day Week is the Only Answer to Teacher Burnout Crisis

Teachers in England are working longer hours than anywhere else in the developed world. On average, they put in 51 hours of work per week, with many going without compensation or pay during this time. They also often have to miss out on weekends and holidays, leading to burnout and a significant number of resignations.

The consequences of this are stark. A quarter of English schools lack physics teachers, and many key subjects are no longer being taught at A-level in disadvantaged areas. The staffing crisis is deepening, with almost as many quitting the profession as new entrants last year.

But one potential solution to this crisis is gaining traction: a four-day week for teachers. The 4 Day Week Foundation suggests that schools adopt a flexible working pattern similar to Scotland's proposals, where staff work four days and have a dedicated fifth day for marking and lesson preparation.

This is not about sending children home for an extra day or reducing the overall school year. Rather, it's about allowing teachers to have better work-life balance, which would help them recharge and reduce burnout. Research from schools that have already experimented with this approach shows positive results: retention rates improve, staff are happier, and even academic outcomes can benefit.

The UK government has a clear plan to hire 6,500 new teachers, but it's woefully short on details about how to tackle the staffing crisis. The four-day week is not a radical idea; it's simply a necessary reform to address the system that's collapsing under the weight of burnout.

With schools spending £1.25 billion on supply teaching each year, reducing burnout would save money too. And for teachers who are already working longer hours than anyone else in the OECD, the idea of having more time off is not just a perk – it's essential to their well-being and job satisfaction.

The government must listen to this proposal and start tackling the root cause of the staffing crisis: teacher burnout. The four-day week is not a silver bullet, but it's a crucial step towards creating a healthier work environment for teachers. It's time to put the needs of our education system above all else.

[Image of a burnt-out teacher with a clock in the background, ticking away ]

[4 Day Week Foundation logo with a "yes" stamp on it ]

[Teacher surrounded by papers and books with a red X marked through them ]

[GIF of a happy teacher with a relaxed face, playing with a cat ]

[Image of a teacher's schedule with long hours marked out, replaced with short breaks and self-care activities ]

Research shows it works!

Reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction!

I'm really worried about these teachers, they're already doing so much and getting so little in return . If we can't even get their basic needs met, how are we expecting them to care for our kids? The fact that a quarter of schools lack physics teachers is just insane. What's going on? It's like we're undervaluing education and the people who make it happen.

A four-day week might be the answer, but I'm not sure it's enough . We need to rethink the entire system and make sure teachers are getting the support they need. They're already working 51 hours a week, that's crazy! What's the point of hiring more teachers if we just have them burn out even faster?

It's all about work-life balance, I think. If teachers can get some time to recharge, maybe they won't quit as much . But it's not just about the teachers, it's about our education system as a whole. We need to invest in our people and make sure we're not exploiting them.

I wish the government would listen to this proposal and actually do something about it . We can't keep treating teachers like that. They're the backbone of our education system, and we need to start valuing them more.

I think 4 day week is super idea for teacher burnout . They need more time for self-care and family . Right now they're stuck in a never-ending cycle of work, no break, just back to it again . It's like they're running on empty ️. The gov should definitely listen to this proposal and make changes ASAP . We need to prioritize teacher well-being or else we'll lose great educators . Every extra day off would bring benefits for students too , like better focus and engagement in class . The gov's plan to hire 6500 new teachers is good start but it needs more focus on teacher burnout . Let's do this!

schools are getting slammed with burnout and resignations it's like they're running on fumes and the only way to fix it is to give them more hours off not 4 days but like actual time off where they can recharge and actually make a living for themselves rather than just scraping by

I think this 4 Day Week thingy is a no-brainer! Teachers are literally burning out over here and it's affecting their performance and the kids' education . If they could just have a bit more time to themselves, recharge, and come back to teaching refreshed and happy, it'd make such a difference .

And let's not forget, all that supply teaching is a huge waste of cash - £1.25 billion! A 4 Day Week would save the school system a pretty penny too. It's not just about teachers' well-being, it's also about getting more bang for their buck .

The UK government needs to listen to this proposal and make some changes ASAP . Teachers are already working so much more than anyone else in the OECD - they deserve better .

I'm literally exhausted just reading about how much teachers in England are working . I mean, 51 hours a week is insane! And don't even get me started on them having to miss out on weekends and holidays... it's like they're never really off work .

But the thing that really gets me is that we're talking about a staffing crisis where some schools are barely able to offer basic subjects at A-level. It's like, how can we expect students to succeed if we don't even have teachers who care?

A four-day week sounds like a total game-changer! I mean, it's not just about having more time off (although that does sound nice ), but also about reducing burnout. I've seen what happens when my friends' parents are stressed out all the time... they get sick, and then there's even less time for them to spend with their kids .

I'm so done with our education system just keeping teachers as cogs in a machine without thinking about their actual well-being . We need some serious reform, stat!

I feel like the government is just throwing money at this problem without thinking about what actually works . A four-day week sounds like a no-brainer - it's not like it's gonna break the bank or anything. I mean, have you seen how stressed teachers are? It's like they're running on empty all the time. And yeah, burnout is a real thing, so if it can help prevent people from quitting the profession that'd be amazing . It's about time we put the teachers' needs before the system's interests. I wish someone would just talk to them and listen .

[Image of Distracted Boyfriend meme with a teacher in the background, looking exhausted]

[School bus driving away from an empty classroom ]

I'm so over this idea that teachers are just superheroes who can magically do more with less, you know? I mean, burnout is real, and it's not something that can be ignored or wished away. If we want to keep attracting talented people into the teaching profession, we need to give them a chance to actually live their lives outside of school hours.

The 4-day week might seem like a small thing, but trust me, it's huge for teacher morale and retention. I've seen it happen in other countries, where schools have switched to this flexible schedule, and the results are amazing - fewer resignations, improved student outcomes, the whole works!

It's time for our government to get on board with this idea and make some real changes. No more pretending that everything is okay when it's not. The 4-day week isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have for creating a sustainable teaching workforce.

I'm all about finding solutions, but we need to stop treating teachers like they're invincible. They're human beings with families, bills, and needs outside of the classroom. So let's give them some flexibility, some work-life balance, and see what happens!

THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO GET ON BOARD WITH THIS 4-DAY WEEK IDEA FOR TEACHERS! IT'S NOT ABOUT GIVING KIDS AN EXTRA DAY OFF, IT'S ABOUT ALLOWING TEACHERS TO HAVE A LIFELINE TO RECHARGE AND STOP BURNING OUT!!! THE STATISTICS ARE CLEAR: TEACHER RETENTION RATES GO UP, STAFF HAPPINESS SOARS, AND EVEN GRADE POINTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS BALANCE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT £1.25 BILLION SAVED IN SUPPLY TEACHING OVERHEADS HERE! IT'S TIME FOR THE UK TO LISTEN AND GET SERIOUS ABOUT ADDRESSING THE TEACHER BURNOUT CRISIS!

I'm tellin' ya, back in my day we didn't have these long school hours and burnout issues... schools were more chill ‍ I mean, teachers were happy, students were happy, it was a great time. Now they're workin' like dogs (51 hours of work per week is insane!) and still not gettin' paid properly. It's no wonder they're leavin' the profession in droves The four-day week is a genius idea... just imagine the benefits! More time for teachers to recharge, better work-life balance, happy staff = happy students ‍ It's all about puttin' people first, not just the system. We gotta make our schools a healthier place for everyone.