Third of England’s teachers who qualified in last decade ‘have left profession’

Labour say that of just under 270,000 teachers who qualified in England between 2011 and 2020, more than 81,000 have since left the profession. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

Nearly a third of teachers who qualified in the last decade have since left the profession, according to Labour analysis that has been released as the party attempts to shift the political focus on to education.

With the results of strike ballots by teaching unions due in the coming days, Labour intends to use a Commons vote this week to push their plan to impose VAT on private school fees, which they say would help pay for new teachers in the state sector.