Education secretary says move to marking and preparation out of classroom would help stem retention crisis

• ‘We need a total culture change’: the teacher told to work 60-hour week or leave after having baby

All state school teachers should given the right to work away from the classroom on lesson preparation, marking and pupil assessment to stem a growing retention crisis in the profession, the education secretary says today.

Bridget Phillipson told the Observer it was vital more schools offered teachers some flexible working away from the classroom as is already the case in many academy schools, without reducing contact time with pupils.