Almost half of primary teachers in England see pupils with eating disorders, survey finds | Education
Almost half of primary school teachers meet pupils with eating disorders “at least occasionally”, according to a study by the UK’s largest teaching union; this rate increases to four out of five at the secondary level.
The findings were revealed in a survey of 10,000 teachers in English state schools about the mental health of students; The survey also revealed “overwhelming” test anxiety in secondary schools and a dwindling number of counselors to support students.
When asked if they had seen signs of an eating disorder in children in the past year, 45% of elementary school teachers and 78% of middle school teachers said they had seen it at least occasionally.
Of these, 4% of those at primary school level said they see evidence of eating disorders “regularly”, compared to 14% of secondary school teachers and 20% of private schools and student referral units.
The National Education Union (NEU) survey also found that two-thirds (68%) of secondary school teachers who responded regularly had experienced absenteeism linked to their students’ mental health issues.
Three quarters (76%) see their students regularly experiencing social difficulties, while the number of teachers complaining about a lack of counselors in their school has risen from 29% to 40% in three years.
It is well documented that mental health problems are increasing among children and young people. A study published in the Lancet last year reported a 65% increase in annual hospital admissions for children and young people aged 5 to 18 with mental health problems between 2012-3 and 2021-2. Increases in eating disorders were “particularly steep”; increased from 478 to 2,938 during the same period; An increase of 515%.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Lee Hudson said eating disorders were becoming more common, but noted the term covered a wide range of conditions, not just anorexia.
Young children may experience early anorexia or avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (Arfid), which is characterized by limiting the type or amount of food, he said. “Eating disorders have become more common. We know they’re increasing, but we don’t know why,” she said.
Almost half (48%) of teachers who responded said they regularly witnessed chronic anxiety among students, while almost a third (31%) saw students living with social isolation.
NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “Schools are not keeping up with the obvious acceleration in the levels of mental health support that young people need. Demand clearly exceeds available resources. In many cases, this makes early and timely intervention for students impossible.
“Teachers cry out for nurses, mental health leaders and faster access to child and adolescent mental health services support in schools. The majority tell us they have none of this. The rest tell us they are, but that’s not enough.”
NEU, which is holding its annual conference in Brighton this week, will discuss the “crisis of violence and behavior in schools” on Wednesday. The resolution calls for the creation of a violence unit on the school task force to monitor trends and develop policy.
A survey conducted before the conference found that 66% of teachers said student misbehavior regularly disrupted learning; this is nearly the same as in 2024 (67%), but significantly higher than in 2022 (48%).
The survey found that disruptions due to behavior problems were worse in primary schools, special schools or pupil referral units; 70% and 69% of teachers respectively said the behavior regularly or always negatively impacted lessons, compared to 60% at secondary level.
Teachers told NEU that their ability to manage behavior was hampered by a lack of resources and staff, particularly for special educational needs.
An anonymous participant said: “With unmet Dispatch needs and inadequate specialist supply, staff are increasingly required to manage complex behavior without adequate support or intervention from senior leaders.”
Another cited extreme views on social media as a contributing factor. “Increased exposure to worrying attitudes and beliefs online: Misogyny clearly has a huge impact, especially as a female teacher when dealing with the behavior of male students.”
