‘Occasionally there are moments of light’: the challenges of primary school teaching in England, and the factors that motivate teachers to stay in the profession

This research, exploring the health and well-being of education professionals, was carried out at the behest of a Multi-Academy Trust of five primary schools. The intention was to assess the needs of educators, before designing a programme to support them. Data were collected through anonymous online survey from 244 staff in primary schools in England. Similar to previous literature, respondents reported feeling stressed and overwhelmed with their workload; as well as feeling undervalued, lacking autonomy and experiencing low morale. Our data suggest that these factors damaged educators’ health and well-being and, for some, impacted negatively upon their home lives. The general negativity of responses was tempered by mentions of the more intrinsically rewarding aspects of the role. This research highlights significant changes that are needed to education funding and policy, whilst suggesting approaches that schools can take, in the meantime, to protect the health and wellbeing of their staff

Practical ways to improve teacher wellbeing

We all know that teachers are extremely busy, and when workload and expectations from school become overwhelming, this can be very detrimental to the wellbeing of you and your colleagues, especially if stress and exhaustion continue in the long term. Wellbeing is such a personal matter; activities that support one person’s wellbeing, whether that is going for a five-mile run or crocheting a blanket, may be unhelpful for another person and would certainly not support their wellbeing. Therefore, it is necessary for every teacher to learn ways of supporting their wellbeing so you and your colleagues can flourish and enjoy this rewarding profession, whether you are a new or experienced teacher, a middle leader or a member of the SLT. This blog explores what teacher wellbeing is and how it is measured, what practical steps you can take to support your own wellbeing and the strategies that senior leaders can implement in a school to support their staff

Supporting Children's Mental Health through PSHE and R(S)HE

The book takes an inclusive understanding of both diverse families and relationships throughout. Topics covered include: -social media, online presence and critical literacy skills -mental health coping strategies -plastic reducing -topical, sensitive, controversial issues (TSCIs) Covering the whole primary spectrum from Early Years to KS2, case studies from each phase are included within each chapter to help practitioners to relate the material to their own classroom. Research boxes showcase the latest research findings and guidance on further reading provides reliable direction for additional information

Supporting Teacher Wellbeing: a practical guide for primary teachers and school leaders

This publication is a proactive guide that will empower school staff; it will enlighten and equip them with essential knowledge about their well-being. This book: • Includes personal stories that encompass the real experiences of early-career teachers, experienced teachers, senior leaders and trainee teachers. • Delves into important topics such as stress, burnout, work-life balance, anxiety and controlling the mind. • Highlights how to increase self-esteem, confidence and eradicate perfectionism at work. • Suggests practical strategies related to workload reduction, peer support and a variety of self-care techniques

Mindfulness

Understanding and evidencing the Teachers’ Standards is vital for teachers at all stages of their career. This book focuses on how this can be achieved in your professional practice. This second edition introduces two new features: - voices of experience spotlights which explore the perspectives of teachers, parents and other professionals - additional reading and resource suggestions that allow you to find out more about relevant topics. Little light bulb moments and practice examples have been updated to show you how to translate theory into practice, in the classroom and wider learning environments

A reflection on how a work-life balance can be achieved using professional development

This article outlines recent research on teacher work–life balance. It also presents the argument that all teachers, especially those new to teaching, should undertake professional development to learn tools and techniques to create more work–life balance. Providing teachers with opportunities such as this demonstrates a proactive approach from school leaders, as opposed to a reactive approach, when teachers are only offered support after they experience stress and overwhelm due to overwork