Are the staff in your school really stressed?

[christinarossetti]

A question for both teachers and parents/carers.

I've had a number of conversations today with parents and teachers from different schools and realised that there's been a reoccurring theme of teachers saying how stressed they are and parents saying how stressed the teachers seem to be.

Ofsted will be in our school next half-term, so obviously people very stressed.

Is this normal in education at the moment, or is it just the people I know?

The best teachers my DC's have had have either been the NQT's or those in their last year or two before retirement.

The NQTs are all excited about having their own class and assume that they won't have to work so hard once they get used to it. Those in the last year or two know that they are almost free!
It is hardly surprising that after 5 years they realise that the workload hasn't diminished and after 15 years they still have a long way to go!

We do still have TA's in my school (quite lucky, I know) but they are all fully occupied running intervention groups, such as AccerlereadAccelerite, Springboard Maths, Wordshark, etc, with individual children or small groups, to make sure that every child makes the OfSTED-imposed progress target.

I do my own admin, displays, etc; sometimes I do her photocopying. My TA leaves at 3.15; I stay until I have finished, usually just after 6, so I actually have more time available for admin jobs.

Thanks very much to all the teachers . And sorry your half-terms are ruined with stupid paperwork. Remember, the vast majority of dc and their parents couldn't give a monkey's about any of the rubbish you're made to do, so long as they're learning, happy-ish, and you know their names . And I say that as parent of 1 with significant SN, one whose teacher says she's the perfect student (verbatim, i didn't make it up ) and one who I'll probably HE unless he calms down by reception age cos it's not fair on anyone cos he's not a whiteboard type

When would I find 15 minutes at work when I will not be interrupted!!

I started today at 7.30 and finished at 4.30 and had 5 minutes in between to eat my lunch ( with the children!) the rest of the time I was preparing for the day, teaching, on playground duty, having a lunchtime social services meeting, teaching and then running a club! I didn't have 15 uninterrupted SECONDS let alone minutes!

Hello Spanieleyes,

Wow, you do sound incredibly busy! Apologises if my post was insensitive, I did not mean it to come across that way and I appreciate teacher's have a very full workload. Is 5 minutes for lunch normal for you?

Yes, they are because of the number of targets and probably quite a lot to do with lack of appreciation, disagreement with Gove's egotisitcal plans philosophy. (I am a govenor at a school, with both a sister and niece who is a teacher).
Also, to get some perspective, probably no more than anyone else in any other public sector job or mostly any other job where there are pressures re funding or because of recession & I'm not sure teachers always get what is going in other fields - for instance I have to work quite hard with our teachers to get them to realise that governor's have a life outisde of being a govenor and have a lot going on and are subject to their own work stress. However, we have some really good teachers who do a great job and I generally couldn't appreciate our more and I think some of the stress in our school is caused by wanting to do the best job possible and being hampered from being able to do that.

Sometimes I don't get any! I'm SLT but also teach full time so anything that needs doing during the day has to be fitted in at lunchtime . I quite often have to pop out of the classroom to sign cheques so the bills can be paid! I teach in a small school and, whilst the numbers might be smaller ( although I have 31 in my class just like larger schools) the number of jobs to do is just the same. I'm also maths leader, RE and PE, Eco schools, assessment and EVC, plus probably a few other things I've forgotten!
It's also report writing season, residential next week and SATs results due back soon ( I teach yr 6)
Stressed, who's stressed

Hi - retired TA (male) here :

businessbunny Not trying to be difficult, but I would suggest you contact MN HQ admin staff regarding this item (unless you already have, of course) as there is sometimes a charge for using MN in this way, rather than just for discussions between interested parties.

A similar item some months ago was DELETED by HQ as it should have incurred a fee (£30 I believe, but check it) and I would hate you worthy cause to suffer that fate.

I was a primary helper, then TA, for twenty years, but have been out of the classroom two years now. But, Yes teachers are under a lot of stress, but I think the best, most organised ones can still find it enjoyable. Mr Gove doesn't exactly do anything to make life any better for teachers, children, or parents, and in due course I think his term in office will be seen like Beeching was on the railways in the '60s.

Hi Ferguson, thank you, I have a message about the research in the Media section however I thought I may try to find MNetter's who are teaching as I suspect the through fare in the other section is very very small :( (judging by the number of replies others received- 1-10). I need to reach as many people as possible as I need 60 plus participants

It seems like a lot of time and hassle for the 'chance' to win a £20 voucher.

I have reports to write. And it's past 3am and I'm still awake!

MerryCouthy - unfortunately it is not possible for another teacher to do PPA time for your child's class teacher. PPA time involves Planning (which only the class teacher can do effectively as she/he knows where the children are and where they should move on to; Preparation - providing appropriate and stimulating resources suitable for each level of ability in the class (again difficult for someone who does not teach the class to do effectively) and Assessment (accurately assessing where children are and when they are ready to move to the next level). My PPA teacher does a whole day for me. I teach in a special school for ASD pupils and they quickly become used to the fact that on MON/TUES/WEDS/THURS P is their teacher (that's me) and on FRI S is their teacher. It works very well for us.