Almost three-quarters of teachers say their workload has increased this term and more than half say they now go without regular breaks.

That’s according to a survey by the NASUWT teaching union, which says workload has been “exacerbated” by expectations on teachers to develop remote learning in the wake of Covid-19 - as more and more pupils are sent home and colleagues fall ill or self-isolate.

The survey, of 6,445 NASUWT members, finds that 86 per cent say there is an expectation they will develop remote learning in addition to their current workload. And 82 per cent feel they are not getting the support they need during the coronavirus pandemic to enable them “to do their job effectively” (see table below).

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NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach said: “Teachers are telling us they are experiencing massive strain on their workload and the provision of remote education is simply not sustainable without substantial additional resources, including extra teachers, to enable this to happen.

“If the government is serious about children’s education, then it must do whatever it takes to ensure that schools have the extra resources and funding they need to continue to provide education in these extremely challenging circumstances.

“Ministers must ensure that teachers and pupils have all the resources they need to support teaching and learning whilst schools continue to be disrupted by the pandemic.”

The survey, carried out between Friday and yesterday, also found that 83 per cent of respondents believe the government is not providing the necessary support for them and their school during the current pandemic crisis.