Over Half of UK Teachers Considered Leaving Education Due to Marking Workload, Says New Research by Learnosity

• Nearly three quarters of teachers would adopt AI if it could reduce their marking workload by 50%
• A third of teachers losing sleep over marking

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New research released today from edtech leader Learnosity, revealed that over half (52%) of teachers have considered leaving the profession due to overwhelming marking workloads. In response, nearly three quarters (73%) of teachers would welcome AI tools that can help reduce their workload.

The research highlights the lack of support for teachers across the UK, particularly in relation to marking. Over a third of teachers are left feeling overwhelmed (35%) or exhausted (42%) by their marking responsibilities, with a third (34%) losing sleep as a result.

On average, teachers spend 8.2 hours a week marking assignments with the majority (87%) forced to take marking work home with them.

In response, educators are open to adopting AI-based solutions to better manage workloads, with the majority (73%) of teachers saying they would be open to adopting AI-driven tools if it could cut their marking workload in half.

Over half (52%) of teachers believe reducing their marking responsibilities would lower their stress and burnout. Additionally, 45% said it would improve their work-life balance.

Gavin Cooney, Founder and CEO of Learnosity, said, "As a former lecturer, I know firsthand the immense pressure educators face and how grading can consume their time. The data is clear: teachers are reaching their limits, so we need to act now if we want to keep passionate teachers in the profession. AI-powered grading is part of the answer—and it’s no longer a futuristic idea, it’s a solved problem. But we shouldn't ask teachers to adopt new tools that create more administrative burden. Instead, we should be simplifying the experience by upgrading the platforms teachers already use. Every learning platform can integrate AI grading technology today—and educators should demand it."

Feedback Aide, an AI-powered tool, is designed to seamlessly integrate with existing learning platforms, providing a transparent, rubric-based approach to grading that helps automate parts of the marking process. By streamlining grading Feedback Aide enables teachers to spend more time on what truly matters—lesson planning, student engagement and personal wellbeing.

With over three-quarters (78%) of teachers feel that marking is one of the toughest parts of the job, and 67% reporting that marking workloads have only increased over the past 12 months the need for a solution has never been greater. With access to AI-powered feedback, teachers can have more control over where the spend their time.

Gavin adds, “While grading isn’t the only challenge teachers face; it is something we can address now. Not only able to reduce workloads, Feedback Aide can also enhance teaching quality by providing personalised and meaningful feedback that is accurate – resulting in better learning outcomes.”

By leveraging AI-powered solutions, schools and educators have the opportunity to reduce burnout, improve job satisfaction, retain talent and ultimately enhance the learning experience for students.

To find out more about Feedback Aide visit learnosity.com

About Learnosity

Learnosity is the global leader in AI-optimized assessment solutions. Serving over 750 customers and more than 40 million learners, its mission is to advance education and learning worldwide with best-in-class technology.

Learnosity’s API-backed, AI-enriched assessment engine makes it easy for modern learning platforms to quickly launch fully featured products, scale on demand, and always meet fast-evolving market needs.

Research

502 teachers from the UK were surveyed online by Perspectus Global between 8 and 10 January 2025.

Perspectus surveys adhere to MRS code of conduct and are GDPR compliant. The respondents in this case were geographically validated and had express opt in. There were also digital fingerprinting checks in place.