The Education Support Partnership released their “Teacher Well-being Index 2023” last week, and it paints a stark picture of a profession in crisis. The report surveyed more than 23,000 educators across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and found that: 

• 78% of all education staff are stressed, with school teachers feeling the most stressed

• 36% of school teachers reported experiencing burnout 

• 51% of staff experience insomnia or difficulty sleeping 

The report also confirmed fears around senior leadership, identifying that 89% of senior  leaders reported feeling stressed (rising to 95% among headteachers). This is a significant increase from the 85% of senior leaders who reported feeling stressed in 2022. The report also found that headteachers are more likely than other senior leaders to experience  burnout. 47% of headteachers reported experiencing burnout, compared to 32% of other senior leaders. 

There are a number of factors that are contributing to the stress and burnout of headteachers. These factors include: 

• Increased workload: headteachers are responsible for a wide range of  tasks, including managing staff, setting budgets, and overseeing curriculum development. The workload of headteachers has increased in recent years, as they  have been given more responsibility for school performance.

• Increased accountability: headteachers are increasingly accountable for the performance of their schools. This accountability can be stressful, as headteachers feel  pressure to ensure that their schools are achieving good results.

• Increased scrutiny: headteachers are subject to increased scrutiny from the  government, Ofsted and the media. This scrutiny can be stressful, as headteachers feel  pressure to maintain a positive image of their schools.

The stress and burnout of headteachers can have a negative impact on their mental health. Headteachers may experience symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia. They may also be more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours like smoking and drinking.

In addition to the negative impact on their own mental health, the stress and burnout of headteachers can also have a negative impact on the school community. Headteachers who are stressed and burnt out may be less effective in their leadership roles. They may also be more likely to make mistakes, which can have a negative impact on the quality of teaching  and learning in the school.

For the first time the report also surveyed about Ofsted. The report highlights the significant  stress and anxiety caused by Ofsted inspections, finding that: 

• 73% of staff thought inspections were not fit for purpose 

• 64% of staff felt that inspections do not deliver reliable judgments 

• 71% of staff thought inspections negatively impact their mental health and wellbeing

These findings echo the concerns raised by many teachers and school leaders, who feel that Ofsted inspections are overly stressful, burdensome, and do not accurately reflect the quality of teaching and learning in schools. The report recommends that Ofsted should: 

• Reduce the frequency of inspections 

• Focus more on positive feedback and support 

• Develop a more collaborative approach with schools 

The findings of the report are concerning, and they underscore the urgent need to prioritise teacher wellbeing. When teachers are stressed and overworked, it has a negative impact on their own mental health, as well as the quality of teaching they are able to provide to their  students. 

The report also calls on the government to: 

• Provide more funding for schools to support teacher wellbeing 

• Reduce the workload of teachers

• Improve communication with the teaching profession

Recommendations

The Education Support Partnership has made a number of recommendations to improve teacher wellbeing, including: 

• Developing a coherent strategy to improve the wellbeing of the education workforce
• Prioritising suicide prevention
• Reducing the levels of stress, burnout, and loneliness across the education workforce
• Addressing the staff attrition crisis
• Decreasing health outcomes for the education workforce 

What can leaders do to support their staff? 

If you are concerned about teacher wellbeing, there are a number of things you can do to help. You can:

• Support organisations that are working to improve teacher wellbeing. There are a number of organisations that do this. Signposting to support agencies should be made clear to staff, as part of a visible culture of mental health support. 

• Reducing workload: steps that schools can take include delegating tasks to other staff members and providing administrative support. Ideas for this are covered in TT  Educations’ ‘Improving Wellbeing for Teachers and Leaders’ course. 

• Providing training and support: all staff, including headteachers, can be provided with training and support to help them manage stress and cope with the demands of their job. TT Education’s ‘National network for Senior Mental Health Leaders’ has a  range of short on-demand courses, on a range of topics, to provide self-care advice  and awareness. 

• Promoting a culture of wellbeing: schools can create a culture of wellbeing that encourages staff to look after their own mental health. 

• Supportive strategies such as resilience: helping staff to be self-aware and understand how to boost their own resilience and self-care can be useful steps as part of wider cultural measures.