TOLL ON TEACHERS: Figures reveal stress and strain in the classroom

Data obtained by the ACM under freedom of information also revealed 17 teachers received compensation claims for exposure to workplace violence in 2023, totalling more than $400,000.

Teachers Federation Hunter organiser Jack Galvin Waight said the alarming figures, which included the Central Coast, Port Stephens and Hunter Valley, reflected what the union was hearing every day.

"More and more teachers are leaving because of unsustainable workloads and unsafe workplaces," Mr Galvin Waight said.

"Everyone deserves a safe school environment, especially teachers who work within them.

"This is further evidence of the stress and strain on teachers in the Hunter, and this requires urgent action on the part of both governments."

Last year, there were 42 teachers in the Central Coast who reported a psychological injury, followed by 36 in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, 19 in the Hunter Valley and 12 in Port Stephens.

Mr Galvin Waight, pictured, said the problem was the result of more than a decade of under resourcing teachers while expecting them to get through "massive workloads". He called on Premier Chris Minns to deliver on his election promise to cut teachers' administrative hours.

The number of psychological claims in the Hunter region is on par with the rest of NSW's schooling districts. Across the state, around a quarter of teacher compensation claims this financial year were for psychological injuries.

A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said the abuse or assault of any staff member was "totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated".

"All staff have the right to a safe workplace, and their safety and wellbeing is one of our highest priorities," they said.

About 3 per cent of Department of Education staff are currently being supported in their recovery and return to work after a workplace injury.

"We have measures to prevent and respond to workplace injury. The return-to-work program supports staff in recovering at work, including suitable duties and adjustments to how they work," the department spokesperson said.

Last year, there were 24 teachers who were medically retired in the Hunter, which includes both work-related and non-work-related medical retirements.

The education sector has faced an epidemic of teachers leaving the profession, often due to workplace conditions.

The most recent NSW People Matter Employee Survey indicated two-thirds of teachers feel they are burned out by their work and only one-in-five say they have the time to do their job well.

The 2023 NSW Workforce Profile Report showed teachers are leaving their jobs earlier than ever, with the median time they spend at a public school dropping to under 11 years.

The number of permanent NSW teachers resigning doubled in just two years, from 929 in 2020 to more than 1850 in 2022.

At the start of this year, Hunter Valley schools - excluding Newcastle - had more than 67 full-time teaching vacancies, with more than 40 per cent of schools reporting a vacancy.

The situation was only slightly better in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, which had 48 full-time vacancies affecting one-third of schools.

ACM sought the total number of physical assaults on teachers through the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) process, however the department did not provide the information.