People in teaching jobs should stop presenting themselves as "victims".

This is the view of the head of Ofsted Sir Michael Wilshaw who believes that constant complaints from teachers are undermining the good work being carried out in the UK's schools.

Speaking at the North of England Education Conference in Nottingham, the country's chief teaching inspector called for a balance. He said that teachers were seen as "serial complainers with another moan", but conceded it was a "national scandal" that 40 per cent of people leave their first teaching job within the first five years. 

In an effort to remedy both of these problems Sir Michael wants teacher training to focus on preparing trainees for the practicalities of a job in the classroom.

"Ofsted has not been as demanding as it should have been with training providers who have sent newly-qualified teachers out into schools unprepared for the rigours of the classroom," he said, adding a "disconnect" exists between idealised teacher training theory and the realities of a teaching job.

He also used the address to highlight the quality of teaching in the UK's schools is improving and this was in part down to the "more motivated, more qualified, more enthused generation of young teachers" that are starting to find employment in the profession.

Despite this, more work needs to be done to spread the teaching talent around the country and get quality classroom staff into areas of the country that need it the most. The Ofsted chief explained a national system needs to be set up that guarantees schools in need have access to high-quality teachers in order to prevent them from falling into a spiral of decline.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, responded to the speech by stating that Ofsted has been one of the biggest offenders in dismissing the success of the teaching profession and teachers' unions merely represent views in the industry, not invent them.