We need to stop treating schools like a political football and actually support teachers, not just make grand announcements

It always gets me how every new government, every new minister, thinks they’ve found the magic bullet for schools. They come in, announce some grand plan — often something totally disconnected from what teachers actually deal with day to day — and then wonder why nothing really changes. It’s like they’re playing a game of policy bingo, ticking boxes without ever stepping into a classroom that isn’t a photo opportunity. This constant churn, it just exhausts everyone.

We need to stop treating teaching like it’s a short-term gig. The way we train teachers, support them, and pay them – it’s just not sustainable. People leave after a few years because the workload is impossible, the pay is bad, and the respect just isn’t there. My partner Jade sees similar burnout in nursing, but in schools, it feels like it’s expected.