Four in five teachers bullied in school with some turning to drugs and alcohol to cope

'Bullying is destroying many teachers' health and driving them from the profession,' says union

Teachers could be assisted into job shares with a matchmaking-style service in a move hoped to stem experienced staff deserting the profession, the education secretary has said. (PA)

Teachers are turning to alcohol and prescribed drugs to cope with workplace bullying, according to a new survey,

Four in five teachers have been victims of bullying in the past year, the NASUWT teaching union said, after the results from the poll of nearly 2,000 teachers were revealed.

It found that 45 per cent have visited their GP to cope with bullying, while others have turned to prescribed drugs (18 per cent) and alcohol (17 per cent).

Some teachers have considered self-harm and while others had quit the profession because of bullying.

One teacher told the NASUWT: “It has been horrific. I genuinely thought about harming myself so I wouldn’t have to attend work.”

Another added: “The bullying broke me mentally and I was left with no choice but to resign for my sanity’s sake.”

Four in five of those surveyed said they had suffered anxiety a result of bullying they had experienced.

More than half of respondents (52 per cent) said they have experienced depression because of bullying, with 41 per cent saying it had affected their ability to deliver high-quality lessons.

The majority of incidents were reported to have been perpetrated by headteachers and senior leaders.

Another teacher said: “I have put up with bullying for the last two years and you have to be incredibly strong to keep going in each day and continually take what is thrown at you. Education is a nasty, backstabbing, cruel place to work.”

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Evidence of bullying is alarmingly prevalent in schools and colleges. While there are many schools that treat their staff with courtesy and respect, teachers tell us that in too many a culture of bullying and abuse of teachers is far too common.

“Bullying is destroying many teachers’ physical and mental health, and driving some teachers from their schools or the profession entirely.”

Ms Keates called for the “abuse, bullying, ostracising and undermining “of teachers to stop.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “No teacher should face bullying or ill-treatment in the workplace, and schools have a duty to protect their staff. Our Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, launched in January, focuses on the wellbeing of school and college staff and in particular the importance of developing supportive cultures.

“Employers have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, which includes minimising the risk of stress-related illness.”