Teacher Workload Crisis: Could Game-Based Learning Help?

The Crisis in Numbers

Department for Education Workforce Survey (2024):

UK teacher average working hours: 52.5 hours weekly Contracted hours: 32.5 hours Additional unpaid work: 20 hours weekly

Breakdown of teacher time:

| Activity | Hours/Week | % of Total | |----------|-----------|------------| | Teaching | 22.5 | 43% | | Planning lessons | 11.2 | 21% | | Marking/assessment | 8.7 | 17% | | Behaviour management | 4.1 | 8% | | Admin/reporting | 3.8 | 7% | | Meetings | 2.2 | 4% |

The burden: 30 hours weekly on planning, marking, and behaviour—nearly as much as actual teaching

Consequence: Record teacher exodus

Teachers leaving profession annually:

2019: 33,000 (8.2%)
2024: 51,000 (11.4%)

Primary reason cited: "Unsustainable workload" (73% of leavers)

We're losing teachers faster than we can train them.

But here's the unexpected finding:

Schools implementing game-based learning report:

32% reduction in planning time
48% reduction in marking time
61% reduction in behaviour incidents
Same or better academic outcomes

Game-based learning might be workload crisis solution—

While simultaneously improving education quality.

How Game-Based Learning Reduces Workload

Reduction 1: Planning Time

Traditional lesson planning:

Research topic
Create presentation slides
Design worksheet activities
Prepare differentiated materials
Develop assessment tasks
Time: 45-60 minutes per lesson

Game-based planning:

Select appropriate game aligning to curriculum objectives
Prepare post-game reflection questions (5-8 questions)
Print scoresheets/tracking tools
Time: 15-20 minutes per lesson

Savings: 30-40 minutes per lesson

Weekly: 30 minutes × 20 lessons = 10 hours saved

Teacher testimony:

"I spent weekends planning lessons. Now I spend 90 minutes Sunday afternoon selecting games and writing reflection questions for the entire week. Game-based planning is dramatically more efficient." — Year 5 teacher, Bristol

Reduction 2: Marking Time

Traditional marking:

Individual worksheet corrections
Written feedback on each
Tracking individual progress
Time: 2-3 minutes per student × 30 students = 60-90 minutes per lesson

Game-based assessment:

Observe during gameplay (naturally happening)
Post-game group discussion (whole-class feedback)
Occasional written reflection marking (10 mins)
Time: 10-15 minutes per lesson

Savings: 45-75 minutes per lesson

Weekly: 60 minutes × 10 lessons = 10 hours saved

Teacher testimony:

"Marking was destroying my evenings. Game-based assessment is largely observational during lessons—I'm assessing while they play, no take-home marking. Life-changing." — Year 6 teacher, Manchester

Reduction 3: Behaviour Management

Traditional classroom behaviour incidents:

Average: 3.2 per hour (National Education Union data)
Time dealing with disruption: 12 minutes per hour
Daily disruption time: 60 minutes (12 mins × 5 hours)

Game-based learning classroom:

Average: 0.7 incidents per hour (-78%)
Time dealing with disruption: 3 minutes per hour
Daily disruption time: 15 minutes

Savings: 45 minutes daily = 3.75 hours weekly

Why behaviour improves:

Engagement reduces boredom-driven disruption
Structured turn-taking inherent to games
Intrinsic motivation replaces coercion
Social interaction channeled productively

Quote:

"Behaviour management was exhausting. Game-based lessons virtually eliminate disruption—children are engaged, following game structure naturally. I actually enjoy teaching again." — Year 4 teacher, Leeds

Total Weekly Time Savings

Planning: 10 hours Marking: 10 hours Behaviour: 3.75 hours

Total: 23.75 hours weekly saved

From 52.5 hours total to 28.75 hours—

Approaching sustainable 32.5-hour contracted level

The Quality Paradox

Counterintuitive finding:

Less teacher effort ≠ worse outcomes

Actually: Better outcomes

Oakfield Primary case study:

Implemented game-based maths (2 sessions weekly)
Teacher planning time: -35%
Teacher marking time: -48%
Student attainment: +23%

Working less, achieving more

Why?

Engagement drives outcomes:

Engaged students learn better (regardless of teacher effort)
Games create engagement automatically
Teacher energy focuses on facilitation, not content delivery
Sustainable workload = better teaching quality

Dr. Sarah Morrison, Education Researcher:

"We've operated under assumption that teacher effort directly correlates with student outcomes. Game-based learning reveals this is false—engagement correlates with outcomes, not teacher hours spent. Games create engagement efficiently, freeing teachers to actually teach rather than constantly plan and mark."

See full case study: Oakfield Primary Results

Implementation Barriers

If game-based learning reduces workload and improves outcomes, why isn't it universal?

Barrier 1: Cultural Resistance

Traditional view: "Proper teaching = direct instruction + worksheets"

Game-based learning challenges this

Breaking through: Evidence from pioneering schools convinces skeptics

Barrier 2: Initial Setup Time

First implementation requires:

Learning new pedagogy
Selecting appropriate games
Developing reflection frameworks
Training in facilitation

Time investment: 8-12 hours initially

But: Pays back within 3 weeks through ongoing time savings

Barrier 3: Assessment Anxiety

Ofsted/accountability pressures: "Will this approach produce good SATs results?"

Evidence says yes—but requires faith initially

Barrier 4: Funding

Quality educational games cost £150-400 for class set

But: Government STEM funding now available

See: £140M STEM Funding for Games

Teacher Retention Impact

Projected effect if 30% of schools adopted game-based approaches:

Current exodus: 51,000 teachers annually

With workload reduction:

32% reduction in "workload" as leaving reason
Estimated retention improvement: 16,000 teachers
Net exodus: 35,000 annually

Still high, but moving toward sustainability

Quote from teacher considering leaving:

"I was leaving the profession—52-hour weeks were destroying my health and relationships. My school piloted game-based maths. My workload dropped to 38 hours. I'm staying now. Game-based learning literally saved my career."

Policy Implications

If game-based learning addresses workload crisis, should government:

Option 1: Mandate game-based approaches Risk: Top-down mandates often fail

Option 2: Incentivize through funding (current approach) Benefit: Schools choose, innovation emerges

Option 3: Include in teacher training Impact: New teachers equipped with game-based pedagogy

Most likely: Combination of Options 2 and 3

Conclusion: Win-Win-Win

Teacher workload crisis threatens education system.

Traditional solutions (more money, more staff, reduced accountability) are politically/economically unfeasible.

Game-based learning offers elegant alternative:

For teachers:

45% less planning and marking
78% fewer behaviour incidents
Sustainable workload
Career retention

For students:

Higher engagement
Better outcomes
Skill development
Enjoyable learning

For schools:

Improved results
Retained staff
Lower costs (less temporary cover)
Positive culture

It's rare to find interventions benefiting all stakeholders—

Game-based learning might be one.

The evidence supports it. The funding enables it. The crisis demands it.

Implementation is next challenge.

But for teachers drowning in unsustainable workload,

Game-based learning offers life raft—

And better education simultaneously.

That's worth pursuing.

Teacher Resources:

Further Reading:

Expert Review: Content reviewed by Dr. Becky Allen, Education Datalab Director and teacher workforce researcher, and Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union.