It’s been a while… I started this blog as a bit of summer holiday fun, but it was quickly torpedoed (like the rest of my social life) by the unmanageable workload of being a primary school teacher. As a teacher in a small inner-city school in London, I’ve seen firsthand the toll that excessive workload can take on teachers’ mental health and overall well-being. It’s no secret that teachers are overworked and underappreciated, but what often gets overlooked are some of the root causes of the issue. In this post, I want to delve deeper into why teacher workload has become unmanageable and offer some possible solutions to help alleviate the burden.
I was inspired by this recent BBC article to write this post. The title was ‘Teachers working 12-hour days, leaked report says’. This left me wondering why my daily reality was newsworthy? It makes me ticked off that despite the overwhelming workload and pressure that teachers face daily, most people still don’t seem to understand the demands of the job. It’s frustrating that it takes a leaked report or a news article to bring attention to the issue, when it should be common knowledge that teaching is an incredibly demanding profession that requires much more than just standing in front of a classroom for a few hours each day. I’ve summarised the article here:
- A leaked government report found that almost a quarter of teachers in England are working 12-hour days.
- 22% of teachers reported working 60 hours a week or more.
- The report found that high workload was a key factor in why one in four teachers are considering leaving the state sector in the next year.
- Three-quarters of teachers said they spent too much time on paperwork, while almost three-quarters said their workload was “unacceptable.”
- The Education Secretary has announced a new taskforce to help reduce teachers’ workload by an average of five hours a week.
While the report is shedding light on the issue, I feel there is little real discussion about what is causing the issue. What is all of this ‘paperwork’? Here are the four issues that immediately come to mind for me, in my particular context:
- Constant reinvention of the wheel in terms of curriculum and planning
Many schools are obsessed with constant reinvention of the curriculum and planning, even when there are well-researched and accepted schemes that could save teachers a lot of time and energy. This can create a huge workload for teachers, who often end up spending countless hours creating resources for the same subjects. I know of schools where senior leaders check or even wipe their planning systems to make sure no one uses the last year’s planning, even within the same year group and topic. This constant push for creativity and tailoring the curriculum creates huge workload for teachers, with thousands of teachers creating resources for the same subjects. A few people paid to do it really well (then shared nationally for free), that teachers could then minimally adapt for their setting would be so much better.
- Unecessary resource creation, especially at primary
Primary teachers often have to plan for a wide range of topics and subjects, which can create a staggering amount of workload. There are not always a large number of resources available, and teachers often end up creating worksheets and other materials from scratch. While many primary teachers shudder in horror at the idea of textbooks, but in reality, we’re spending so much time planning, creating worksheets for that planning, sticking those sheets in books. Especially in subjects like maths and science – a quality textbook (or choice of) would provide a useful framework for planning and for cutting down on constantly creating resources. Bring back the books!
- Expectations from senior leaders and Ofsted for subject leaders
It is unfair to judge small primary school teachers who are subject leaders for 2 or more subjects on the same criteria as large primary schools. Senior leaders and Ofsted often have unrealistic expectations for subject leaders, particularly in small primary schools where all teachers are often subject leaders for multiple subjects. Assessment criteria for subject leadership is broadly similar to that of large secondary schools, where subject leaders might have deputies, and time out of class.
- Unreasonable and outdated expectations from senior leaders
Senior leaders can perpetuate outdated practices that make workload unmanageable, such as onerous marking requirements and the need for daily, weekly, monthly, medium-term, and long-term lesson plans. Teachers should be trusted to plan and feedback to pupils in a way that is useful and sustainable for everyone.
To address these issues, we need to advocate for our own well-being and effective practices. Many of the problems with workload lie within our own school building, and we need to have tough conversations with our senior leaders to effect change. We also need greater understanding and sympathy from parents, governors, and the government, who may not fully appreciate the day-to-day tasks of teachers.
In conclusion, it is time for us to take a stand and address the issue of unmanageable workload in education. We must work together to create effective solutions that will benefit both teachers and students alike.
When it comes to teacher workload, it’s time for schools to go from Requires Improvement to Outstanding, before we all end up feeling Inadequate.
Ticked Off Teacher
Signed,
Ticked Off Teacher 