Schools' biggest secret stressors revealed

To find out, we looked at the most hotly-debated topics from the past academic year. 

Top 10 issues according to r/teachinguk  

It’s no coincidence that, in a year when industrial action has dominated the headlines, there were almost 120 posts about teacher strikes making it the fourth most talked-about subject. Also unsurprising is the fact that posts about stress, workload, anxiety and feeling ‘overwhelmed’ accounted for four of the top 10. 

Topping the list, however, was the PGCE – which is well-known for being a gruelling year for trainee teachers who have to combine study with their first real taste of the classroom.  

Over the past few months, concerns from PGCE students posting on r/teachinguk ranged from applying for jobs and what to wear to work, to managing heavy workloads and disruptive behaviour. Others were struggling with lack of confidence, and one questioned whether back-to-back 15-hour days were the norm.  

As well as being a chance to vent, forums like Reddit are also a good place to pick up useful advice – including solutions for managing tight budgets. Our research found 30 posts about budgets, putting it in the top 20 of most-discussed issues. One poster noted that their school was currently spending £1,500 on exercise books. Other members of the group were quick to respond with alternatives and advised on reducing paper use in general. 

Biggest stressors ranked 

These findings are mirrored in a poll we ran on the subreddit. Just under 1,150 responded – with workload and burnout topping the list by almost 100 votes.  

Many of these stress factors are linked. Poor behaviour may be down to unmanageable class sizes and ‘burnout’ could be the result of numerous entrenched problems within a school.  

To dig into the data a little more, we analysed data from one of the biggest forums use by school staff on the site to get a candid view about what’s really stressing them out. 

One told us that when they’ve been working until 9pm, their tolerance for bad behaviour drops – and this has a knock-on effect on their energy for ‘mundane admin’.  

In fact, paperwork was a common complaint for teachers, some of whom blamed Ofsted and the senior leadership team (SLT). And, while the SLT wasn’t listed in our poll, eight respondents said they would have chosen it if they’d had the chance. Lack of understanding around assessment for SEN pupils to incompetence and ‘obsessing’ about Ofsted were just some of the complaints raised about their SLT. Unsurprising, strong leadership is seen as key to alleviating these interconnected problems, as one poster concluded: 

“Good leaders reduce workload. Good leaders reward staff financially. Good leaders tackle behaviour. Good leaders ensure class sizes are manageable. Good leaders hire enough staff and support. Good leaders take care of everything.” 

Control what you can 

It’s clear that many teachers feel they’re living in a pressure cooker, with different stress factors compounding others. They’re often blamed for the staffing crisis in schools, caused by high numbers leaving the education sector, sometimes just a few years after qualifying. Not only that but recruitment targets for trainees have been missed for the second year in a row suggesting talented people don’t see it as an attractive career path.  

The challenges facing schools feel too huge to tackle – and they often find themselves in a vicious circle, unable to attract and retain permanent teachers yet forced to pay out large sums for supply staff.  

Budgets aren’t going to increase dramatically, and the problems that contribute to poor behaviour won’t disappear either. So how can the SLT and school support staff help? The mantra ‘control what you can’ is a useful one, and education software can make a difference. 

With skilled support staff at the helm, this technology enables teaching and non-teaching staff alike to work more efficiently by reducing excessive admin that often leaves teachers feeling frustrated and burnt out.  

HR software, for example, makes it easier to monitor sickness-absence, and proactively identify those who might be struggling, as well as helping them to manage their personal information and career development.  

Parent engagement software can help to cut down on admin (collecting forms, booking parents’ evening slots and so on). Yet it’s also a powerful way to communicate with parents, encouraging engagement with academic work and promoting better behaviour. Finally, school budgeting and finance software is critical for maximising every penny for the benefit of pupils, and keeping spending on track.  

Driving change 

We’ve seen how budgeting and finance software can help save money, which can be channelled into learning and extracurricular activities. We shouldn’t underestimate either how valuable it is for teachers to be able to have all the information they need in one place, accessible on the go via an app on their phone with a modern user-interface. Taken together, the right software for schools can lead to positive changes and healthier workplace cultures, where teachers have the time and resources to do what they do best.