School leaders reveal how the job is taking its toll on their mental health
A new survey has found that nearly one in two (45 percent) school leaders have needed mental health support in the past year.
A survey by school leaders’ union NAHT found almost three-quarters (72 per cent) of leaders said their work had worsened their mental health in the past year; This rate was 65 percent last year.
The survey, conducted with the participation of 1,517 school leaders in England, revealed that 92 percent of participants said their work last year affected their sleep, 83 percent said stress increased and 61 percent said work affected their physical health.
NAHT warned last year that primary school principals would increasingly leave their jobs within five years because they faced “too many” demands.
NAHT General Secretary Paul Whiteman said: “The poor health and mental health of school leaders is extremely worrying and should be a real cause for concern for the government.
“Leaders play an absolutely crucial role in shaping the direction of schools and inspiring teachers and students.
“But if they’re stressed, overworked, and struggling with their mental health, they’re not going to be at their best, no matter how good they are.
“It is not surprising that the profession loses many school leaders within a few years of their appointment, and this is a huge waste of talent and experience.”
The union is calling on the UK government to state that employers should not contact school leaders at weekends or holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances.
It also wants ministers to commit to funding universal professional supervision of school leaders so they have a place to turn for support.
The survey also found that almost nine in 10 (87 percent) of leaders say the time they spend supporting faculty with mental health issues has increased over the past three years.
The measures called for by the NAHT will help improve the mental health of leaders, but to truly have an impact action is needed to “appropriately reduce the detrimental impact of high-stakes liability on the wellbeing of leaders”, Mr Whiteman said.
NAHT’s bid to launch a legal challenge against schools watchdog Ofsted’s plans for new report cards for grading schools was rejected in the High Court last year.
At the time, Mr Whiteman said the decision did not alleviate the union’s concerns about the potential harm the new Ofsted report card system would cause to leaders’ mental health.
Ofsted has canceled one-word orders for schools in 2024 following criticism of the inspection system following the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
Miss Perry committed suicide after an Ofsted report downgraded the Berkshire primary school from its highest rating of “outstanding” to its lowest rating of “inadequate” due to safeguarding concerns.
