Teachers reach new levels of stress and burnout

Education Support’s eighth Teacher Wellbeing Index offers new insights on the impact of pupil and parent behaviour on staff wellbeing, with clear recommendations for change. The charity is urging the government to take action on staff retention, stress and burn out rates, and suicide prevention and awareness in the sector.

The report shows staff are experiencing an increase in difficult behaviour across the education system, negatively affecting teacher wellbeing.

In a survey of over 3,000 staff, 82 per cent of the workforce reported that challenging student behaviour had increased, which had negatively affected their mental health, and a further 70 per cent reported a similar increase in challenging interactions with parents leading to increased stress. Furthermore, 84 per cent of those who had reported difficult student behaviour had increased believed it was due to a lack of provision for pupils’ physical, emotional, and mental health needs.

Staff also reported that a lack of support from wider public services negatively affected their morale, how they feel about their job performance, and their ability to switch off after work. From teachers who report inadequate support from public bodies: 66 per cent feel this negatively affects their mental health and wellbeing, 66 per cent feel this negatively affects their ability to switch off, and 71 per cent feel their job satisfaction has decreased.

Some positive news from the report details a slight improvement in some wellbeing data and perceptions of workplace culture. The good work of school and college leaders has lead to a five per cent decrease in staff saying their organisations’ culture has a negative effect on their mental health.

But high rates of stress, anxiety, and depression and burnout still remain, the study finds, with 77 per cent of the workforce continuing to report symptoms linked to their work, with high levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout persisting.

Furthermore, more than one-third of staff score below 40 on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, indicating serious mental health concerns. Most commonly, teachers report insomnia (46 per cent), irritability (44 per cent), and difficulty concentrating (38 per cent).

A classroom teacher said: “Pressure from parents has negatively impacted my mental health. I frequently find myself overthinking interactions, feeing inadequate and exhausted by the demands of my role. This stress has affected my personal life, leaving me too tired to engage with my family or take care of myself.”

Education Support has made the following recommendations to UK education departments: prioritising staff retention; improving provision for SEND, mental health, social services, and poverty reduction programmes; targeted support to school leaders; renewing social contracts between families, schools and colleges, and improving suicide awareness. 

Sinéad Mc Brearty, chief executive of Education Support commented: “Disturbingly high rates of stress, anxiety, and burnout continue to affect education staff, exacerbated by pupil and parent behaviour, and a lack of support outside school for children and young people. The impact of teachers’ mental health is significant, and partly explains why so many are leaving the profession. These issues point to societal challenges beyond education that require deep thinking and creativity to address.”

Teachers or education staff feeling emotional distressed can call the Education Support helpline: 08000 562 561. The number is free, open 24/7 and offers immediate support. If you are worried you cannot keep yourself safe right now, please call 999 or go to A&E.