In a few weeks’ time thousands of early career teachers (ECTs) will arrive in school, setting up their very first classrooms ready for September.

What’s more, according to initial teacher training data, just over half of these ECTs will be under 25, making them the next cohort of Gen Z teachers to enter the workforce.

They will arrive with energy, purpose and a desire to make a difference. But they will also bring a set of expectations about what work should look and feel like: they are more likely to value balance, question outdated norms and expect cultures that prioritise wellbeing and purpose, not just resilience and sacrifice.

This matters. Because if we want these new teachers to thrive and stay, we must take their early experience seriously. After all, government data shows that many new teachers - Gen Z or otherwise - leave after just one year and many more give up after three.

Schools, therefore, must create cultures where workload is manageable and wellbeing is a priority from the start - or risk losing a generation of teachers before they’ve found their feet.

Support for early career teachers

It can be easy to overlook this when new teachers start with enthusiasm and willingness to say yes to everything.

But the jump from training to full-time teaching is big. Every new job is tough but for teachers it comes with a huge array of things to learn: curricula, names, layouts, behaviour systems and, of course, lessons to deliver.

Leaders must actively protect that early energy, not rely on it. This starts with honest conversations: what does “good enough” look like in week one, in month one, in term one? What can wait? ECTs don’t need perfection - they need permission to prioritise.

This is important for all new teachers but Gen Z teachers, raised in an era of open conversations about stress and burnout, are quicker to recognise the signs - and quicker to question whether the pace is worth the price.

1. Make workload manageable

Key to this is ensuring that workload is manageable and adaptable. Start with planning. Are schemes of work clear and usable or are ECTs expected to reinvent the wheel? Is there time to collaborate with colleagues, rather than planning in isolation? Are shared resources easily accessible and high-quality?

Marking is another pressure point. New teachers, especially those not long out of school and used to instant feedback, may fall into the trap of over-marking.

Leaders should set out what is required - and, just as importantly, what isn’t. A message that feedback can be fast, verbal or whole-class is a powerful cultural signal.

Presenteeism also deserves scrutiny. Gen Z teachers don’t equate late nights with professionalism. They value flexibility and meaningful outcomes. If planning can happen at home or CPD can take place at a different time, it’s worth asking why we still default to rigid structures.

And, above all, leaders must model the culture. If SLT are sending emails in the evening, applauding long hours, or appear stretched and stressed, ECTs will assume this is the norm. Culture is shaped more by what’s seen than what’s said.

2. Wellbeing isn’t a yoga session

This leads into the next point: for Gen Z, wellbeing isn’t a bolt-on - it’s part of the job. This doesn’t mean yoga classes or mindfulness sessions but a real, structural focus on wellbeing.

It’s protected PPA time, no-meeting weeks before report deadlines, and leaders who ask, “What can we take off your plate?”

What’s more, Gen Z teachers are more likely to speak up, ask for help and expect support if they are struggling. This isn’t entitlement or failure - it’s self-awareness. It’s what a sustainable profession should look like, so if an issue is raised, take it seriously.

Of course, ECTs have mentors to help with this - but they, too, need time, training and capacity to do the job well. A 2023 review of the Early Career Framework found that many mentors struggled to balance workload with the demands of mentoring. So ensuring that mentors’ ability to carry out this role is protected is vital to ECT success.

A culture that values people

Ultimately, Gen Z teachers aren’t here to replicate the past. They’re here to help shape the future - if we let them. If, however, they’re given unrealistic expectations, left to cope alone or judged for not keeping up, they’re likely to walk away.

But if we build school cultures that value people over presenteeism, clarity over perfection and support over sacrifice, we can help ECTs to grow and thrive for years to come - and one day become the next generation of leaders who welcome the next cohorts of new teachers into the profession.

Michael Green is visiting professor in the School of Education at the University of Greenwich

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