Almost half of primary teachers in England see pupils with eating disorders, survey finds

The survey found 45% of primary teachers and 78% of secondary teachers had seen children with signs of eating disorders at least occasionally. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

Almost half of primary school teachers are seeing pupils with eating disorders “at least occasionally”, rising to four in five at secondary level, according to a survey by the UK’s largest education union.

The findings emerged in a poll of 10,000 teachers in English state schools about pupils’ mental health, which also revealed “overwhelming” exam anxiety in secondaries and dwindling numbers of counsellors to support students.