Nearly half of school leaders (49%) needed professional help with
their mental health or well-being in the last year, fuelling an
already severe recruitment and retention crisis, a new survey has
found.
The latest state of the nation survey by school leaders’ union
NAHT reveals unsustainable pressures, including inspection,
accountability and workload, are taking an increasing toll on
leaders. The survey of nearly 1,900 leaders, also finds these
pressures are deterring deputy and assistant heads from stepping
up to headship.
Almost four in ten (38%) school leaders accessed professional
support for their mental health or wellbeing in the last year.
(1) Leaders cited Ofsted pressures as the factor which had
the greatest impact on their mental health.
The union’s new report, Crisis Point, found almost three quarters
(72%) of respondents said their job had harmed their mental
health in the last year. Almost four-fifths (79%) had experienced
increased worry, fear or stress about their job, and more than
eight in ten (84%) said their role had impacted the quality of
their sleep in the previous 12 months. (2)
For the first time, the survey found that a majority (57%) of
serving leaders said they would not recommend school leadership
as a career choice. Almost two thirds (61%) said they were
less satisfied in their role than a year ago.
The findings reveal more than half (51%) of school leaders are
considering leaving the profession within the next three years
for reasons other than retirement, with nearly nine in ten (88%)
identifying the impact of their role on their personal wellbeing
as a factor.
Significant numbers also cited workload pressures (83%), feeling
helpless or overwhelmed in offering pupils pastoral support
(61%), and pay failing to reflect the responsibilities of the
role (53%).
Reluctance to take on responsibility continues to grow. More than
six in ten (61%) assistant and deputy heads said they do not
aspire to headship, up from 53% in 2021. More than nine in
ten (91%) cited concerns about the impact of the role on their
well-being as a deterrent to headship, while four-fifths (81%)
identified concerns about Ofsted inspection.
Paul Whiteman, NAHT’s general secretary, said: “These dire
findings paint a really bleak picture of the unacceptable toll
school leadership is taking on our members and their mental
health and wellbeing.
“Parents and carers will no doubt be equally alarmed that school
leaders are being left seeking support with their mental health,
feeling worried, stressed and unvalued, struggling to sleep, and
considering quitting the profession.
"Reluctance to take on the role of head teacher is now an
established and rising trend which will inevitably impact the
wider school eco-system, and ultimately, children’s education.
"We regularly hear from school leaders who feel pushed to the
edge of despair. Without decisive action, I fear these dedicated
educators will be forced to leave the profession for their own
health, leaving more children without the inspirational leaders
and teachers they need.
“These findings must act as a clarion call to the government to
do much more to tackle the root causes of what is now a
full-blown leadership recruitment and retention crisis. That
means taking serious action to address school leaders’ concerns
over workload, Ofsted inspection, pay, funding and support for
pupils with SEND.
“Working in this profession and supporting young people’s
learning and social development, can, and should always be, a
rewarding experience. We urge government ministers to make it
their New Year’s Resolution to do whatever it takes to restore
school leadership and teaching as attractive, sustainable careers
to aspire to.”
NAHT is calling for government action to address the issues
contributing to the mental health and well-being crisis. This
includes fundamental reform of inspection and accountability
measures, an end to single-word Ofsted judgements, and further
action to tackle unsustainable levels of workload, which it wants
to inform every school policy development.
The union wants fully-funded support to be guaranteed whenever
staff are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.
NAHT is also urging the government to do more to value school
leaders and teachers, including by empowering leaders to make
decisions which meet pupils’ needs, without external
interference. It wants the government to invest in pay and reform
the pay structure, with 72% of members saying pay should maintain
its value against inflation, and the same proportion that it
should better reflect the responsibilities of the role.
Notes to Editor
NAHT surveyed 1890 school leaders between 21 September and 12
October 2023. The survey included head teachers, assistant and
deputy heads, principals, heads of schools, school business
leaders, executive leaders, and middle leaders, working across
all school types and phases.
1) A further 7% percent wanted help, but did not know how to get
it, and another 5% per cent also said they had needed support
only to find it was unavailable.
2) In addition, more than three quarters cited a negative impact
on their personal or family life (76%) and a similar proportion
reported having inadequate time for exercise (73%).
