Dear participant,

This short survey is aimed at UK teachers at the early stages of their careers, from the first day of training to the end of their third year after completing training. The findings of this initial survey will be used to generate a series of more in-depth surveys to focus on specific groups of teachers and specific issues, with a view to generating pragmatic solutions for trainees and school to help ensure they remain in teaching - happily!

Since my book, How to Survive in Teaching, was published in 2018, I have become increasingly aware of how crucial the early years of teaching are in ensuring teachers remain - and thrive - in UK classrooms. This is at a time when recruitment and retention of quality teachers is at crisis point and it is devastating when hard-working people full of hope as they embark on their teaching careers walk away far earlier than they'd imagined they might.

I am passionate about work with teachers and high profile groups in the UK, from Education Support, the NFER and the DFE to putting measures in place to ensure that children like my own have quality and continuity in the classroom and that teaching is perceived, for all its challenges, as a joyful profession and one inspires pride.

**IMPORTANT: through my doctoral and subsequent research and writing, I am fully trained in ethical considerations. All of your data will be stored privately and any of it I use for research or writing will be strictly anonymised.**

I thank you for your time and your part in this project, which will make a positive difference.

Emma

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* 1. Please describe, in no more than 2000 characters, your reasons for becoming a teacher.

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* 2. What is your gender?

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* 3. What is your age?

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* 4. What training programme did you follow/are you following?

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* 5. In what type of institution do you work or are you training to work?

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* 6. How long is it since you taught the first class for whom you had sole responsibility? (i.e. not overseen by a mentor or class teacher)

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* 7. What is your MAIN subject area?

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* 8. What are your current hours at work or in training?

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* 9. Have you worked for more than a year in a profession other than teaching? Please specify profession, period and length of experience.

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* 10. How does your experience of UK schools so far compare to your expectations?

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* 11. Please explain your answer to question 10!

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* 12. In no more than 2000 characters, what, according to your experiences and context(s), are the best/most positive elements of being a teacher today?

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* 13. In no more than 2000 characters, what, according to your experiences and context(s), are the most difficult/challenging elements of being a teacher today?

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* 14. What is the one thing (big or small) that is most likely to keep you in teaching?

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* 15. What is the one thing (big or small) that is most likely to drive you away form the teaching profession?

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* 16. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements

  Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree
Teaching is a lifelong profession
Teaching is a worthwhile profession
If a close friend or relative were considering going into teaching, I would recommend this
Teaching is portrayed positively in the media
Teachers are respected by politicians
Developments in teaching are based upon credible research
I can see myself remaining in teaching for at least another year
I can see myself remaining in teaching for at least three years
I can see myself remaining in teaching for at least five years

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* 17. Please rank the following factors in the order in which they influenced your decision to enter the teaching profession.

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* 18. Please rank the following nine factors in order of how likely they are to have a POSITIVE impact on motivation and wellbeing at work.

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* 19. Please specify any other factors, not mentioned above, which have or had a POSITIVE impact on your motivation and wellbeing at work.

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* 20. Please rank the following nine factors in order of how likely they are to have a NEGATIVE impact on motivation and wellbeing at work.

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* 21. Please specify any other factors, not mentioned above, which have or had a NEGATIVE impact on your motivation and wellbeing at work.

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* 22. Please indicate below any other relevant information - e.g. if you have worked in another profession, you may wish to draw comparisons.

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* 23. If you are willing to be contacted for further information on your responses, please provide your email address in the box below.

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* 24. As an influencer in education, I am regularly involved in speaking and writing about school experiences at conferences and TeachMeets. If this is something you would also be interested in, please briefly outline your 'story' below and ensure you have provided me with an email address so I can contact you with suitable opportunities

T