Action on workload

The last few months have seen passion and industrial action influence change, with a historical teacher pay deal agreed to improve the treatment of teachers throughout the country. While this is a win for professionals and the industry as a whole, it doesn’t solve pressing issues that are still a ecting teachers and schools. For years now, teachers across Scotland have been subject to increasing workload, leaving many professionals overworked and desperate for change. This was only compounded during the coronavirus pandemic, with teachers expected to go above and beyond their responsibilities to support young people.

Even after schools have returned to in-person learning full-time, the increases to workload haven’t stopped. As part of the union NASUWT’s The Big Question 2022 survey, 59 per cent of teachers said workload has increased significantly. The survey also showed that 50 per cent of respondents do not feel managed in a way that empowers them.

These results are concerning but not shocking for Scotland’s education sta : they have been exacerbated by pressures including the current teacher workforce crisis, years of funding cuts, and the pandemic. Despite more than £200m spent on recruitment by the Scottish Government, the number of teachers in Scotland has dropped for the first time in five years, with the proportion of first-year probationers staying in the profession at a 12-year low. At the same time, the number of pupils in Scottish schools has continued to grow.

Consequences

The huge impact that an unmanageable workload has on teachers around the country is immense, and it filters through to e ect the whole school community.

This leaves a lack of time for required professional development, adds pressure to increase working hours, and could even lead to more people leaving the profession. One of the biggest outcomes of increased workload is the detrimental impact on teachers’ mental health. More than half of survey respondents cited workload as the most important factor in causing adverse mental health. Over time, and if action isn’t taken, teaching professionals could be left burnt out or in crisis.

The negative consequences of the workload crisis will also a ect pupils, with teachers unable to give their all during lessons. Without change, the true legacy of the workload crisis will be an increased number of people leaving the profession as they are unable to cope or to do their job e ectively due to measures out with their control.

Action

This fight isn’t a new one: unions have been demanding action for years, influenced by their members’ experiences and concerns. This has included the EIS Time to Tackle Workload campaign, and work from NASUWT to demand action from governments and administrations across the whole of the UK.

As part of this vital work, NASUWT created their Workload Checklist, a nine-point list to empower teachers and encourage employers to demonstrate the value they place on their sta . The list cover points like: you cannot be expected to work e ectively if your workload is excessive and unmanageable; you must have a reasonable break during the working day; you are entitled to a limit on your working hours and to a reasonable work/life balance; you should not be expected to undertake routine administrative and clerical tasks.

These are just a few of the points made through the checklist, each with further explanations and examples.

Conversations

This checklist, alongside other tools and information from unions, can be used to start a productive conversation with school management. While their hands are often tied due to teacher shortages, sta absences and cuts to their budget, discussing how this is a ecting you, your teaching and your pupils is a positive step. In some cases, they may be able to o er suggestions or support that you haven’t accessed or been aware of before.

Remember, employers including schools are expected to follow the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers Code of Practice on Collegiality (www.snct.org.uk). At school level, this means that working should be carried out within the context of the 35-hour working week. More findings from NASUWT’s survey showed that the number of hours worked in a typical mid-term week was 46, with a further 14 hours worked in a typical mid-term week outside of the school day.

The code also acknowledges the importance of having a Working Time Agreement in your school which is formed and agreed to by all sta , and of strong, e ective communications within schools.

When you approach this conversation, remember you are not alone. You could call on your school’s union reps or colleagues who are experiencing similar issues to support you if you want to approach school management over pressures surrounding workload.

If you are concerned about workload pressures in your school that haven’t been resolved internally, speak to your union.

EIS - www.eis.org.uk

NASUWT - www.nasuwt.org.uk

Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association - www.ssta.org.uk