‘Exhausted, broken, at risk of heart attacks’: UK headteachers quit as cuts push them to the edge

With a strike ballot looming, school leaders say erosion of services for children and families has made their jobs untenable

Headteachers are breaking down in tears, suffering migraines and even passing out, with six in 10 admitting they have considered changing jobs in the past year because of increased level of stress.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) union says more school leaders than ever before are considering leaving the profession, and fewer and fewer" middle leaders are aspiring to take on the job because they see how punishing it is. They are balloting members on strike action, with a deadline of 11 January, but a spokesperson said school closures would remain a last resort".